Comparison

Japan Transit Planner vs Virtual Ehomaki

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Japan Transit Planner

This app helps you navigate Japan's extensive public transportation system. It provides detailed route planning, fare information, and timetables for railways and airplanes, with options to consider rail passes and seat preferences. Premium features offer enhanced convenience for frequent travelers.

Highlights
  • Route and transfer planning
  • Fare and time calculation
  • Comprehensive station timetables
  • Japan Rail Pass consideration
  • Seat preference selection
  • Offline history access
  • Platform number information (Premium)
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Japan Transit Planner-Norikae Annai is a multilingual version of the navigation application "Norikae Annai", the most downloaded in Japan. It will show you the route or how to transfer by railways or airplanes in Japan. It can check the route, the fare, and the required time easily as long as you input the departure station and the destination station. Besides, you can caculate the accurate required time and the ride time since it contains the timetable of all the stations all over Japan (except for some sections). Route search. Comfortable movement supported. ・Calculating station name function, search easily with input history ・Search the nearest station from the current position ・When using IC card or ticket the fare can be switched with only one click ・Search the route after considering Japan Rail Pass and Tokyo Subway Ticket ・Input and display on the station numbering ・Timetable on the way stop station ・The weather in departure and destination area ・Set preferred area when input station name ・Specify seat (Specified seat/ Free seat/ Green train) ・Set display order (Less time/ Less fare/ fewer transfers) Timetable. Confirm the station timetable of Japan ・There are two types of display formats, list and station timetable, on the timetable viewing ・Switch easily between Weekdays, Saturdays, and Holidays ・Shinkansen displays the number of trains Share function. The search result share with family or friends. ・Share search results via email or calendar PREMIUM mode. A more convenient experience. ・Specify prefered train for Shinkansen/ Prefered search function for every stop station ・The convenient information of platform position (car number) when transfer ・Display the departure, arrival platform (platform number) History function. Travel with the route and the timetable ・Save up to 50 logs automatically ・Off-line available ********** ●Fare (Tax included) It's free to download. Plans are required to use all features. ・Continuous use for 1 month 360 Yen ・90-Day Plan 1,000 Yen ・365-Day Plan 3,780 Yen ●Terms of use https://touch.jorudan.co.jp/iphone/japantransit/en/terms.html ● Privacy policy https://touch.jorudan.co.jp/iphone/japantransit/en/privacy.html It's required to connect the internet when using this application. Sorry for troubling you, but please uninstall it and try install it again when it's fare to start after updating. This company do not guarantee that there is no error at all although every effort is made to it. Please use only as a reference. *Company names, product names and service names mentioned are each company's registered trademark or trademark.

About

Virtual Ehomaki

This app acts as a virtual compass to guide you to the auspicious direction for eating Ehomaki sushi during Japan's Setsubun festival. It also offers a virtual Ehomaki to eat and a fortune-telling feature.

Highlights
  • Virtual compass for Setsubun direction
  • Virtual Ehomaki sushi to eat
  • Omikuji fortune telling
  • Choose from 9 Ehomaki types
  • Supports horizontal smartphone use
  • Tap to eat virtual sushi
Read full description

This app is a compass that supports the custom of "Ehomaki" in Japan. In Japan, it is customary to eat "extremely thick maki sushi" called "Ehomaki" at the event called "Setsubun" on February 3rd every year to celebrate the change of seasons. The method is to turn to the direction called "Eho", which is decided every year, make a wish, and if you can eat to the end silently, your wish will come true. " On February 3rd, a large amount of "Ehomaki" will be sold at grocery stores all over Japan. At this time, it is a compass that allows you to confirm "Eho". (Every year automatically displays the ehomaki of the year) However, for those who forget to buy "Ehomaki" or find it troublesome to go to buy, we have prepared a special function. This "Virtual Ehomaki" allows you to eat "Ehomaki" on the screen without buying "Ehomaki". Please try it for people other than Japan. You can choose from 9 types of "Ehomaki". Will this alone make my wish come true? May be excellent And finally, there is even an Omikuji fortune telling this year's fortune. Usage is simple. ● Hold your smartphone horizontally. ● The Ehomaki in the center of the screen refers to "Eho", so turn your body so that it faces directly above the screen. ● If you turn to Ehomaki, the Ehomaki will be bigger. Please keep it there. ● Please eat with your smartphone in your mouth. ● What? Yada? If you are such a person, please tap "Ehomaki". ● Tap to eat "Ehomaki" on the screen. ● Don't talk during that time. ● When you finish eating, you can draw an "Omikuji" fortune-telling this year.

Screenshots

Japan Transit Planner4 screens
Virtual Ehomaki4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Virtual Ehomaki at none against Japan Transit Planner's 6. Virtual Ehomaki also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Japan Transit Planner's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 50%) and ratings volume (2.1K vs 1). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Japan Transit Planner sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Virtual Ehomaki asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Virtual Ehomaki holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Japan Transit Planner has 2.1K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Japan Transit Planner's written reviews are positive against 50% of Virtual Ehomaki's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Japan Transit Planner ships an update fortnightly, Virtual Ehomaki every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Japan Transit Planner versus Virtual Ehomaki: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJapan Transit PlannerVirtual Ehomaki
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.1K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.3% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2.1K — better1
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
Best chart rank#207 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size101 MB149 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperJorudan Co.,Ltd.hiroyuki uchida

Customer experience

Japan Transit Planner

All ratings2,136 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral2.2%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews158 reviews
Positive75.3%
Neutral7.6%
Negative17.1%

Virtual Ehomaki

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Japan Transit Planner

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashing or not opening
  • Incorrect route information or schedules
  • Difficulty finding nearby stations

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add English language support
  • Offline access to timetables and route planning
  • Improve search and routing algorithms
  • Provide more customization options

Virtual Ehomaki

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Japan Transit Planner

Subscriptions1
  • continuous use for 1 month1 Month trial$2.991 Month
One-time5
  • Magical Mirai 2026 Theme1$2.99
  • Magical Mirai 2026 Theme2$2.99
  • Magical Mirai 2026 Theme3$2.99
Show 2 more
  • 90-Day Plan$5.99
  • 365-Day Plan$22.99
None

Virtual Ehomaki

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Japan Transit Planner free?
Japan Transit Planner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Virtual Ehomaki free?
Virtual Ehomaki is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Japan Transit Planner or Virtual Ehomaki?
Virtual Ehomaki is rated higher. Japan Transit Planner averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while Virtual Ehomaki averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Japan Transit Planner or Virtual Ehomaki have ads?
Both Japan Transit Planner and Virtual Ehomaki show ads.
Which is updated more often, Japan Transit Planner or Virtual Ehomaki?
Japan Transit Planner ships an update fortnightly, and Virtual Ehomaki every 2 months. Most recently, Japan Transit Planner was updated on October 31, 2026 and Virtual Ehomaki on November 2, 2026.

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