Japan is a country of modern wonders and ancient traditions of teeming cities of pristine wilderness.
It's a smorgasbord for the curious traveler, but it can also be a daunting to understand Japan's culture,
language,
transportation and money system.
For today's connected traveler, though
There are some great Apps that will help you navigate Japan like a pro but first, please, like, subscribe,
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Before you head to Japan,
You'll need a couple of things to get the most out of your smartphone. A local SIM card and a VPN or Wi-Fi hotspot.
Check with your mobile carrier to see what plans they offer for traveling in Japan.
If your phone is unlocked, it might be cheaper to buy a local SIM card with unlimited data.
The least expensive SIM cards are data only which means no voice calling if you need to make voice calls
Mobal offers a voice plus data card, you can choose from a variety of SIM cards at the airport
While free Wi-Fi is available in many coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and even the
Tokyo Metro.
You might have to sign up every time you use it and
Security can be an issue. Many travelers choose to rent a portable Wi-Fi device at the airport.
Rent in advance and pick up and drop off at the airport in Japan.
This can be useful if you plan to use streaming services or if you need internet access for more than one device
Most pocket Wi-Fi devices include unlimited or are very generous data allowances so you can stream to your heart's content
Here are the must-have apps for Japan in Tokyo
for transportation
There are two essential Apps Hyperdia and Navitime Hyperdia is the essential transportation App of Japan.
Its route search of function lets you choose your partner and arrival stations as well as your departure time.
Well, if you do practically step-by-step to the instructions
Literally it will tell you how long you'll take to walk if you have a transfer
You can also see how much your trip will cost and if you have a JR pass you can filter results
To only show routes that work with your Pass.
Navitime focuses on Tokyo's metro system
Navitime offers a comprehensive
Explanation and introduction to the Capitals transportation network complete with maps travel times and route planner
Offers more features - but it's worth downloading just for its coverage of Tokyo.
Food; one of the highlights of visiting Japan is sampling the many varieties of Japanese food
GuruNavi is the most recommended app for dining in Japan
GuruNavi, whatever you're in the mood for is izzykaya or KFC
GuruNavi gourmet navigator will help you find restaurants by type
Neighborhood and recommendations menus are in English Chinese and Korean so you can see what to expect when you get there.
When it comes to language and culture the Yomiwa app is a must.
Traditional dictionaries and phrase books are great at tell you what to say
If you're trying to read signs and menus
and Japanese where to start?
Yomiwa uses your smartphone camera give you a real-time translation of signs
labels menus and more plus you can u pload photos from your camera roll and
Translate signs later great if you want to remember, which temple you took that amazing photo of?
You can even practice writing in kanji yourself to save words to your own vocabulary list.
Japan is still very much a cash base society, , but you can't use forward and debit and credit cards than just any ATM
One
The best places to find ATM machines for international cards is 7-eleven stores
The Japan ATM navigation app is a godsend this convenient app as you find the closest of over
19,000 seventy 11 stores throughout Japan where you can get cash quickly and easily
protip
Convenience stores in Japan are a great place for inexpensive meals.
They're much better than convenience in the US but still fit into any budget
For more tips on traveling through Japan check out these videos
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