Useful apps for foreigners living in Japan

We’ve asked around to get the scoop on apps in Japan that are frequently used by foreigners! These apps can all help to make your life in Japan a little bit easier.

Communication

LINE

Aside from the US which still seems to primarily use SMS text messaging, many countries including Japan prefer using a messaging app for communication. LINE is the major messaging application of choice in Japan. If you have a smartphone you’ll need this to stay in touch with others.

Transportation

Google maps

Google maps does a pretty decent job of finding public transportation routes. It’s a very useful tool to have since it also is able to operate in English.

Navitime

This free app contains ads, which is why I don’t typically use it. There is a paid subscription to remove the ads and add some more features – but so far I haven’t run into a situation where I felt it would be necessary to be on a subscription model to access transportation maps.

Cashless payment

PayPay

A popular cashless payment service. Connect the app to your bank account, credit card, or use a 7 Eleven ATM to add money to the account with cash.

Line Pay

Virtually identical to PayPay in functionality, but partner stores/chains will be different.

There are other cashless payment apps (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) that you can use in Japan as well, but in my experience the two mentioned here are the most widely accepted.

Online banking

Chances are that after you make a Japanese bank account, you’ll be able to download and use the corresponding banking app to keep track of your finances. Be aware that in some cases these apps will only be displayed in Japanese, though!

TransferWise

This is a good app to know in case you have to transfer your savings from your Japanese bank to a bank in another country. It is possible to just use banking institutions for international wire transfers, but once you set everything up in TransferWise, the process is extremely simple. No paperwork, everything can be handled online!

We’ve covered how to make an international transfer in a previous article – click here if you’re interested.

Marketplace

Mercari

The quintessential secondhand marketplace app for those living in Japan. The defacto language will be Japanese, so either you’ll need a conversational-level of Japanese to navigate negotiations (or a kind friend to help you).

Language

Google Translate

Sometimes we all hit our limits on reading/writing/listening/speaking Japanese. Although Google Translate isn’t 100% accurate all the time, it’s very helpful when you’re in a bind. The camera function can auto-detect Japanese and translate it into English (or your language of choice) right on your phone.

 

Memrise

Take advantage of all the time spent on trains/busses with a language learning app like Memrise. Users have uploaded study tools for those planning on taking the JLPT tests, which can help keep all the vocab, grammar, and kanji fresh in your mind.

Easy Japanese News by NHK

Ok, this one is a bit of a stretch since there is no official app for this service. But, the web-based Easy Japanese News provides news stories with kanji readings (furigana) above kanji, and also narration to listen to the article as well. This service provided by NHK is a very helpful tool for Japanese language learners.

Food

Coke ON

Vending machines are around pretty much every corner in Japan. If you find yourself taking advantage of this, you might be interested in downloading and using the Coke ON app which rewards you for making vending machine purchases at Coca-Cola machines. Every 15 drinks gives you a free drink, and you can also earn rewards for how many steps you take in a day.

Cookpad

This recipe sharing site can be browsed on a regular web browser, but the app can be faster if you’re trying to find something on your phone. Convenient for searching for recipes by ingredients and makes it easy to pick up ingredients in the supermarket, too!

Tabelog

Akin to Yelp, this is a restaurant rating service that makes it easy to save, browse, and compare the various restaurants you’ll find in the big cities of Japan. There is an English translation of the website as well, but if you can navigate through the Japanese you’ll find the app is very handy to have when you’re planning a night out!

Fashion

Zozotown

For the fashion minded, this app makes it easy to browse through different styles and looks. It also can give you notifications of sales and coupons!

WEAR

This is a social networking app that focuses on sharing the latest fashion trends. Take a look through different outfits uploaded by users, and you can then check out the items they are wearing in one fell swoop!

Dating

The usual suspects of dating apps work in Japan as well (Tinder, Bumble, Plenty of Fish, etc.) and if you used them anywhere they work pretty much the same here. But, there are Japan-specific dating apps as well. You can sign up for these as a foreigner, but the entire structure of the app means you’ll have to know Japanese, and be able to carry out a Japanese conversation if you get a match. While the gist of the apps is familiar (swipe through potential partners, if a match occurs you have the option to send a message to set up a date, etc.), there are some Japanese specificities like browsing by yearly salary, blood type, or astrological sign. Not that every user actually uses these function, but they exist.

Lead photo: Scott Kouchi


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