Back in the day, before the advent of Android and iOS, getting around in Tokyo was best left to a cab driver or a very well researched traveler. Maps and directions were primarily in Japanese and not the easiest things to decipher. In the last few years, Google Maps has significantly improved the experience.

I’ve travelled to Tokyo every few years since 2007 and the amount of foreign friendly maps and directions has grown immensely. Not only are more of the addresses and locations translated into English, Maps provides walking, biking, and train directions around Tokyo within the app.

The train directions are pretty detailed and tell you how much the trip will cost. Having the cost up front was, for me, a big deal. No more standing in front of a giant map trying to figure out the fare. I, inevitably, get it wrong and have to adjust at the end of the ride.

Here is an example of the Google Maps directions for trains from one well known hotel (Cerulean Tower) to Tokyo Big Sight, where major anime cons are held:

The directions are simple to read and show you which platform to use. If you are turned around, the train attendants can help muddle you through the instructions. Everyone working on the trains is nice and very helpful any time you have a problem.

My sense of direction is pretty horrible. Walking around in Tokyo is easy, if you stomp the same grounds often, once in unfamiliar territory, it is simple to get turned around. The Google Maps walking directions are so easy to follow. Maps shows you a trail of blue dots to guide your way. You shouldn’t need them much in well known areas but the maps certainly help.