We've taken our time with the new version of your favourite outdoor navigation app - we wanted to give it a proper polish and bring some major improvements before the start of the 2024 season. And we've done it - we've got a brand new route planner with an integrated dynamic itinerary linked to the route navigation, the ability to put the app directory in a freely accessible storage area, and lots of other nice touches.

Navigate with the planner

Sophisticated route planning is one of the cornerstones of Locus Map's features. That's why we've done a lot of work in recent months on the planner as well as routing, profiles and other setup parameters. However, the "Navigate to" function could not use this potential in its original design and defacto duplicated the planner function in a somewhat clumsy way. So we decided to combine these two functions into one. 

So how does it work now?

• Choose a destination - via "Navigate to", by direct selection on the map (point of interest, your own user point, long-tapping any place on the map...), in your library, from a search result...
• Tap on the navigation button - the route planner will start and a route will be generated in the last used profile from your current location to the selected destination. Now you can change the profile (activity, means of transport), add waypoints on the route, check the elevation graph, and surfaces, and just take full advantage of the comprehensive route planner. Or don't, and go straight to the next step:
• Start the route navigation - the button in the top bar starts the selection between navigation and guidance, and then you're ready to go.

What are the advantages?

• Removing a redundant route planning interface for navigation
• Simplification of the user interface
• Linking fast navigation from A to B with a comprehensive planner while maintaining the speed of its launch
• Quick possibility to edit the route, add waypoints, recalculate in another router or profile (large selection of profiles and their customization through many parameters) plus other benefits of the route planner (elevation graph, types and surfaces of roads...)

Plan routes with an itinerary

The itinerary has been part of the route planner for a few years now. However, until now it has been somewhat neglected, with extra input from the top bar. And since it is a live part of the UI in the web planner, we decided to make it more visible in the app as well. 

How is the itinerary in the planner used now?

• The bottom slide-up panel, the so-called "bottom sheet", now contains two tabs that are switched by a button on the top right: charts and itinerary. The default is to display the itinerary, even though there is nothing in the planner yet. This is because you can also select the start and finish directly in the itinerary.

• You can choose the start as before directly on the map or in the itinerary - tapping on start will display a menu of all options: 

• You can add additional waypoints (shaping or via) either directly on the map or in the itinerary:

• Use the itinerary to reorder, delete or reposition waypoints quickly.

• Tap between waypoints in the itinerary to see intermediate route segments that can be recalculated in another profile:

• Of course, on the map you have a fully editable route in addition to this.

So what are the advantages?

Route planning options are now more handy (they used to be hidden in menus), there are "more" options and something different suits everyone. You can plan on the map, in the itinerary, or combine both. The Itinerary is now an equal planning tool to the map.

Plus a little bonus - you can view a detailed route graph directly from the planner:

Photos from Locus Map in Google Photos? YES!

And not only there, and not only photos. Thanks to the new option to move the app's main directory to the Android/Media sector, the system gallery gets to them too. And you can easily access other app data, the geocaching folder, local exports of geocaching logs, and so on.

It's a refreshing breeze of freedom since the fateful moment in Android 4.4 when apps were forced into the impenetrable private Android/data sector. While Android's recommendation is still to use the Android/data sector, you can easily set your main directory to "Private folder in Android/Media" in Locus Settings > Backup & File System > File System Manager and forget about the nightmare of inaccessible app data.

You also have this option on an external SD card, but we don't recommend it due to data vulnerability and unreliability of the cards.

GPS auto-off is back

This feature, which made life easier and saved the battery for long-distance travelers and wanderers, had to go, as it didn't work properly on many phones - a lethal combination of battery optimization and a number of system permissions for location access made it impossible to exist.

Fortunately, we've managed to discover a way to restore the feature so that it's fully functional on Android 12+ phones. However, you still need to have Locus Map excluded from all battery optimization options (but Locus Map can't do without that now anyway). If you don't know how, this site will give you the details directly on your phone.

However, we've placed the option in the Expert settings section. Its use is really specific and has no justification for normal day trips.

