Is There Uber in Japan? What About Taxi GO?

Yes, you can use Uber in Japan and it works well, at least in the big cities. You might also consider installing Taxi GO, which is the dominant ride hailing app in Japan. Here are all the details.

The Takeaway

• Uber works well in Japan’s major cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
• The Japanese app Taxi GO has wider coverage, especially outside big cities.
• There is no true ridesharing in Japan – both apps just summon regular taxis.
• Both apps remove language barriers (your destination is sent automatically).
• Both charge a small surcharge (around ¥100) on top of the taxi fare.
• You don’t need an app in city centers – it’s usually faster to hail a taxi.
• These apps work great when you’re staying at an AirBnB outside the city center or when you’re exploring the outskirts of a city (where there are few taxis).
• If you forget something in a taxi, you can easily get it back because the app has a record of your car and driver.

Bottom Line

If you already have Uber on your phone and you don’t plan to take taxis in the countryside of Japan, you’ll do fine with Uber. If you plan to take taxis in the countryside, install Taxi GO.

When These Apps Are Actually Useful

Japan has excellent taxis, but they’re not evenly distributed everywhere. In busy downtown areas, taxis are everywhere – you can just flag one down or grab one at a taxi rank. In these situations, using an app can actually be slower.

Where Uber and Taxi GO really shine is in situations like:

• Staying in an Airbnb on a quiet residential street.
• Staying at a small ryokan or boutique hotel without staff to call a taxi.
• Exploring outer neighborhoods or the edges of a city.
• Leaving a restaurant or bar on a small side street.

In these cases, you might wait a long time for a taxi to pass—or none at all. With an app, a car will usually arrive within minutes.

How Uber and Taxi GO Actually Work in Japan

One important thing to understand: ridesharing is not legal in Japan.

That means:

• Uber and Taxi GO do not connect you with private drivers.
• Instead, both apps simply dispatch licensed taxis from local taxi companies.

In practice, this means:

• Clean, professional drivers.
• Metered fares (plus a small app fee).
• No need to speak Japanese.
• Easy payment by credit card.

How Much Does It Cost to Use Uber and Taxi GO in Japan?

As noted above, Uber and Taxi GO add a fee to the fare charged by the taxi company. At the time of writing, both Uber and Taxi GO add a usage fee (surcharge) of ¥100 to the fare. It’s not much, but note that some taxi companies also add a surcharge for pick-ups made via these apps. But, there’s no meaningful difference in price between the two apps. Here is the fee information for Taxi GO and here is the fee information for Uber Japan.

Which Is Easier to Install and Use?

Most people who are going to use Uber in Japan already have it installed on their phone. If not, it’s easy to install it either in Japan or before coming to Japan. You can also install Taxi GO either before coming to Japan or after arrival. Keep in mind that you will have to be able to receive a text message on your phone in order to activate Taxi GO. You can usually do this via your provider’s roaming service. You’ll find both Uber and Taxi GO on the App Store and Google Play.

How Well Do Uber and Taxi GO Work in Japan?

I recently did a head-to-head comparison of Uber and Taxi GO in both Kyoto and Tokyo. They both worked well and were easy to use. The taxis came fast – usually in five minutes or less – and the drivers were polite. My only quibble with Uber was that the interface was a bit busy and included all kinds of services that I did not want, like Uber Eats etc (see the screen caps of the Uber and Taxi GO below).

The real difference between Uber and Taxi GO is their performance outside major city centers. I’ve asked all my guides and they report that Taxi GO works better in the countryside. This makes sense, since Taxi GO is a Japanese company and has more contracts with local taxi companies across Japan.

What Are the Advantages of Using a Ride Hailing App in Japan?

Ride hailing apps in Japan basically solve all your communication problems around taxis. You don’t have to say anything to the driver since he’ll already know your destination. At the most, you may have to tell him your confirmation number, but you can do that by holding up your phone. Also, you never have to mess around with physical currency since the fare and fee are charged to your credit card. Finally, if you forget something in a taxi, you can easily find out the driver and car number and contact the taxi company to get it back (although you may need a Japanese speaker to communicate with the taxi company directly).

When Should You Use a Ride Hailing App in Japan?

Uber and Taxi GO work great when you’re staying in a place that doesn’t have a taxi rank or staff to call a taxi for you, such as an Airbnb. Without these apps, you’d have to call a taxi company and hope someone on the other end speaks English, or you’d have to hike to the nearest big street and try to explain to the driver how to get to your accommodations. Not fun. Also, they work great when you’re exploring far from major streets. While taxis are abundant in the central parts of most Japanese cities, once you get to the outskirts, they may be few and far between. A ride hailing app can save you from a long walk or an equally long wait at a bus stop for the next bus.

When Should You NOT Use a Ride Hailing App in Japan?

Don’t bother using a taxi app when arriving at an airport in Japan: Either use public transport to get to the city or go to the taxi rank where there’ll usually be taxi vans waiting for arriving passengers and their luggage. Likewise, at most train stations, even small ones in the countryside, there’ll usually be a taxi rank outside the station and you can just board the first taxi in line. Finally, there’s no point in using a ride hailing app in the downtown areas of most Japanese cities since there are so many taxis driving around that it will be quicker to just flag one down.

Of course, you may want to arrange airport transfer in advance. Klook offers online bookings with instant confirmation for private airport taxis from Narita, Haneda and Kansai International Airport. The rates are usually cheaper than just grabbing a cab off a taxi rank. Here are their offerings for these airports:

• Narita Airport private transfer.
• Haneda Airport private transfer.
• Kansai Airport private transfer.

More Information

• Kyoto Taxis
• Tokyo Taxis

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