GPS in Japan

Gwenster · (#1 (**permalink**))

Hi,

After exactly a year, I'm going back to Japan again this November 7th till the 21st. It'll be my 2nd trip, and I do not have a problem traveling with the public transit system (still saved my SUICA card hehe)

At any rate, last year I missed a few spots that I would have liked to visit, those acces maps aren't everything so I figured : GPS !
Unlike 1-2 years ago and beyond, top of the line PDA's including a SIRFSTAR GPS module can now be bought 2nd hand for as low as 50 to 70 euro's due to the fact that phones come with all that now. No more missing around obscurely located things this time (dont think temples or other big attractions but artsy farty places,small specialty 2nd hand shops etc.) right ?

Wrong, Tom Tom does not have a Japanese map.
Sure I can use Google maps on my cellphone but Google maps requires bandwidth (3G use) and we all know how much data costs in a totally different country, if you dont ? Alot

So that's outta the picture.

I tried searching the forums and this was the only thing that came close: http://www.japanforum.com/forum/japa...ght=navigation - but no awnsers there.

Does anybody know GPS software that works on a windows mobile device that has maps for Tokyo/Yokohama (In English)
Googling this has me finding very vague solutions that I do not wish to go trough.

Thanks in advance.

IamKira · (#2 (**permalink**))

if your phone uses a sim card just buy a pay as you go 3g sim over there... then it won't cost you much.
it'll probably end up costing less than buying a new gps system

Gwenster · (#3 (**permalink**))

I read in alot of other topics on JF that they dont have the seperate SIMcard plans anymore. Additionally you need to be a Japanese resident to get a monthly subscription too.

Besides that. I can use Vodafone passport, which basically allows me to call in Japan, or back to my home country for local phonecall costs. I.E cheap.
So I will be using my phone alot to call up people I know in Tokyo for dinner/drinks etc. so even if a second sim card was an option, it's not something I would do.

If Google maps was able to read off of pre-downloaded maps the whole world would be a better, cheaper place to navigate :-)

trunker · (#4 (**permalink**))

what kind of mobile phone do you have?

i got a nokia N95 before i flew out to japan last year, and it has built in GPS. The good thing about it is that you dont need a local data connection as it will triangulate with the satellites itself with its gps antenna.

of course it is faster if you let the phone use a data connection, but i've found it unnecessary,... i'm not really ever in a rush anywhere. but yeah as long as you have clear sky above you, not blocked by too many buildings, it does its thing, and it does it quite well. it also has a wifi connection, so if you dont want to pay for data, but you are at a free hotspot, you can connect to it and then it will triangulate your position using the wifi,.... free of charge.

nokia maps has a japan and tokyo section, and you just download it to your pc and upload it to your phone, and youre good to go. its in english, but some of the more obscure places might be in japanese.

its worth a shot to check out.

now a days, if your phone is 3G or above, it will work in japan, but of course you wind up paying alot more for connecting calls, but its good for emergencies etc.

some links to check out:

Nokia N95 Trial: 30 Seconds Over Tokyo with Nokia Maps 2.0

Nokia Europe - On your mobile and online – Ovi Maps

ok theyre calling it ovimaps now, and to be honest i havent downloaded a map in about a year, which is ages in mobile phone terms, so there must be loads of new stuff around.

Nyororin · (#5 (**permalink**))

I can`t really offer any suggestions for software...
But if you have a little bit of cash to invest, it may be easier to just buy a portable navi in Japan. You can pick up last year`s models used for less than 10000yen.

Of course, it won`t be in English and will be something else to carry around.
Otherwise the best bet is probably to rent a phone and use it`s built in navi system. Mine pulls from either Google Maps or Zenrin - both no extra charge to use. Just the unlimited packet plan to pay each month.

IamKira · (#6 (**permalink**))

or, what you could do is get a couple of trusty atlases ... a nice big one to show you lots of detail as well as a smaller one for handyness... you can never go wrong with a map.