Japanese Walking · 3×3 IWT · researched at Shinshu University

Walk fast 3 minutes,
slow 3 minutes.

Thirty minutes. Start today.
Completely free · No sign-up · Keeps timing on lock screen

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Core timer is free for good
3+3 minutes
The Japanese IWT interval
30 minutes
One full session
WHAT

Why three
minutes?

Interval Walking Training (IWT) — better known online as Japanese walking — is a method developed by Professor Hiroshi Nose’s research team at Shinshu University, Japan: 3 minutes of fast walking → 3 minutes of slow walking, repeated 5 times for 30 minutes. Research links this alternating intensity to greater gains in cardiorespiratory fitness and lower-limb strength than steady-pace walking alone.

3×3

Standard

3 min fast, 3 min slow — repeat the pair 5 times

30 min The classic version
6×6

Advanced

Longer 12-minute rounds once you have a base

60 min For regulars
15′

Mini

Short on time today? At least move a little

15 min Busy-day backup
FEATURES

Open and walk.

No sign-up, no setup. Pick a mode, press start, the app does the rest. (The app interface is currently in Traditional Chinese — an English UI is planned.)

CYCLE 3 / 5
慢走中
2:34
剩 4 階段
嗨，淑芬
本週進度
3×3 標準
30 分
6×6
進階
迷你
15 分
紀錄
今天
3×3 標準 · 30 分
昨天
迷你 · 15 分
週三
3×3 標準 · 30 分
Huge countdown, readable in sunlight
Voice + vibration + beep — three-layer alerts
Keeps timing on lock screen, music keeps playing
All history saved, free forever

Free, fully

Every training mode, all session history, voice and vibration alerts — no caps, no paywall.

No interruptions

Zero ads during a workout. Lock the screen, switch apps, take a call — the timer keeps going.

No lock-in

No account, no subscription, data stays on your device. Delete the app and everything is gone.

WHY FREE

Why is it
completely free?

A timer should be simple. The core features are free forever, with banner ads at the bottom of the home and history screens; tired of them? A single one-time purchase removes them permanently.

No subscription, no recurring charges, no account.

NT$90 one-time purchase
✓ Removes all ads permanently
✓ Restorable on a new phone
✓ Pay once, keep it for life
Payment is handled by Apple / Google; refunds follow their store policies. Price shown in your local currency in the store.
BACKGROUND

The research.

2007
Shinshu University · Prof. Hiroshi Nose
A research team at Shinshu University, Japan, proposed Interval Walking Training (IWT): a training design built on alternating 3-minute units of fast and slow walking.
Key
Why alternate every 3 minutes
3 minutes of fast walking is just enough to push your heart and lungs into a training zone; 3 minutes of slow walking is active recovery. Compared with 30 minutes of continuous brisk walking, alternating lets you sustain higher intensity with less accumulated fatigue, and puts the body repeatedly into an effective training state. Research links the method to improved cardiorespiratory fitness and lower-limb muscle strength.
2026
From Japan to the world
"Japanese Walking" became one of the hottest topics on short-video platforms in 2026, ranked among the top fitness trends as the 30-minute workout for busy people. Works on a treadmill or a park path alike.
REFERENCES
  • Nemoto K, Gen-no H, Masuki S, Okazaki K, Nose H. (2007). Effects of high-intensity interval walking training on physical fitness and blood pressure in middle-aged and older people. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 82(7): 803–811.
  • Masuki S, Morikawa M, Nose H. (2019). High-intensity walking time is a key determinant to increase physical fitness and improve health outcomes after interval walking training in middle-aged and older people. Mayo Clinic Proceedings (PubMed).
  • The methodology has been widely covered by media and fitness organizations under the name "Japanese Walking", becoming a global trend on short-video platforms in 2025–2026.
The above are publicly available research publications. This app is an independently developed timer tool and is not an official product of, or collaboration with, Shinshu University or Professor Nose’s research team. Research outcomes may vary with age, health status, training frequency, and intensity.
This app is a fitness timer. It does not provide medical advice and does not replace assessment by a qualified medical professional. Research links regular exercise to improved cardiorespiratory fitness and lower-limb muscle strength; consult a medical professional before starting any exercise program.
FAQ

Common questions.