More improvements for geocachers

In the previous version of the app, we've made a lot of geocaching features available that were originally only accessible through the Geocaching4Locus add-on. However, experienced cachers immediately threw a few things at us that we had forgotten in the rush. We hereby apologize and add the missing options to the app:

• the ability to update a cache directly in its details
• filtering of owners’ caches
• filtering of unpublished caches
• badge for downloaded caches

And don't worry, it'll get to the labs one day too, we're working on it!

So we wish you all a beautiful spring and a nice start to the new season with your favorite outdoor navigation!

Featured photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Článek New Locus Map 4.22 combines navigation with route planning and shares photos to the gallery se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

Welcome to the new year 2024 and as a little gift we bring you the new version of Locus Map - 4.21. This version brings many minor improvements and one major new feature - all geocache search and download functions. So you do not need any additional applications anymore.

At the time of its creation in 2010, Locus Map was mainly known as a geocaching tool. It was able to display caches on the map, navigate to them, and provide compass guidance. Over time, it added various graphical and computational tools, a full listing display, and logging capabilities. There was also an import of Pocket Queries for the most advanced.

However, in order to easily find and download caches to Locus Map, you always needed another app. Whether it was the popular c:geo or especially the Geocaching4Locus add-on developed by one of our users. The add-on was so good and the collaboration with its creator so seamless that we had no reason to duplicate its functionality in the app for many years. 

With the advent of restrictions from new versions of the Android operating system regarding communication between apps, this collaboration has started to get a bit murky. In order to maintain the user experience and consistency of the services offered, the implementation of cache downloads directly into Locus Map was given the green light. However, Locus Map continues to support the Geocaching4Locus add-on as an alternative for those who have become accustomed to the established system.

Search for caches around you

Those who are just starting out with geocaching or are more of a casual treasure hunter will find this the easiest option. Set the location you want to search around (your current location is the default), the number of caches to download (at least 10 so you have at least a little choice) and you're ready to go hunting. 

The more advanced ones can set up a filter to select the right geocaches according to type, difficulty, terrain and other criteria.

Confirm the folder where to save the caches and you're done - the treasures are on the map. Now you can go hunting even without an internet connection.

To a specific cache using GC code

Each cache has its own unique code, starting with the letters GC, which is why it is also called a "GC code". If someone sends you such a code, you can easily find the cache and download it to Locus Map.  

Select search by GC code and enter the code in the box. After tapping it, you will immediately see the cache detail and its location on the map.

When being online is not a problem

Are you hunting in an area with good coverage? Don't need gigabytes of cache data on your phone? Do you want to have caches at your fingertips as soon as possible? The solution is a "Live" map - a dynamic layer directly above the map, showing caches in your area. Turn it on with a single tap in the content panel on the left and shift the map a bit. The caches will appear instantly:

You can also filter the "Live" caches, just like the classic search. The filter settings are displayed by tapping on the feature name:

We are still fine-tuning the planner

Work on the route planner, or LoRouter and its services, continues. In version 4.21 you will find the following new features:

• Based on your comments and ideas, we have modified the way we cluster warning signs on the route so they don't interfere or get in the way, but still do their job.

• We have taught LoRouter to estimate path surfaces even where they are not implicit in the parent OSM database. For example, a second-class road is 99% certain to be made of asphalt, an unpaved forest road will be made of packed dirt, etc. Thus, we have been able to reduce the proportion of unknown surfaces to units of one percent:

• You can share the route URL directly from the planner. This way you can share the route very quickly, even with those who don't use the Locus Map app or don't have Android - the route will be rendered for them on the web planner:

We've improved sharing with links

You can now freely send routes and points between the app and the outside world using links. This means that if you send a route or point link from the web planner or library to a phone with Locus Map installed, the app will capture the link and display the route directly on the main screen. Similarly, if you send a link from Locus Map on your phone to a friend and they open it on a PC or iOS device, the route or point will display on the web.locusmap.app page in their web browser. You can quickly get the URL from the share menu of the point or route:

Winter is in full swing, so we hope you're spending it actively outdoors enjoying the snow. With the help of our app, of course!

Článek New Locus Map as a full-featured geocache search tool se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

As we approach the end of the year, we thought it would be a good idea to pause and look back at what we have accomplished this year together with you. And there's no shortage of things, you can judge for yourself. 

