8 Essential Apps for Brazilians in Japan

Whether for a sightseeing trip or a new working life, one thing is certain: your smartphone will be your best friend in Japan. The language barrier is real, but with the right apps, you can do everything from deciphering a menu to receiving earthquake alerts, finding a doctor, or understanding medication instructions.

This Manual do Japão guide selects the 8 universal apps that serve both the tourist on their first trip and the Brazilian who already lives and works in Japan. They are the bridge connecting you to Japanese society, eliminating stress and saving time and money.

Initial Setup (Do This on the Plane or at the Airport)

• Phone Language: Set it to Brazilian Portuguese or English. It helps with navigation.

• Japanese App Store: Create an account on the Japanese App Store/Google Play. It is essential for official disaster apps and local services. Use your hotel or Airbnb zip code for registration.

• Connectivity: For tourists, an international eSIM is recommended. For those who are going to live here, buy a prepaid SIM as soon as you land.

1. PAYKE: The Universal Product Translator

• For the Tourist: Understand what you are buying in Akihabara electronics stores or Don Quijote supermarkets. It's the scanner that prevents you from buying the wrong product.

• For the Resident: Indispensable for daily life. Use it in pharmacies to understand medicines, in supermarkets for cooking ingredients, in home centers for cleaning products and tools. Translates leaflets, instructions, and safety warnings.

• Golden Moment: At the pharmacy at 10 PM, trying to understand the difference between a fever reducer and an anti-inflammatory.

2. NERV Disaster Prevention & Safety Tips (Gov.): Your Life-Saving Alert System

• For the Tourist: Japan is a country with natural disasters. Receive official alerts in Portuguese about earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons the exact moment they happen. Don't be caught off guard.

• For the Resident: Mandatory apps for your and your family's safety. Safety Tips (from the government) issues multilingual alerts. NERV provides details on maps and forecasts. Configure both for English/Portuguese notifications.

• Crucial Moment: An audible earthquake warning 15 seconds beforehand can give you time to take cover. For residents, it's part of the safety routine.

3. Japan Travel by NAVITIME & Google Maps: The Perfect Mobility Duo

• For the Tourist: Google Maps for walking and discovering tourist spots. NAVITIME to plan that bullet train (Shinkansen) trip to Kyoto, with prices and seats.

• For the Resident: NAVITIME is vital. It plans your daily home-work commute by train/bus, shows real-time delays, indicates the least crowded car, and calculates the monthly cost. Google Maps for finding local services (electrician, plumber, etc.).

• Golden Moment: Planning a weekend trip with friends or simply not getting lost on your first day of work in a new city.

4. Google Translate: The Wildcard for All Situations

• For the Tourist: Translate menus, museum signs, and have basic conversations with locals using conversation mode.

• For the Resident: A bureaucratic survival tool. Use the camera to translate rental contracts, building notices, city hall forms, your children's school communications, and appliance manuals. Offline mode is essential.

• Crucial Moment: At a job interview (for an unexpected question), at city hall (to register a child's birth), or at the hospital (to explain symptoms).

5. PPPark (and similar): For Those Who Drive

• For the Tourist: If renting a car to explore the countryside, this app shows cheap parking in cities.

• For the Resident: Anyone with a car (kei car or normal) NEEDS an app like this. Finds parking spots, compares monthly rates (月極め), and avoids very expensive fines for illegal parking, a common nightmare among foreigners.

• Golden Moment: Finding affordable monthly parking near your new apartment.

6. Japan Plus (JapanPlus): The Super-App for Brazilians (developed by JapanPlus)

• For the Tourist: More than a guide, it's a personal assistant. Offers practical information on tourism, culture, etiquette, and emergencies. The great advantage is the curation focused on the real doubts of Portuguese speakers.

• For the Resident: This app is a game-changer. Developed by the company JapanPlus, it brings together in one place what a foreigner needs to live:

  • Survival Guide: Step-by-step instructions for opening a bank account, contracting services (gas, electricity, internet), understanding taxes and insurance.

  • Document Translator: Special feature for contracts, forms, and official notices, with contextual explanations.

  • Community and Support: Connection with support networks, bilingual professionals, and other Brazilians in your region. May include forums or service referrals.

  • News and Updates: Information on changes in laws, visas, and labor rights that directly affect the foreign community.

• Golden Moment: When you receive a complicated notice from city hall and use JapanPlus not only to translate it, but to understand what to do and who can help you.

All the Apps are on our Apps Guide page.

Usage Guide by Profile: From Sightseeing to Real Life

• For the TOURIST:

  1. NAVITIME + Maps: To get from Shibuya to Asakusa.

  2. PAYKE: Buying souvenirs and food at a department store's depachika (food hall).

  3. Safety Tips: Stay alert about the weather.

  4. Google Translate: To ask for a recommendation at a restaurant.

  5. Japan Plus: Read cultural tips and find attractions off the beaten path.

• For the RESIDENT:

  1. Safety Tips/NERV: Set up alerts for the new city.

  2. NAVITIME: Establish the daily route to the factory.

  3. PAYKE: Do the first supermarket shopping alone.

  4. Google Translate: Read the cell phone and apartment contracts.

  5. Japan Plus: Use the guide to open a bank account and understand local garbage rules. Consult the community if in doubt.

Ultimate Download Checklist

• Create a Japanese App Store account.

• Safety: Download Safety Tips (Gov.) and NERV Disaster Prevention.

• Translation: Download Google Translate and download the Japanese offline language pack.

• Mobility: Download Google Maps and Japan Travel by NAVITIME.

• Shopping & Daily Life: Download PAYKE.

• Car (For drivers): Search for PPPark or Times Parking.

These apps are not just convenient; they are enablers of autonomy. They give the tourist the freedom to explore without a guide and the resident the confidence to build their life with less dependency. JapanPlus, in particular, acts as a digital mentor for Brazilians, solving practical problems with a curation that understands their real needs. Download, explore, and transform your phone into your digital passport for a smooth and safe experience in Japan, whether for a few days or many years.

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