Q.01

What is Japanese walking?

"Japanese walking" is the popular name for Interval Walking Training (IWT), a method developed by Professor Hiroshi Nose’s research team at Shinshu University in Japan: walk fast for 3 minutes, then slow for 3 minutes, and repeat the pair 5 times for a 30-minute session, about 4 times a week. Published research associates the method with improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and lower-limb muscle strength. It went viral on short-video platforms in 2025–2026 as one of the top walking trends.

Q.02

How do you do the Japanese walking method?

Warm up with a few minutes of easy walking. Then walk briskly for 3 minutes at roughly 70% of your personal maximum aerobic pace — you should be able to talk but not sing. Slow down for 3 minutes of relaxed walking as active recovery, and repeat the fast/slow pair 5 times for 30 minutes total. The original Shinshu University research protocol suggests about 4 sessions per week, kept up over months. Consistency matters more than any single long session.

Q.03

Do I need an app for interval walking training?

No — any timer that can count down 3 minutes works: a watch, a kitchen timer, your phone’s stopwatch. What IWT Walker adds is automatic phase switching, voice cues for "fast" and "slow", vibration and beep alerts, and a timer that keeps running with the screen locked — so you never have to look at or touch your phone mid-walk. If you just want to try IWT once, start with any timer you have.

Q.04

What does a Japanese walking timer app do?

IWT Walker times the 3-minute fast / 3-minute slow intervals for you. It announces every phase change with a voice cue, vibration, and a beep, shows a large countdown that is readable in direct sunlight, keeps counting on the lock screen and in the background, and saves your session history on your device. It ships three preset modes: 3×3 Standard (30 min), 6×6 Advanced (60 min), and a 15-minute Mini for busy days.

Q.05

Is the app available in English?

The app’s interface and voice prompts are currently in Traditional Chinese (zh-TW); an English interface is planned for a future update. The timer itself is easy to follow regardless of language — phases are color-coded, the countdown is numeric, and vibration + beep alerts mark every switch. This website is available in English and 中文.

Q.06

Is IWT Walker really free?

Yes. The core timer is free forever — all training modes, session history, and voice/vibration alerts included, with no account and no registration. Small banner ads appear at the bottom of the home and history screens only; the active workout screen never shows ads. A one-time in-app purchase removes all ads permanently (price shown in the App Store / Google Play). No subscriptions.

Q.07

Is IWT Walker an official Shinshu University app?

No. IWT Walker is independently developed by BotsUP and is not an official or licensed product of Shinshu University or Professor Hiroshi Nose’s research team. The 3×3 training rhythm follows the publicly documented IWT methodology (Nemoto 2007, Masuki 2019, Mayo Clinic Proceedings), and the sources are cited on this page. For the original papers, search PubMed for "Interval Walking Training Nemoto".

Q.08

How often should I do interval walking, and for how long?

The original research protocol suggests 4 sessions of 30 minutes or more per week, maintained for around 5 months, to observe measurable fitness improvements. If that is too much, 3 sessions a week still helps — a steady routine beats occasional long workouts. The app’s three modes (3×3 Standard 30 min, 6×6 Advanced 60 min, 15-minute Mini) cover different schedules.

Q.09

Is interval walking suitable for older adults or beginners?

The original IWT studies were designed around middle-aged and older participants — the intensity is self-paced and lower-impact than running. IWT Walker is a timer, not medical advice: if you have a heart condition, joint problems, or any chronic illness, consult a doctor before starting and adjust the fast-walking intensity to your own condition. The app uses extra-large type that stays readable outdoors.

Q.10

Does the app track my location or health data?

No. IWT Walker does not collect GPS location, does not read heart rate or any health data, and never asks for contacts or camera access. It collects only anonymous usage events and the device advertising identifier (used by AdMob for ads). Session history is stored locally on your device — deleting the app deletes everything. See the privacy policy for full details.

Thirty minutes.
Start today.

Free download, no sign-up — open the app and walk.

Download on the App Store
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