Let's start with some statistics

A look at the anonymized data you sync via the Locus cloud reveals a lot of interesting numbers for 2022:

• you’ve recorded over 2 million tracks
• you have walked, hiked, cycled, run, climbed, etc. over 11 million (!!!) kilometers with Locus Map (that's 14 times from the Earth to the Moon and back)
• most of your trips have been on foot - you have enjoyed over 71,000 walks and hikes
• the most kilometers were cycled - almost 1.5 million km
• you added almost 7 000 user photos to LoPoints on the map during the autumn alone
• geocachers went hunting for nearly 700,000 caches

We've done our best, too, and this year we've improved Locus Map with a lot of new features for you. Here are the highlights:

Satellite and aerial maps of the world

Since Locus Map is not built on Google's mapping interface, it cannot legally use Google maps. The lack of a good global satellite and aerial map was our obvious disadvantage. We had to rely on local suppliers, but we were unable to find them in all countries.

As of spring 2022, that's different - we've acquired global satellite data from HERE and Maxar, so we finally have a bird's eye view of almost the entire world in both the app and the web planner.

New winter maps and ski routing

Our offline LoMaps can be switched to a winter theme for years, but this time we've focused on their online version so we can have a winter map on the web too. We cleaned up the map, optimized it for better readability in the sun, and added updated winter LoPoints. It includes cross-country groomed and ungroomed trails (where the OSM community has put them on the map), color-coded pistes, freeride trails, ski-alpine trails, and winter hiking trails. 

We've removed one big skeleton from the closet - we've given LoMaps a brand-new and up-to-date legend.

For white trail lovers, we've added a cross-country ski routing profile for both planner and quick navigation. We're still tweaking the profile to meet the current needs of our users, so sometimes you'll find a spot where the route is not rendered - you can overcome such a section either by drawing it manually or by switching to the walking profile.

LoPoints with information from Wikipedia

LoPoints - points marking interesting and important places on the map, are an integral part of our LoMap. In the spring, we managed to link them with data from the biggest internet encyclopedia - Wikipedia. A lot of architectural, technical, and natural landmarks on the map got interesting descriptions and photos.

Your photos of interesting places on the map

During the summer we started another big project - user photos can be assigned to each LoPoint so others can see what it looks like - is the view on the map really the view in reality? Is there really water in this well? Is this ruin really worth a visit? Is it possible to hide in this shelter in bad weather? These questions can best be answered by actual photography.

A download of caches directly in the app

Until recently, only the Geocaching4Locus add-on was used to download and import caches, but we have no influence on its development - it is programmed by one of our partners. For better sustainability and flexibility, we decided to add the cache download option directly into the app. So, it doesn't yet do all the finesse of G4L, but we'll add it in time. You can now find the direct cache search and import in the geocaching tools.

Locus Map Premium - one-offs and vouchers

We were able to introduce all of these new features thanks to a new sustainable way of funding our work through subscriptions. Plus, in the spring we introduced the option to get Premium services for one-off payments - for three months or a year, with no automatic renewal. This way you can use Locus "in full" only during peak season and have it free for the rest of the year.

The newest option to get Premium without having to purchase through Google Play, are annual vouchers. These can be purchased directly on our site, for yourself, or as a gift. And it really pays off now before Christmas! Each voucher contains a unique code, after entering it in the "Go Premium" section of the menu, the app restarts in Premium mode with all the high-tech features.

And what awaits us next year?

That, in a nutshell, was our year 2022 together. And what can you look forward to next time? Well, there are plenty of things to look forward to, including:

• a completely new search - we are far from using all the possibilities of the location data available in our service, so we want to "teach" Locus better how to search in this amount
• we will most likely expand the availability of Locus... fanfare and drumroll... even for apple industry fans! Yes, we will probably start testing the first (lightweight) versions on the iOS platform as early as spring.

So you have something to look forward to again, and so do we! We wish you all good health and lots of outdoor fun with Locus Map!

Článek Looking back at 2022 se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

The snowdrops are slowly blooming out, out are crocuses, daffodils, and tulips. And also bear garlic! Even the trees and shrubs are discretely sprouting fresh green. You also have more time for yourself, and your loved ones these days. So use it to discover places where you haven't been together before. Locus Map will help you.

