Society

Railway launches multilingual tourist app

Apr 02 (NHK) - A railway that runs through Kamakura, a popular tourist spot near Tokyo, has launched a mobile app that provides information in 4 foreign languages.

The app, called "Enoshima-KamakuraGuide," is being offered by the Enoden line, which links the historic city with neighboring Fujisawa City.

The app provides information on numerous sightseeing spots, such as the temples and shrines of Kamakura, and the island of Enoshima in English, Chinese, French and Spanish.

Users can also find places to store their luggage and exchange foreign currencies.

The operator says the app was designed to assist the increasing numbers of foreign visitors ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Visitors at a local tourist information center were seen downloading the app. One woman from Guatemala, who got the Spanish version, says it helped her find new places to visit and is very useful.

A railway official says the app is compact and full of features, and that the firm hopes it will help welcome many foreign guests.

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