Job Discussion Forums

[tmax500]

I'll visit Japan as a tourist for 90 days with an unlocked phone and would like to buy a SIM card for prepaid calls and data (maybe 2GB a month). Any recommendations? I'm guessing options at the airport would be expensive.
A pocket wifi dongle would be good enough (without cellular connection), if it's cheap. Any info on this would be appreciated.

[GTZetton]

You can go a couple different routes. I started off with 1 gig cards for 1 month, for 2500~ yen, but I quickly found out that you have to be really careful not to run out well before your month is supposed to be up.

Now I'm on a 5 gig card for 2 months, for 5400~ yen. Both of them are LTE and nice and reliable. I forgot the brand, but I get them at Yodobashi Camera. The 1 gig card, I got at the Lawson at Kansai International (though they are also sold at the Yodobashi, along with a bunch of other ones).

The 1 gig cards, I could put in and use instantly. The 5 gig card, I had to sign in and activate using a computer. No big deal, but still a slightly bigger hassle than the 1 big card, especially if you don't have a computer with internet available. Assuming you're not going to spend too much time on Youtube, 5 gigs for 2 months and 5400 yen seems well worth the money.

[tmax500]

Thanks for your reply - just saw it now. 5400 for 5Gb is a good deal - I didn't see this at Yodabashi Akihabara, perhaps they were sold out.

I bought an IJJ SIM card at BIC Camera. It costs 3800yen incl 2Gb (rechargeable but the maximum duration is 3 months).Rechargeable IJJ cards are available at BIC Camera/ Yodabashi/ Sofmap/ Familymart/ and other stores, which cost 3000yen for 2Gb (or 1500 yen for 500Mb). This seems to be the most popular SIM card for tourists. This SIM card is for Internet only (no calls in/ out).

One foreigner told me you can buy cheap non-smart phones (without Internet) at low cost (which can make prepaid calls) at most phone stores; I didn't check this.