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In Japan, only the largest of streets have names. Addresses aren’t sequential either, so as you walk down the road the numbers may go from 12 to 5, and then back up to 23. Since making it from point A to point B isn’t as simple as “turn left on Main Street, then right on Arrow Highway, and if you see the 1600 block, you know you went too far,” for most people, a good map is essential for getting where you want to go.

But what if your map-reading skills aren’t the greatest? Or how about if you’re looking for a person, like the girl you asked out to dinner and are supposed to meet up with in five minutes?

Thankfully, there’s now an app for that.

Japanese mobile phone software developer Team Houchimin is putting the finishing touches on its new app dubbed Iku Yo Kuru Yo (literally I’m Going I’m Coming). The programmers, by their own admission, have no sense of direction.

Most people with a similar problem rely on their phone’s GPS and online maps to deal with this dilemma. Of course, that won’t do you much good if you can’t make sense of a map, so Team Houchimin set out to create an idiot-proof navigation system.

The program has two modes. In the first, called Destination Mode, users select their destination by either searching for it by name or dragging and dropping a pointer on the map Iku Yo Kuru Yo initially shows. Once they do, the map disappears and is replaced by the simplest, most minimalist display possible:

▼ “7 kilometers to destination.”

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With only the remaining distance and direction, in the form of a compass needle, displayed in real-time, Team Houchimin claims that anyone can find where they’re going.

While it is true that the uncluttered presentation eliminates distractions and confusion, we can’t help but notice one glaring shortcoming. Without a map, there’s no way to tell if the path between you and your intended destination is clear or not. The app gives you no suggestions about how to get around obstacles, whether they happen to be trees, water, or 16th Century samurai castles (or a mixture of all three).

▼ Well, guess it’s time to knock that sucker down.

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Iku Yo Kuru Yo’s second function, though, seems far more useful. In Meet-Up Mode, you log in, provide your current GPS location, and then send the provided link to the person you’re trying to find. By activating the link, your GPS signals will be linked, and your phones will display your distance and respective directions to each other. Of course, this doesn’t solve the problem that occurs if you’re far enough away for anything of substantial size to be standing between you.

▼ Go straight, huh? Looks like that’s gotta go, too.

Still, there’s a definite benefit to having a short-range navigation system like this in Japan. The reliance on public transportation in urban areas means that whether you’re going out with a date or just a group of friends, you never pick people up at their homes. Instead, the most common plan is to meet by the nearest train station for wherever you’re going. It’s such a convenient solution that you almost wonder why everyone doesn’t do it that way.

Except, of course, that they do.

Shibuya’s Scramble Crossing, the quickest and easiest way to show your movie is set in Tokyo, is also one of the most popular meeting spots in the city. Whether your exact rendezvous point is behind the statue of faithful dog Hachiko or in front of the Starbucks, you can expect a hundred other people to be there too, making it hard to find the person you’re searching for even if you’re just a few feet away from each other.

This situation isn’t unique to Shibuya, either. Other popular meeting spots such as Shinjuku’s Studio Alta, Roppongi’s Almond Café, and Ikebukuro’s owl statue all present a similar problem.

Iku Yo Kuru Yo is currently in what its developers term “super beta testing,” and is looking for individuals who get lost easily to try the program out and provide feedback. The service is free to use, but just remember to watch out for Mt. Fuji.

Sources: Iku Yo Kuru Yo, IT Media
Top image: Iku Yo Kuru Yo
Insert images: Iku Yo Kuru Yo, RocketNews24