Find your destination

So where to go? You want to avoid notorious locations - castles, lookout towers, pubs ... that's all passé. But there are so many beautiful places in your immediate vicinity that few people know about. Geocaching helps you find them! It is common knowledge that geocachers hide their treasures in places that are always somehow interesting. And they often don't lie on busy roads and paths. These may be interesting viewpoints, naturally, historically or otherwise important sites, whose fame has long passed, but thanks to geocaching they have not been completely forgotten. And you can cope with it with basic free membership - it's not about the game, it's more about the inspiration .

So, if you don't already play geocaching, download Geocaching4Locus to discover undiscovered!

How to get there?

Here again Locus Map offers its services. To get to your destination, have a look in LoMaps, you can start guidance to it or turn by turn navigation - Locus Map will find the right route based on how you travel. Are you walking? Locus will use a network of marked and unmarked paths and trails. Or by bike? Locus offers navigable paths and cycle routes. The choice is yours, you can let the app design the route completely or you can plan it in detail in the Route Planner - we strongly recommend it if you want to visit multiple destinations on your trip.

Record your trip

Do you want to know where you went on the trip, what distance and elevation gain you walked? And do you want to show it to your pals on the internet? Just record it. Start track recording as soon as you go, Locus Map will follow your every step. You can track current distance and other track statistics either directly in the track recording panel or on the dashboard - Locus Map works like a cycling computer with it, even without having to sit on a bike :)

Let others know where you're roaming

Share your current location with other family members or friends so they don't worry about you. Locus Map can do this in several ways. If you're really alone, just use My LIVE Location - Locus Map will show your location on a simple map web page. Send the link to it to who you want. If there are more of you and you set out on a trip separately in terms of the necessary social distancing, use Live tracking - use it to track the location of all members of your scattered group.

Plan a bike route to your work

Temperatures are becoming more and more tolerable, so you can go to work on a bike in the morning. If you've never taken a bike to work before, it's high time to start :). You are in the fresh air, a bit of physical effort gets your blood circulating before you enter your office, and last but not least, you avoid the crowds in the public transport. Locus Map and its Route planner will tell you where to go best. When you draw a route, choose a bike profile, and the route will be drawn along bike trails and streets with less traffic. Be sure to watch also the climb on the elevation profile shown.

Enjoy spring in health!

Photos of Tamara Garcevic and Jorik Kleen, Unsplash

Článek Spring is waking up, enjoy it with Locus Map se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

When you are moving in free terrain with no roads or paths, heading to a distant target - a hunters cabin, a watch post, or, most likely, to a geocache - navigation is of no help. "Navigate to" feature renders a route along roads and paths and "Navigation" needs a route to navigate along. Without roads, paths, and routes, the only way how to get to a particular spot is to use guidance.

Start at the target

To launch the guidance line, showing distance and azimuth of the target, just tap the target and select Guide ON from the action menu:

All you need to know about the target is displayed in the guidance panel. In case of a geocache, you see its name, direction, distance, difficulty, terrain rating, number of waypoints, number of inserted travel bugs and size of the cache box:

If you prefer compass view, switch to it from the guidance panel menu:

Don't watch the screen all the time - put on alert

In a difficult terrain where you have to be careful about where to put your feet and not to break your ankle, some acoustic alert may help. In the guidance settings, you can choose a single alert or alert with increasing frequency as you are getting closer to the target. Of course, you can select plain beeping, your own sounds, vibration or spoken alerts, informing about the target distance and direction:

The closer to the target, the more detailed map you see

Locus Map can zoom the map automatically according to the distance from the point you are guided to - the closer the target is the bigger zoom is displayed so both your position and the target are visible on the map screen:

Low battery? Locus Map will turn the screen on just when you need it

The screen on/off control in Locus display settings offers a few options on how to turn the phone screen on automatically only when you need it. One of them is during the point guidance:

The screen lights up just in time of the point alert so you can quickly check the map. This feature is especially useful when Locus guides you along a route, switching the screen on only on turns.

Guidance along a route? What is it for?

