Roam | Tagged Posts
2020
16
July
Is Pocket Wifi Necessary for Traveling in Japan?
16
July
Question:
Humans say...
Tuan
Pocket wifi unless u wanna hang out at McDonald’s or Starbucks all day long
Emily
Free wifi is not enough around the city. We actually just bought a sim at the airport because with the pocket wifi, it ended up being a hassle because some of them needs to be charged constantly. Don’t know if you are travelling with buddies but you’ll have to constantly stick together too to be in the same hotspot range.
Although, it might be slightly more costly to buy two separate sims, the convenience was well worth it.
Also, if you are staying at an airbnb for example, a lot of them provide a free hotspot egg as a part of their amenities so just check before in the listing.
Sandy
Emily I agree. Do not rely on the free WiFi. Emily is right, if you are staying at an airbnb you often get a pocket WiFi, but if there are several of you going, you’ll have to stick together to use the WiFi which is inconvenient. There were 4 of us, and we all got SIM cards, I think it was $75, a bit expensive, but we were there for 3 weeks, we split up sometimes, personally, it was well worth it. Good luck.
Derek
Ditto. Buy a SIM. All new phones are always unlocked and work fine over there. Plus data is helpful when you are trying to use public transit. In Tokyo, you will get the price of each trip as well so you can make the best decisions.
Sonia
Emily Derek Sandy to those of you who bought the sim which company did you go with? What was the average cost and what did it include? Did you buy in advance, airport or other? Thanks so much in advance! Were also soon planning our trip and wondering about this!
Susan
Stand outside a 7/11 or Family Mart - which you’ll find like every 5 steps - free wifi!
Tom
I use the pocket wifi, free wifi is rare, you get with most hotels but if you want GPS and you will, need a pocket WiFi.
Elynn
Pocket Wifi - it was great. we had it mailed to the post-office in the airport in Toyko, and dropped it back off in the post-office at the airport. so much easier to navigate the maps and narrow streets.
Alison
Elynn Their SIM cards worked pretty well also, as a potential alternative. Google Maps was really helpful over there.
Eric
When in doubt I always bring my Hotspot with me, which is called skyroam, but there's many different types. You can use. I don't know if that helps but I thought I'd mention it anyway.
Mindy
Definitely get pocket wifi. It isn't that expensive but definitely bring a power bank to keep it charged! Really handy for navigating and getting around
Brian
buy a 2000-3000¥ sim card it is cheaper than the pocket wifi
Vivian
Pocket wifi for sure. Get the plan with unlimited data and bring a power bank
Abigail
Definitely get pocket wifi and bring a portable charger.
Sarah
Pocket wifi is worth it - we never had a drop in service, a sim card is also an option.
Check to see if your airbnb/hotel offers it already, some places will provide you with sim/pocket wifi!
Jaime
I rented a pocket wifi
Lexa
Free is sufficient bc it’s offered it many places and in your place of stay
Alex
Download Klook app and look for a sim pick up option in Japan. Usually, the prices are half to what you pay at 7/11 or elsewhere. The app is a must if you are travelling in Asia.
Angela
Alex this is app I used for Taiwan and Korea. Just ordered a wifi on my phone and picked and dropped off at the airport. It was cheaper then the airport.
Taylor
I used pocket wifi for the three times I've been to Japan. Highly recommend it
Janna
Pocket wifi 100%!! It makes subway travel a thousand times easier with access to Google Maps. Also easier to communicate with friends and family, look up quick translations, search for addresses, etc.
Ida
Pocket wifi which comes with 10G data
Sarah
We bought a data only sim card online. It worked great just make sure your phone is compatible. We ordered on Amazon and i think the price was around 30 bucks for 15 days. Pocket wifi is great for a big group or connecting a bunch of devices but it's not really necessary and it's another thing to charge and carry around
Cris
Used pocket WiFi while I was there last month. Used japanwireless.com with no issues in service
Sarah
That being said make sure you get one or the other. The subway stations are big and confusing and youll want to be able to connect when/where you want
Melissa
I got pocket wifi and it was totally worth it. You can usually find a pretty good deal online, we barely made a dent in the amount we had to use over 15 days and there were sometimes 3-4 of us connected.
Melissa
I used econnect japan. They mail it where you are staying, and then you drop it in the mailbox before you leave the country. The include postage etc.
Nikolaus
Pocket Wifi is good but they're not all amazing. The one I had in Tokyo was great. The one I had in Osaka was barely functional. They both came with my airbnb though so I didn't have much choice. In the end it was okay because I also got a sim card from Narita airport (they have a vending machine for everything!) and just used that whenever my pocket wifi wasn't working or covered.
Chris
This sim is really cheap and works really really well. It was definitely the best deal. My airbnb came with a free pocket wifi and I still bought this. It's that good
Paul
I traveled throughout Japan a year ago, and found free wifi most places. Any of the corner stores (7eleven,Lawsons, or Family Mart) have free wifi as do most city centres
Susan
I rented a pocket wifi and translator device from the airport, and used both in my 4 days in Tokyo. Very useful as our hotel wifi was very weak.
Guzele
Are you serious??? Going to that part of the world at this time???
Ava
Get the pocket WiFi. We used maps constantly.
Lois
Ava -where do you get this pocket wifi and how much does it cost?
Sacha
if you get the maps.me app you can download maps when you're around wifi for pretty much anywhere that you can use offline. it's a great app, I've used it all over many countries.
Sean
Ninja pocket wifi is what we used. Go for it all the way. Used google maps all the time.
Kristen
Pocket wifi all the way!! Some airbnb’s offered it with their stay. But if you aren’t staying with airbnb’s, then it’s def a must! We got ours at the airport when we landed. Was very easy and we have more than enough data for 10 days. Actually we did data SIM card, but your phone has be unlocked.
