why foreign visitors seem lost in Japan?

I'm Japanese and often notice tourists looking puzzled or unsure about where they're headed. Just today, I helped a couple who seemed totally lost—staring at their phone, glancing around, clearly trying to piece together their location.


It got me thinking: why do so many visitors struggle to navigate Japan? Are you not using Google Maps or Apple Maps?

Or is it that Japanese addresses are tricky to find, or maybe maps don't display them accurately? I'm really curious and want to know what makes getting around here so tough for travelers.

Tokyo Station always is a little weird for me because Google Maps keeps bouncing around.

I figured that if I just keep heading in the general direction of place I want to go, I’ll be fine. That’s worked for me consistently.

It because , Japan have some Mega subway train station that intersect many routes, in Osaka station, it is a MAZE !!! .  it took me half hour to get out of it

also the Osaka Station , one train company call it Osaka Station, the other company call it Umeda station,   and the third train company call it Osaka-Umeda station ,   

That is a SAME place !

Guest 119.247.10.x replied at 2025-10-11 20:39
Tokyo Station always is a little weird for me because Google Maps keeps bouncing around.

I figured ...

Tokyo station is huge, hard to navigate

Finding the gate to the Shinkansen to Kanazawa/Tsuruga in Tokyo station was impossible for me without asking people for direction.