The Best Apps For Navigating Tokyo

This app is the official guide to Tokyo by the tourism board, Tokyo Convention & Visitors Buereau. It includes tourist information, maps of popular destinations and a new ‘traditional crafts/cultural experience’ area to help you find culture spots. Information on the surrounding Ogasawara Islands, Tokyo Disneysea and other hotspots are also included. Metro maps are available offline to help you plan your route, and a ‘favourites’ feature lets you plan your day.

Cost: Free

With Time Out Tokyo’s maps, visitors can find their way around but also find things to do. The app features hundreds of suggestions for activities, places and venues nearby. Another fun feature is the ‘share’ option – once you’ve found a great spot, you can share it with friends and family on social media to help them plan their next trip.

Cost: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)

This official app from Tokyo Art Beat shows you information on gallery events, installations and other cultural exhibitions. Included are the locations, operating hours and length of the exhibition. Use the map feature to find openings near you or browse events by area. This app is a must for any art lovers coming to Tokyo.

Cost: 2.79 USD

TAKKUN is the official app of the Tokyo Taxi Association. It uses GPS to allow you to flag down a nearby taxi from your phone – no need to register an account. Fourteen different taxi companies participate, so you never need to worry about finding an available cab.

Cost: Free

This ‘travel amulet’ app, developed by Narita International Airport Corporation, is a one-stop shop for everything you need to know when visiting Japan. Find cultural information, weather updates, a currency converter, phrasebook and even a translator. Flight information and even a pre-order option for the duty-free shops is also included.

Cost: Free

These handy maps from Urban-Map show you where to find free Wi-Fi access in Tokyo, whether it’s a cafe, convenience store or shopping mall. If you don’t know the name of the district, don’t worry as the WiFi Map can tell you the closest location. Perfect for those who don’t want to shell out for Pocket WiFi or a disposable SIM.

Cost: Free

Fans of Lonely Planet will love their new Guides app. Just choose to download the Tokyo city guide for offline access to recommendations on things to see, where to eat, sleep, shop and play. They also include information on the top sights in the city and curated collections of must-see destinations, sorted according to the subject (example: contemporary art).

Cost: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)

The Tokyo Metro Subway Map and Route Planner is pretty self-explanatory. The app allows you to download a full map of Tokyo, the Metro and Toei Subway lines in order to plan your route offline. Find stations closest to you and sort routes according to speed or cost.

Cost: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)