# Offbeat Japan: Hidden Gems — Secret places & autumn leaves

> Secret places & autumn leaves (iPhone/iPad app by Meow Arts KK.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/offbeat-japan-hidden-gems/id6787720277 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Meow Arts KK](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676085217)
- Category: Travel
- Price: Free
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 30 MB
- Languages: American English, French (France), Japanese
- Released: 2026-07-27
- Data updated: 2026-10-28

## What is Offbeat Japan?

The Japan that regular guidebooks don't show.

Offbeat Japan brings you hundreds of adventures off the beaten path, photographed and told by Jordy Meow, an explorer based in Japan for over fifteen years: forgotten villages, mountain shrines, cat islands, abandoned places, and festivals tourists never see.

The app is made for dreaming, learning and planning, whether your next trip is in a month or in ten years.

EVERYTHING OFFLINE
Every story is synced to your iPhone. On the subway, on a plane, deep in the Japanese countryside: everything reads without a connection, photos included. Instant search works offline too.

IN TUNE WITH THE SEASONS
The app lives to Japan's rhythm: winter, spring, summer, autumn: each season has its own color, places and moods. A dedicated section covers urban exploration (haikyo) for fans of abandoned places.

AUTUMN LEAVES AND CHERRY BLOSSOM FORECAST
Follow the koyo and sakura fronts across Japan day by day on a live map, then pick the hidden places where the colors are at their best.

ONE DISCOVERY A DAY
Every day, the app surfaces a new discovery from the archives. Let yourself be surprised.

THE MAP OF SECRETS
Every geolocated place on one map, colored by season. Perfect for building an itinerary unlike any other.

LIVE JAPAN ALERTS
Real-time earthquakes, typhoons and tsunamis, straight from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Follow what's happening, or keep an eye on a region you love.

IS JAPAN EXPENSIVE?
An interactive tool compares the cost of living in Japan with your country, using today's exchange rate: ramen, subway, rent, movies… The answers will surprise you.

AND MORE
• Practical guides: itineraries, visas, etiquette, onsen, ryokan…
• Photo and alert widgets for your home screen
• Favorites, dark mode, gentle notifications when new stories arrive

NO ACCOUNT, NO ADS, NO TRACKING
No sign-up, no advertising, no data collected. Just Japan.

## Is Offbeat Japan safe?

Not enough ratings yet to assess Offbeat Japan.

## Is Offbeat Japan legit?

Offbeat Japan: Hidden Gems appears legitimate, with a few gaps. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Offbeat Japan is 75 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data.


## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.5.3 — 2026-10-25

Small improvements, and a fresh look on the App Store, now fully in English.

### 1.5.2 — 2026-10-12

What's new in 1.5.2:

• In Japan, tap the arrow on the season and quake maps to see yourself on them, and whether a quake was felt where you are. Your location stays on your iPhone.
• Cleaner maps: the buttons sit on the side, the top stays clear.

### 1.5.1 — 2026-10-10

What's new in 1.5.1:

• Tsunami bulletins now show their real level, from slight sea-level changes up to a major warning. Tap one to see what it means, the quake behind it and the coasts concerned.
• Quakes can now appear on Home: turn them on in Customize Home.
• A new Season widget, on the ocean of our maps, with today's date.

### 1.5 — 2026-10-09

What's new in 1.5:

• Full-screen season maps: the sea, the coasts, the cities, and the day at a glance. Tap the year to go back to 2016 and see whether a season came early or late.
• Quakes and typhoons on our own map: every area takes the colour of the shaking felt, from the Japan Meteorological Agency's stations. Typhoons show their track day by day.
• A new Home: the featured photo as a cover, and sections you can reorder or hide.
• "Today" becomes "Live", "My places" becomes "Favorites", and guides can be kept there too.
• The app's colours follow the icon you picked.

### 1.4 — 2026-10-06

A new version, more beautiful and simpler.

• Today: a new tab with the season (autumn leaves and cherry blossoms, day by day), quakes and typhoons, and the yen.
• Season tracker: Japan in 4 km zones, coloured for the day you pick, with our places at their best.
• My places: your saved places and recent reads, even offline.
• At the end of each story: places nearby and more from the same season.
• Practical info at the top of articles: best months, crowds, effort.
• The app now speaks French, English and Japanese.
• New colours taken from the icons, and your icon becomes the app's logo.
• Season and Quakes widgets, on the lock screen too.
• A clearer map, faster photos, a sturdier sync.

## Apps similar to Offbeat Japan

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Japan Etiquette: 62 Manners](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japan-etiquette-62-manners/id6781959160) | — | Free | Travel |
| [BEST DAY JAPAN](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-day-japan/id6763676670) | — | Free | Travel |
| [Discover Kyoto - Walking Guide](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/discover-kyoto-walking-guide/id6759967550) | — | Free | Travel |
| [Historic Japan ™](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/historic-japan/id6763242915) | — | Free | Travel |
| [DETOUR](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/detour/id6799032280) | — | Free | Travel |
| [Kyoto Dining Compass](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kyoto-dining-compass/id6791867926) | — | Free | Travel |

## More apps by Meow Arts KK

- [Ikuzo](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ikuzo/id1467333634)
- [Jipangu](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jipangu/id6483005234)
- [Neko Jishin](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/neko-jishin/id6757638648)
- [Whispers: Your Calm Space](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whispers-your-calm-space/id6759379705)
- [Doko No Neko](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doko-no-neko/id6760965088)

All apps by Meow Arts KK: https://appshunter.io/developer/1676085217

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*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 2026-10-28.*