Vincent
Sim card if you are really the only one using it but if there is a group of you then pocket wifi is the best option since it can connect up to 10 people, keep in mind that you gotta make sure that pocket wifi remains charged so invest in a pocket charger if need be.
Alex
Sam Roter
Ryan
downloaded all of my pins from google maps onto maps.me, which you can use offline; used free wifi in stores/restaurants/airbnb for the rest. didn't have any problems navigating at all.
Robert
Agree
Tarek
I didnt really need it.. all stations and even bus stops in certain areas have wifi.. a lot of touristic areas have wifi as well covering the whole zone..
Sonia
To those of you who bought the sim which company did you go with? What was the average cost and what did it include? Did you buy in advance, airport or other? Thanks so much in advance! Were also soon planning our trip and wondering about this! If you opted to use the pocket wifi instead can you please let me know why you chose this option and similar details! Thanks all in advance
Carley
Sonia thanks! I would love these details too. I’m finding some cards just as expensive as the pocket thing
Alexande
i bought a sim off klook.com, picked it up at the airport (i think Kyoto, but all three airports have options). was very easy, and gave me peace of mind cause i did not want to be stuck looking for wifi every time i needed to look up something
Catherin
I bought a SIM card. No need to return it. It was cheap and worked great. I bought the cheapest one at the airport. I think it was about $40 for 8 fb.
Rich
Bought a digital sim card my last trip to Japan and picked it up at the airport. Going back again and will do the same.
Yuki
I’m from Japan.
You need pocket wifi. If you go to cafe/stay at the hotel most of the time, you don’t need.
Public wifi is sometimes hard to connect.
I usually order online and pick up at the airport.
Ann
I went with Ninja WiFi and it worked great. It is necessary to have internet in Tokyo outside of free wifi in restaurants, etc.
Collin
Sim card on an unlocked phone.
Jennifer
Either pocket wifi or SIM card
Lukas
Pocket wifi for 2 people or more, sim card for 1.
In either case, make sure you order in advance. Much cheaper options available before you touch down
Justin
Just used the roam like home. Depends how long your stay is.
Ray
Ninja wifi, tokyokcheapo is a great resource
Rosanna
Depends on how long you will be there but i got the visitor sim card from BIC and it was perfect. Just remember to bring a battery pack to recharge your phone. I did find that sometimes when google maps wasnt working, if you go onto your internet browser and work your maps that way then it also works if the normal way doesnt work. Check out my blog and the itinerary for more helpful tips! http://boketto.rosannau.com/
Taro
https://www.sakuramobile.jp/...
Hailey
Pocket wifi for sure
Angela
We booked pocket wifi with global advanced communications a couple years back. Bring a portable charger as pocket wifi sometimes didn't last the whole day if we were out from morning to night.
Hye
https://tokyocheapo.com/.../prepaid-cheap-japan-sim-card.../
fully operational sim!
Misty
I always rented a pocket wifi.
Sabah
Pocket wifi for sure!
Wendy
The Egg WiFi
Vanessa
Buy a SIM card off Amazon - more convenient than pocket wifi and cheaper than buying when you arrive. China Unicom 4G Japan 8 Days Voice/Data SIM Prepaid Card 4GB FUP https://www.amazon.ca/.../ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Qr.rEbSMQQ601
Carley
Vanessa thank you!!!
Mackenzi
I think it is nice to have. We used the trains a lot around Tokyo and to other cities. It is great to have for those 20+ mins trips
Gwen
Pocket wifi!!!! It makes things less stressful for sure. And it's pretty cheap considering peace of mind, saved time without having to look for Hotspot etc. I paid about $100 for 2 weeks for unlimited data
Chris
There is a vending machine in Narita airport where you can buy a SIM card for cheap (i think it was around $20) that will have tons of data for 2 weeks
Shaleen
I've been to Japan twice and never needed. Literally every 7-11 and Family Mart has free wifi.
Tanya
Pocket wifi!! Super convenient
Kevin
It’s great to have
Joci
my fam and i bought sim cards at the airport convenience store;
make sure your phone is unlocked and is capable of using international sim cards;
they come with a paper clip to open your sim card slot
Igor
I rented a pocket wifi, it was perfect to connect my phone and use Google maps and Translate
Timothy
Pocket wifi for sure. Affordable and reliable. Wifi isn't available everywhere.
Barbara
Definitely hire one. Order online to be picked up at the airport on arrival and it can be mailed at any mailbox when you leave.
A.I. says...
Is Pocket Wifi Necessary in Japan?
If you're heading to Japan and planning to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, you may be wondering whether to purchase a pocket wifi or rely on free wifi. Let's explore the pros and cons of each option.
Pocket Wifi
Pocket wifi is a portable device that provides you with internet access wherever you go. It offers a reliable and fast connection, allowing you to stay connected at all times. This is especially useful for navigating unfamiliar streets, translating signs, and accessing travel apps.
Free Wifi
Many cafes, restaurants, and hotels in Japan offer free wifi to their customers. While this can save you money on renting a pocket wifi, the connection may not always be reliable or fast. You may also have limited access to free wifi in certain areas.
Conclusion
Ultimately, whether you need a pocket wifi in Japan depends on your personal preferences and needs. If you require a constant and reliable internet connection during your travels, investing in a pocket wifi may be worth it. However, if you don't mind occasional disruptions in your internet access and can rely on free wifi in certain places, you may be able to get by without it.
Regardless of your choice, it's always a good idea to have a backup plan, such as downloading offline maps or saving important information on your phone, to ensure you stay connected during your trip to Japan.
Safe travels!
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Carley
Heading to Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka) and wondering if you bought the pocket wifi or if free wifi was enough.
Thanks!