# Japanese Walking - FLIPWALK — More effective than 10k steps > Interval walking timer for simplified Japanese walking workouts. (iPhone/iPad app by Bazooka Corp..) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-walking-flipwalk/id6762051508 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Bazooka Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1871884916) - Category: Health & Fitness, Lifestyle - Price: Free - Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 53 MB - Languages: American English, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, Korean, European Spanish, Swedish - Released: 2026-05-04 - Data updated: 2026-08-19 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-walking-flipwalk/id6762051508/reviews.md ## What is Japanese Walking? ■ Japanese Walking, simplified — walk out, turn around, walk home Step outside on your lunch break. Walk in any direction. The timer flips you between 3 minutes brisk and 3 minutes slow, and at the halfway mark, a clear cue tells you when to turn around. Walk back the way you came and end right where you started — no route planning, no map staring, no detours. A real workout, fitted into a coffee break. ■ What is Japanese Walking? The walking method trending online as "Japanese walking" is Interval Walking Training (IWT) — 3 minutes brisk, 3 minutes slow, repeated 5 times. Developed through research at Shinshu University in Japan, it's reported to offer comparable health benefits to walking 10,000 steps a day, in less time. ■ The FLIP cue — your turnaround signal FLIP marks the halfway point with a voice cue, sound, and vibration. The walking screen color also flips to signal the return leg. You don't have to plan a route or calculate distance. Just walk straight out, wait for the FLIP, and walk back. Every session loops cleanly back to where you started. FLIP can be turned off for fixed loops, treadmills, or one-way walks like a commute. ■ Apple Watch & AirPods — go screen-free Start a session on iPhone and it syncs to your Apple Watch, with each phase change delivered as a haptic tap. Or leave iPhone at home and run a full session on Apple Watch alone. Pair AirPods for voice cues in your ears, alongside your music or videos. With Apple Watch or AirPods, your iPhone stays in your pocket. ■ Lock Screen & Dynamic Island, too While you walk, you can glance at your current phase and progress on the Lock Screen Live Activity or in Dynamic Island. ■ Two taps to start 1. Pick the number of sets 2. Tap Start That's it. Custom sound and voice cues mark every phase change and the finish. Hold iPhone for a vibration at each switch, or keep it in your pocket and get cues by Apple Watch haptics and AirPods voice. ■ Flexible sessions - Start from 1 set (6 min), pick any number you like - Up to 20 sets per session ■ The 20-set weekly target Research recommends 20 brisk-walking sets per week — that's "5 sets × 4 days." Split them across the week, do just 1 on a busy day, or knock them all out on a Saturday. The weekly total is what counts. ■ Pace, in plain language "Brisk" means a pace where you can just barely hold a conversation but you can't sing. Walk a little faster than your usual stroll and you're in the zone, regardless of age or fitness level. ■ History and Apple Health - Every session is saved with its GPS route - Workouts auto-sync to Apple Health - Weekly and monthly progress at a glance ■ Journey — your distance, mapped onto a legendary road Your cumulative walking distance is laid onto Japan's historic Tokaido (53 Stations), with your current position shown on a map. Walk the 492 km from Nihonbashi (modern Tokyo) to Kyoto, set by set, passing Shinagawa, Hakone, Hamamatsu. Each checkpoint also supports Apple Maps Look Around, so you can peek at the place today. Reach Kyoto and you've walked the entire Tokaido. ■ Privacy first - Your location, routes, and health data stay on your device — never sent externally - No personally identifiable information collected (only anonymous usage stats to improve the app) - No account required ■ Designed for - Anyone who finds 10,000 steps a day too long - People wanting a real workout in a lunch break, commute, or short break - Treadmill walkers and gym goers who want interval structure - Walkers who want more than strolling, less than running - People who walk screen-free with Apple Watch or AirPods Step out, wait for the FLIP, walk home — with FLIPWALK. * Interval Walking Training was developed by researchers at Shinshu University. FLIPWALK is an independent third-party app with no official affiliation. Citations in the in-app Help. * Not a medical device; not intended for diagnosis or treatment. Consult a physician for health concerns. ## Key features - Interval walking timer - Simplified Japanese walking method - Turnaround cue with voice and vibration - Apple Watch and AirPods integration - Lock Screen and Dynamic Island support - GPS route saving - Apple Health sync ## Recent user reviews (1 of 1) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-walking-flipwalk/id6762051508/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Super helpful app for upping our walking game *2026-06-19* When I decided to start doing Japanese walking — which is 3-5 minutes of fast-pace walking followed by the same period of slower walking — I was happy to see a dozen or so good options on the App Store. This one seems to be the one I’ll keep using, since it’s really simple in its design and the voice reminders to change pace can’t be missed like mere notifications on the watch, or the phone (which I’m not looking at because I’m busy walking). The only suggestion I’ll make is, we need a separate volume level for the voice because I might be listening to a loud podcast and the sound of the voice can be a little high. I’m sure the dev will add this. **Developer response:** Thank you so much for the thoughtful review! You're spot on — the voice cues should have their own volume, independent of your music or podcast. I'm adding a dedicated voice-volume control in an upcoming update so