If you’re living in Japan long-term (or even just thinking about it!), having the right apps on your phone can seriously make life so much easier. From paying bills and collecting points to navigating trains and ordering coffee, Japan has an app for pretty much everything — but not all of them are obvious if you didn’t grow up here.

After more than a decade living in Japan, these are the apps I find myself using pretty much every single day. Some help me stay connected, some help me save time (and yen!), and others just make my daily routine a little smoother.

Here are 5 apps I can’t live without in Japan 👇

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🌸 LINE

LINE is basically the messaging app in Japan, but it’s so much more than that. Almost everyone here uses it to talk with friends, coworkers, and even businesses. Many stores and companies have official LINE accounts now — where you can collect points, check promotions, or even reach customer service directly through chat. Some restaurants also use it for automated ordering (which still amazes me).

Personally, I use LINE for both work and personal life — messaging friends and co-workers and phone call with co-workers when I worked remotely. Since LINE uses Wi-Fi or mobile data, I don’t have to worry about regular phone charges (which is great because my SoftBank plan is “pay as you go” for calls). You can also add people easily via QR code or username, without ever sharing your phone number — very Japan-friendly for privacy.

Oh, and one of my favorite features? Most of my point cards are linked in LINE now, so I don’t have to carry them around anymore. Everything’s just in one place.

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💴 PayPay

PayPay is my main form of digital payment in Japan. It’s a QR-code-based payment app that lets you pay just by scanning — super convenient, especially since cashless options are still hit or miss depending on the store.

Instead of traditional points, you get PayPay cashback (in yen) that you can use for future purchases. Since I’m with SoftBank, I also get PayPay bonuses every month — a nice little perk since SoftBank actually owns PayPay!

You can top up your balance directly from your bank account, your phone carrier account, or even with cash at convenience stores.

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🏪 Convenience Store & Department Store Point Apps

Almost every convenience store and department store chain in Japan has its own point app now. These used to be physical cards, but most have gone digital — which is so much easier to manage.

I mainly use:

• Ponta for Lawson
• T-Point for FamilyMart
• S-Point for Hankyu/Hanshin department stores
• WESPO (Wester Points) for JR and JR-affiliated stores

If you see a Ponta or T-Point logo when checking out, always scan your app — those points add up faster than you’d think!

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🚉 Google Maps

I used to not trust Google Maps in Japan (especially with the train system), but it’s gotten really good in recent years. Train times are accurate, transfers are well-timed, and it even shows you which car to board for an easier transfer sometimes.

The only tricky part is that it can be confusing if you’re not familiar with the train line names — but if you miss a train, just refresh, and it’ll automatically give you the next route.

Even for tourists, Google Maps is a must. It tells you exactly which trains to take and where to transfer, which saves a lot of stress.

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☕ Restaurant Apps

During COVID, restaurant-specific apps exploded in Japan, and honestly, I’m not mad about it. I mostly use them for places I go to often — like Starbucks and McDonald’s.

With these apps, I can order and pay ahead, skip the line, and just grab my drink or meal during the lunch rush or on busy weekends. Total lifesaver.

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And that’s a wrap!
If you live in Japan, do you use any of these apps? Or are there others you can’t live without? Let me know in the comments — I’m always looking for new ones to try!

Updated October 12th, 2025 with the most current information and recommendations.