It is useful, especially for sailing, sea-kayaking or flying. Also for cross-country hiking when there are no roads for turn-by-turn navigation - Locus guides you along a manually drawn line and notifies you of the direction changes.

Alert! You're off your route!

That's an especially useful feature when you are guided with your screen off, listening only to voice commands. Sometimes, it happens you miss a turn or you're forced to make a detour. The guidance doesn't recalculate your route but Locus Map notifies you of its leaving. When you set up text to speech, Locus Map tells you how far and in what direction your original route is running.

So, let's go off road with Locus Map!

Článek Heading to a geocache deep in the woods without roads? Locus guidance can help. se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

Here it is again, we are proudly launching a New Locus Map 3.31! It is full of improvements in its controlling - we are doing our best to make it easier to use. Now we'd like to pin point three features that has been reworked or expanded majorly. Especially geocachers will appreciate two of them:

Better structured geocache logging

Logging geocaches directly from the app is possible in Locus for years - both online and offline. We've rethought our approach to this process and decided to make logging even smoother and comfortable.  Screens of logging method selection and logging itself have been redesigned so that all aspects are pretty handy and clear to use.

There are three methods of geocache logging available - online logging, uploading field notes (drafts) and storing logs offline for later online logging:

Logging online

The screen is clearly divided in three sections - basic info, images and trackables:

Select type of your log, add comment, date and time. If you particularly liked the cache, add it to your favorites:

You can add images from your phone or take them right on the spot:

Trackables can be loaded directly from the loggin dialog:

Uploading field notes (drafts)

The dialog has been unified with online logging, nevertheless, it's simpler as you would expect with drafts:

Storing offline

A very useful feature for outdoor geocachers who often don't catch mobile signal in the mountains. Again, the dialog is almost identical with the online logging.

All online and offline logs are stored in Logs manager where you can edit them, upload them at Geocaching.com or export to a file:

Enhanced options of filtering

Thanks to your feedback at our helpdesk we know exactly what you need for your best geocaching experience. Therefore, we added possibility to filter geocaches by minimum number of favorites:

by size:

by attributes:

Now you can save your filter definitions for later usage so you don't have to set it up again. All is done comfortably in the filter manager:

That's pretty cool, isn't it? It is also possible to apply filter by one click when you display a whole folder of caches:

Clear and intuitive settings structure

You know, Locus Map is a pretty complex app with loads of settings. We ourselves sometimes got lost in its labyrinth. So we decided to change it - we made a wide user survey, experimented, tested several variants, all thoroughly evaluated. Finally as a result of all these efforts, we simplified the structure and hierarchy of settings and clarified all titles and descriptions for your better user experience. Some categories and sections were joined, some divided according to their inner logic and results of users testing. Following sections were re-structured the most:

Controlling

A new category, grouping display, the main map screen, panels and buttons settings - all in their individual sections:

Maps

This section needed cleaning the most. Finally all settings in it really regard just maps and related auxiliary graphics:

Points & tracks

A new section created by extracting point/track related settings from the original Maps section:

GPS & sensors

Originally two individual categories are joined in one common. All hardware settings are concentrated here now:

We sincerely hope you'll like this Locus version, the same as we like it! Enjoy coming summer with it.

Článek Geocachers rejoice – flawless logging and more filtering options in new Locus se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

by David Kubát, a scooter-rider and a geocacher

(edited)

For quite a long time I've been thinking about a bit bigger scooter-geocaching action. Sometime last year I found out there is a geocache that requires going all along the Golden Path in the Czech Paradise (a beautiful rocky part of my home country). If I decided to hike it it would take almost 3-4 days, and alas, nobody would go with me. It could be done in parts but then it wouldn't be such an experience. Therefore, I've been waiting for a warmer weather so that I could go by my scooter - and the time has just come. The cache listing contains also a bivvy list and the route was given so I set out quickly - the trip took two days with a night in Pantheon cave. I had expected a demanding terrain so I equipped my scooter with a homemade strap so I can carry it more easily. Of course I could unload the scooter and carry whole stuff by parts but it was an extreme option which I used only three times during those two days.

