Japanese walking timer
Three minutes brisk, three minutes easy, five times — a 30-minute walk, timed for you. Press Start, put the phone where you can hear it, and walk. A chime and the app's coach voice tell you when to switch. No signup, nothing to install.
How to use the timer
- Leave the defaults — 5 sets of 3 minutes brisk and 3 minutes easy is the method as studied.
- Turn the volume up, press Start walk, and start walking briskly: fast enough that talking gets a little harder.
- When you hear the chime and “easy”, drop to a relaxed pace you could hold a conversation at.
- Keep switching on the cues. After five rounds the timer tells you you're done — about 30 minutes.
New to the method? Read the guide to Japanese walking for the why, and the weekly schedule for how often to do it (about four days a week, built up gradually).
Brisk or easy first?
The original interval-walking research starts with a brisk block, so that's the default here and in the app. If you'd rather warm up, tick Start easy and the walk runs easy → brisk instead: the same five sets and 30 minutes, finishing on a brisk interval — exactly what the app's Settings toggle does.
What a browser timer can't do
Every phone browser pauses sound and voice the moment the screen locks or you switch to another app, so this timer only works with the screen on and the page in front. The timing itself stays accurate — it's measured against the clock, not counted — but you won't hear the switch if you've pocketed the phone. That's the gap the Japanese Walking app fills: it coaches every switch with a quiet voice while your phone is in your pocket, keeps your podcast playing, and shows the phase on the lock screen.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a Japanese walking session?
30 minutes: 3 minutes brisk and 3 minutes easy, repeated 5 times. Change the sets or block length above if you're building up.
Does the timer keep running if my phone locks?
The timing stays correct, but the sound and voice cues pause — keep the screen on. For cues with the phone in your pocket, use the app.
Do I need an Apple Watch?
No. This timer runs in any browser, and the app coaches from your iPhone alone.
Can I use it on a treadmill?
Yes — the intervals are timed, not distance-based, so it works exactly the same on a treadmill or a walking pad. Set the treadmill to two speeds and switch on the cue. See Japanese walking on a treadmill for speeds and settings.