you can set it to sit just right over whatever you're listening to. Appreciate you helping make FlipWalk better — happy walking! ## Frequently asked questions about Japanese Walking ### What is Japanese Walking in FLIPWALK? Japanese Walking, as implemented in FLIPWALK, is a form of Interval Walking Training (IWT). It involves alternating between 3 minutes of brisk walking and 3 minutes of slow walking, repeated for a set number of intervals. This method is reported to offer significant health benefits comparable to walking 10,000 steps daily. ### How does FLIPWALK help me know when to turn around? FLIPWALK provides a clear 'FLIP' cue at the halfway point of your brisk walking phase. This cue is delivered through voice, sound, and vibration, and the screen color also changes to signal the return leg of your walk. This ensures you can easily complete the walk back to your starting point without needing to plan a route. ### Can I use FLIPWALK without my iPhone? Yes, FLIPWALK offers full functionality on Apple Watch, allowing you to run a complete session independently. You can also pair AirPods for voice cues, keeping your iPhone in your pocket during your workout. ### Does FLIPWALK track my progress? FLIPWALK saves every session with its GPS route and automatically syncs workouts to Apple Health. You can view your weekly and monthly progress at a glance within the app, providing a clear overview of your walking achievements. ### What is the recommended usage for FLIPWALK? Research suggests aiming for 20 brisk-walking sets per week, which can be split across multiple days. FLIPWALK allows flexibility, letting you do as few as 1 set on a busy day or all 20 at once, with the weekly total being the primary focus. ### How does FLIPWALK define 'brisk' pace? 'Brisk' in FLIPWALK refers to a pace where you can just barely hold a conversation but cannot sing. This means walking slightly faster than your usual stroll, a pace that is effective regardless of your age or current fitness level. ### What devices does FLIPWALK support? FLIPWALK is designed for both iPhone and Apple Watch. It leverages features like Lock Screen Live Activity and Dynamic Island on iPhones and provides haptic feedback and voice cues through Apple Watch and AirPods. ### Is FLIPWALK free to use? Yes, FLIPWALK is available for free. The app does not have any in-app purchases or advertisements, offering a completely free experience for users. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.3.1 — 2026-07-18 Fixed minor issues and improved overall stability. ### 1.3 — 2026-07-15 ■ Better balance with your music With "Voice priority" selected, the music used to stay quiet for the entire session. Now the volume dips only while a voice guide is speaking and returns to its normal level right after. You can change this under Settings → "Music mix". ■ Apple Watch fixes Fixed several issues, including pause/resume on iPhone not carrying over to Apple Watch, and the Watch screen lingering after a session ended. ■ Other improvements • Added a distinct color for the paused state, with the fast and slow walking colors adjusted to match • Fixed the Live Activity and progress bar on the Lock Screen • Minor display adjustments and stability improvements ### 1.2.1 — 2026-06-24 ■ Adjustable voice guide volume You can now change the volume of the voice guides for brisk and slow walking. Adjust it under Settings → "Voice guide volume," and it also applies when you use your Apple Watch on its own. ### 1.2.0 — 2026-06-04 ■ New: Journey tab Your cumulative walking distance is now mapped onto an iconic long-distance route, with your current position shown on a map. Walk the path of Japan's historic Tokaido (53 Stations) — 492 km from Nihonbashi in Edo (modern Tokyo) to Kyoto. Stack sets day by day and watch yourself pass Shinagawa, Hakone, Hamamatsu… on the way. You'll find yourself surprisingly far down the road before you know it. After updating, your starting position is calculated from all your past sessions — so the distance you've already walked counts from day one. Each checkpoint along the way and your arrival in Kyoto each get their own celebration. ■ Apple Watch companion screen refreshed When the session is led by iPhone, your Apple Watch now mirrors the standalone layout: large countdown, heart rate, and progress bar. ■ Cleaner per-session maps On days with multiple walks, each session now gets its own map instead of being lumped into one tangled polyline. ■ More accurate distance and calories For indoor and treadmill sessions where GPS isn't available, we now learn your typical walking pace from past outdoor sessions and use it to estimate distance. When you wear your Apple Watch, calories are recorded from your real heart-rate-based measurement. Distance and calories written to the Health app match what you see in FlipWalk. ### 1.1.0 — 2026-05-22 ■ Apple Watch support Do interval walking with Apple Watch alone, or start on iPhone and follow along on your wrist. With Apple Watch or AirPods, keep your iPhone in your pocket — phase changes come through as haptics and voice. ■ A new way to get phase cues Phase-change cues now play as in-app voice and haptics instead of iPhone notifications, so audio reaches your AirPods reliably. If you walk with iPhone alone, keep the screen on to feel the vibration at each switch. See in-app Help for tips on each setup. ## More apps by Bazooka Corp. - [KanjiClock - 漢字時計](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanjiclock/id6758269151) - [Quiz: Who's This?](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quiz-whos-this/id6762027027) All apps by Bazooka Corp.: https://appshunter.io/developer/1871884916 ## Related topics [japanese interval walking](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/japanese-interval-walking) · [heart health walking](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/heart-health-walking) · [waikiki walking](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/waikiki-walking) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-19.*