Before the trip I had planned the route at Mapy.cz and imported it via Dropbox to Locus. Besides the classic navigation Locus offers also guidance along the route which I didn't need. Just seeing the route and my position on map would have done for me. Another useful feature is displaying distance to the end of the route when tapping it on map. I looked at it often especially in hard times when I needed to feel that kilometers are passing by.

Dashboard is another nice feature. It is fully customizable with loads of fields and settings. I was content with elevation, passed distance and speed. This works when you record your track which I did on the second day when my Garmin battery went off.

Last function I use the most is quick route planning. It comes handy when you don't want to drain your battery with online data or when you want to travel off road. I use it mainly for approximate measurement of the route distance in unknown terrain because I often underestimate distances and then finish stuck in the middle of the woods without food and water. :-)

The second day I used Locus also for recording my track. The recording went smoothly and when the GPS was on I used it also for guidance to geocaches - I didn't have to be careful about the cache distance as Locus always notified me when I was 100 m from it. This distance notification can be of course set according to your needs, as almost everything in this app. The guidance screen may seem a bit confusing for someone but when you come closer, the upper line shows distance from your actual position to the map cursor and the lower red one distance and ETA to the cache.

I must say I'm very enthusiastic about Locus. I've uninstalled Endomondo and I'm going to get rid of my obsolete Garmin too - support of this old model is equal to zero. My buddies - runners will surely appreciate the audio coaching feature enabling to leave your phone in your backpack. You can also set the out-of-route alert - when the route is accurate I'm setting 50m, when it's just approximate, I'm putting 200m there.

My scooter didn't betray me too during all of the trip. Just one bags-holding screw got loosened which was not a problem. Regarding the kind of terrain I rode on, all that bumping and thumping, I think it's a kind of a miracle. To sum it up, despite I thought I knew Czech Paradise quite well, there are still places I visited for the first time and that deserve one more decent trip. Of course I'll get back there with Locus!

Článek Scootering and Geocaching Along the Golden Path of the Czech Paradise se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

Locus is here (besides others) so that you can fully focus on your geocache hunt - so that you don't have to haul papers with printed listings with you, so that you find the caches more quickly, so that you are aware of all downloaded caches around you at the moment... to sum it up, with Locus, geocaching is more fun. Today we're here with a few tips how to make your GC hunt even more enjoyable.

1) Be aware of all the caches around

Nobody wants to stare in the map all the time in order not to miss a geocache on his way. Therefore, Locus has the POI alert.

Firstly, set the folder with your downloaded geocaches

then set the type of alert - select among 10 kinds of beep,  your custom sound, vibration or TTS - we recommend TTS as this is the way how Locus tells you the distance and direction of nearby caches.

and, of course, the alert trigger distance. The alert can be launched only once or repeatedly, it's up to you.

And press START. Locus notifies you every time you go near a geocache you have downloaded in your folder.

2) Locus, please guide me to the cache

In the free terrain, you surely appreciate Locus guidance. Just tap the geocache on the map and select guidance from the action menu.

Or tap the geocache in the folder and select guidance from the bottom bar menu:

Locus will show you the direction and distance of the geocache.

Also in this case we recommend setting of a sound or vibration notification of a coming prey. You can find it in Settings > Guidance > Points/Notification. The setting options are the same as in the previous case but one - you can choose increasing frequency of beeping relating to the distance.

The geocache hunt resembles a mine field survey a little bit with this setting but it's very effective :)

3) Log right in the field and without internet connection

Hurray, we've got the geocache! We're logging in the logbook and so as not to forget logging in Geocaching.com, we're putting the log also directly in Locus. And we don't need internet for this, Locus offers offline logging! Choose Log visit > Store offline from the cache menu (default offline can be set before)

Select the right logging status (not always you're lucky, eh ;) and insert your comment.

TIP: if you're keen hunters and you find loads of caches daily you can set an automatic comment, containing cache order number and a time stamp in the Settings > Geocaching:

All the same, you can set a few more automatic actions after storing - removing of the found geocache from the map, its transfer to another folder or switching guidance to another nearest geocache. All can be set in Settings > Geocaching > Action after 'Found it'.

