Is it easy to catch a taxi in Japan?

In Tokyo and major tourist areas, taxis are really easy to find! 🚕
You can usually just raise your hand on the street, or use an app—if you book through an app, a taxi often arrives within a few minutes (though there's usually a small fee).

In rural or non-touristy areas, you'll see fewer taxis driving around. If an app works there, that's the easiest option. If not, people usually call the local taxi company and say something like, "Can you send a taxi to my current location?"

I personally use the "GO" taxi app, which is also available in English, so it's super convenient for travelers.

For example, when I visited Kanazawa recently, there were tons of taxis around the station—I just hailed one on the street. But once you get farther from the station, using the app is better.

On the other hand, when I went to the Goto Islands in Nagasaki, there were only a few taxis on the whole island! Even calling didn't guarantee a quick pickup, and they only accepted cash payments, so it felt a bit inconvenient.