01 FINDING YOUR WAY WITH GOOGLE MAPS
Let's start off with something that's essential to every traveller and that's getting around. The best map app to use for most tourists is Google Maps. Not only does it have precise instructions for public transport, including which train carriage to board for the fastest transfer times and which platforms you should be waiting on, but the app also has a clearer system of labelling shops and restaurants.
Take my favourite gyoza shop in Ebisu, for example, which shows up perfectly on Google Maps, with the app also offering autotranslation of reviews in different languages, which is super handy. I've also found plenty of great restaurants and izakayas just by doing a quick scan of the available listings in an area from Google Maps.
Apple Maps is another option, and I've found that the directions provided on Apple Maps can be slightly more detailed, particularly when it comes to how to find specific exits in large, confusing Japanese subway stations.
For those of you who might be driving, both apps also indicate clearly which routes include tolls, and offer alternative routes that don't have tolls, so that's a good feature to try and avoid toll fees, which can add up very quickly.
02 CAR RENTALS FOR EXPLORING OUTSIDE
THE CITIES There is a lot more to Japan than its seemingly neverending sprawling cities. A 90-minute drive from Tokyo brings you to scenic Kawaguchiko where you are offered stunning views of Mount Fuji, and the Japanese Alps are one of the best places anywhere in the world to visit for snowy landscapes. And if you do intend to head out of the city, the best way to do it is in a rental car, because public transport network can be sparse.
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