Your saved logs can be viewed in the Field notes manager (Menu > More functions > Geocaching tools). When you come home you can start batch online logging from there to Geocaching.com.

We wish you a lot of fun!

P.S. Do you have your own tips for improving geocaching workflow? Let us know!

Článek A few tips for your Locus geocaching workflow se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

by Sarah Murphy

There is always a sense of excitement when I set off to visit somewhere new; a sort of butterflies-in-the-tummy type of feeling with the anticipation of what adventures await when I arrive. Never was this truer when we set off on the long flight from London Heathrow to Tokyo Narita, and my first trip to a whole new continent.

Tokyo

We spent most of the time exploring the capital city, with its ancient temples and shrines standing in stark contrast with the ultra-modern skyscrapers and often futuristic restaurants and shops.

The Shibuya Scramble crossing is the busiest pedestrian crossroads in the world, with up to 2,500 people crossing at any one time. We found the traditional cache, Loneliness without you (GC252PG), which refers to the statue of the famous dog Hachikō, who waited every day outside Shibuya station for his owner to return from work. This was undoubtedly the most muggle intense area I’ve found a cache in, but the sheer number of people meant that nobody really paid attention to us.

[caption id="attachment_10349" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Shibuya scramble crossing[/caption]

The Sensō-ji Buddhist temple is one of the most visited attractions in Tokyo and is also home to the most favourited geocache in Japan: Asakusa Kaminarimon (GC38J50). The cache is located just outside the main entrance gate to the temple area and again, in a location with many muggles milling around. It’s a small size cache containing the most darling personalised swag bearing the cache name and I was able to drop some travel bugs off too.

[caption id="attachment_10348" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Sensoji Temple Tokyo[/caption]

When we visited the unique Tokyo Disney Sea theme park, we had the opportunity to examine the EarthCache Mt. Prometheus / プロメテウス火山 (GC31H0H), based on the very realistic volcano inside the park. This was the first time I had found an EC based on a model of a geological feature, but the volcano and all its features are so lifelike that the local reviewers and Groundspeak decided to allow it. It might be the closest we will ever get to an ‘erupting’ volcano, as it started to spew ‘lava’ during the evening’s light show!

[caption id="attachment_10351" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Tokyo Disney Sea theme park[/caption]

Kyoto

Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto, has a much more subdued pace of life in comparison to Tokyo. After taking the Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo, we headed straight to the Kinkaku-ji temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion. The entire façade is covered in gold leaf and is quite a sight to behold. We had the chance to find the traditional cache, Kinkakuji-temple #Kinukake road (GC3B9NY), as we exited the temple – it’s always nice to mark a visit somewhere with a smiley on the map!

[caption id="attachment_10347" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Golden Pavilion[/caption]

One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to the amazing Fushimi Inari-Taisha shrine just outside Kyoto. Famous for its 10,000 torii gates, the tunnels of vermillion are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. We happened to meet two French geocachers at the cache Red Torii (GC56M9R), a very clever hide, well-crafted to fit in with its surroundings.

Nara

Having been highly recommended to visit Nara National Park before our trip, we made sure to take the short train journey from Kyoto. Nara is famous for its wild Sika deer that roam freely, mostly within the National Park, but sometimes spill out on to the streets. The deer bow to request food and deer crackers or ‘shika senbei’ to feed them. This was one of the most magical experiences I have ever had and one of the reasons I fell in love with Japan. There are several geocaches to find in the park, including Nara National Museum (GC37DEX) and Deer Park Rest Area (GC49CW9).

[caption id="attachment_10346" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Deer eating my lunch in Nara[/caption]

Also in Nara National Park is the Tōdai-ji temple, which is home to the world’s largest bronze Buddha. It really has to be seen to be believed: it’s immense! We found a nice little cache at the Nandaimon Gate, Todaiji 東大寺南大門 (GC6CGRV), while we watched a deer take someone’s lunch out of their hand!

[caption id="attachment_10350" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Tōdai-ji temple[/caption]

We only experienced a tiny fraction of what Japan has to offer and we’re looking forward to travelling more extensively there in the not too distant future.

Sarah Murphy

www.thegeocachingjunkie.com

Článek Japan – Geocaching in the Land of the Rising Sun se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

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