Japanese Walk Timer

Alerts sound through your earphones over your music, so the phone stays in your pocket. Earn a gold medal for every 30-minute walk you finish. No ads, no account.

Three minutes slow, three minutes fast. That is the whole app.

Interval walking alternates three minutes of gentle walking with three minutes of brisk walking. Known as a more efficient use of the same half hour than walking at one steady pace, it has travelled well beyond Japan under the name "Japanese Walking".

All you really need is something to tell you when three minutes are up. That is what this app does, and nothing else. No advertising, no account to create. Open it, press Start, and get on with the walk.

AN ALARM YOU WILL ACTUALLY HEAR

One set is 3 minutes slow followed by 3 minutes fast, repeated for 30 minutes in total. At every change of pace the app sounds a clear two-tone alert and the phone vibrates.

The alert plays over your music rather than interrupting it, comes through whichever earphones you are wearing, and sounds even with the ringer switch set to silent. You never need to look at the screen, and the phone can stay in your pocket from start to finish.

A MEDAL FOR EVERY FINISH

Complete the full 30 minutes and a gold medal appears on that day in the calendar. Your running total sits at the top. Nothing to log, nothing to tick off - just walk to the end and the medal is there.

SEE HOW FAST YOU ARE WALKING

Your cadence - steps per minute - is read from the iPhone's own motion sensor and shown as you walk. It responds immediately, which makes it the most honest signal of whether you have really picked up the pace. No location data is involved.

WORK OUT YOUR TARGETS

Enter your maximum heart rate if you know it. If you do not, just enter your age and it is calculated using the TANAKA formula (208 - 0.7 x age). You then see your fast-walk target (80%) and slow-walk target (60%), along with general cadence guidance. Your entries are saved, so you only do this once.

If you wear an Apple Watch, turn on Health integration and your current heart rate appears alongside the timer.

SIXTEEN LANGUAGES

English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Malay, Hindi, Nepali, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese. Follow your device language automatically, or pick one yourself.

YOUR DATA STAYS ON YOUR DEVICE

There is no server behind this app. Nothing - the numbers you enter, your cadence, the heart rate read from Apple Health - ever leaves your iPhone. There is no advertising, no analytics, and no location tracking of any kind.

This app is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. The target heart rates it shows are estimates based on a general formula, and the cadence figures are general guidance rather than personalised advice. If you have a medical condition, take medication, or have any concerns about exercising, consult your doctor before starting. Stop immediately if you experience pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath.