Japanese developer Edia has come up with a new navigational tool to help people find their way around Japan's hotspots. However, you won't be going around carrying a run-of-the-mill GPS device as your guide. Instead you'll be making use of the MAPLUS 2 software for the Sony PlayStation Portable.

This portable navigational application will allow you to download various maps and use them for reference getting around the country. There's even an optional GPS receiver accessory which is fully compatible with MAPLUS 2.

The developers have recently inducted two notable voice actors which will play the role of animated guides for the software as they guide the user around Japan. Norio Wakamoto and Rie Kugimiya each get their own virtual avatars in MAPLUS 2, in addition to several other famous Japanese personalities already included in the app.

MAPLUS 2 will be released in Japan this December 20 for the PSP and will be priced at ¥8,190 (US$ ). Hopefully, developers in other regions can take a page off this very practical application and perhaps adapt it for other countries as well.