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Phone & internet in Japan
Everything a newcomer needs to get online in Japan — choosing a SIM or eSIM, getting a Japanese phone number, home internet, and the apps you'll set up first.
Phone & internet (25)
The Apps Every Newcomer in Japan Actually Needs (2026)
The short list of apps that really run daily life in Japan — transit, translation, LINE, payments — and why getting connected comes first. #PR
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The Certificate of Eligibility: The Paperwork That Happens Before Your Visa
A pre-arrival guide to Japan's Certificate of Eligibility: who applies, what you'll need to send, and how long to allow. #PR
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Reading Japanese Phone Numbers: What Those Prefixes Mean on a Form
How to read Japanese phone numbers: landline area codes, 070/080/090 mobiles, 0120 and 0570 prefixes, hyphens, and dialling +81. #PR
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Settling in Sapporo: City Life with a Real Winter
Settling in Sapporo: the grid address system, winter subway and underground walkways, apartments built for cold, and snow duty. #PR
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A Day at a Japanese Theme Park: Dated Tickets, Apps and Crowd Timing
How a park day in Japan works now: date-specified tickets bought in advance, the park's app, ride reservations and crowd timing. #PR
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When an Appliance Breaks in Japan: Warranties, Repairs and Extended Cover
When a home appliance breaks in Japan: the warranty slip, the maker's year, extended store cover, and how a repair goes. #PR
Read the guide →Typing Japanese on Your Smartphone: Adding a Keyboard and Using Flick Input
A hands-on guide to typing Japanese on your phone: adding a keyboard, romaji vs flick input, kanji conversion and form tips. #PR
Read the guide →Buying Secondhand in Japan: Flea-Market Apps, Recycle Shops and Safety
Where newcomers score cheap used goods in Japan: flea-market apps, recycle shops and real markets, plus judging condition and staying safe. #PR
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Putting Your Train IC Card on Your Phone in Japan: Mobile IC, Explained
How to add a transit IC card to your phone wallet in Japan, top it up, and tap through the gate with your phone. #PR
Read the guide →Permission to Work on a Student or Dependent Visa in Japan (Shikakugai Katsudo)
How students and dependents get permission for part-time work in Japan, at the airport or immigration. #PR
Read the guide →Managing Your Money in Japan: The Kakeibo Habit and Household Budgeting Apps
A friendly guide to kakeibo, Japan's household-budget tradition, plus budgeting apps that sync cards, e-money and points, and a simple starter routine. #PR
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Applying for Permanent Residency in Japan: The General Path and What It Takes
A calm, plain-language overview of the general path to permanent residency (eijuken) in Japan: what it broadly is, the long timeline, and the kind of preparation it asks for. #PR
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Recycling Electronics in Japan: PCs, Phones and Small Appliances
How Japan handles old PCs, phones and small appliances: the PC take-back mark, collection boxes and wiping data safely. #PR
Read the guide →Public Wi-Fi in Japan: Where to Find It and When to Rely on Your Own Data
A practical guide to free public Wi-Fi in Japan: where it turns up, the sign-in friction, and simple safety habits. #PR
Read the guide →Using Your Phone as a Wi-Fi Hotspot in Japan: Tethering, Explained
A hands-on guide to tethering in Japan: sharing your phone's connection with a laptop or tablet, and keeping battery and data in check. #PR
Read the guide →Repairing a Broken Phone in Japan: Cracked Screens, Batteries and Your Options
Hi, I'm Miya — here's my calm guide to fixing a cracked screen or tired battery in Japan, backing up first, and staying connected. #PR
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Taking Your Japanese Phone Abroad: Roaming, Data and Staying Reachable
Hi, I'm Miya. A calm guide to using your Japanese phone overseas: roaming vs a travel eSIM, keeping your number live for 2FA, and switching back on landing. #PR
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Moving Your Data to a New Phone in Japan: Contacts, Photos, Apps and 2FA
Changing phones in Japan? A calm, step-by-step guide to moving contacts, photos, chat history, apps, and the 2FA everyone forgets — with your number as the anchor. #PR
Read the guide →Losing Your Phone in Japan: The Lost-and-Found System and How to Recover
Lose your phone in Japan? Here's how the lost-property system works, how to report at a koban or station, and why your number matters. #PR
Read the guide →Downloading Japanese Apps: Account Region and Payment, Explained
Why Japan-only transit, bank, and delivery apps won't install until your store region and payment are set — and how to fix it. #PR
Read the guide →LINE in Japan: The Main Messaging App, and How to Set It Up (2026)
LINE is the main messaging app used across Japan. A neutral how-to: what LINE is, making an account, adding friends by QR code or LINE ID, and how shops and wards actually use it. #PR
Read the guide →Unknown Calls, Voicemail and Spam: Handling Your Japanese Number
Living with a Japanese number: what common calls mean, how voicemail works, and handling unknown or spam calls calmly. #PR
Read the guide →Getting Online the Moment You Land: Bridging the Gap Before Your Japanese Number
How to stay connected from the airport until your residence card lets you open a real Japanese line. #PR
Read the guide →Why Japanese Apps Keep Asking for a Japanese Number (SMS Verification, Explained)
Hi, I'm Miya. Here's why Japan apps demand a Japanese number for the code, and how to clear that wall early. #PR
Read the guide →Getting Around Japan with Transit Apps: A Newcomer's Guide (2026)
How to read routes, use your IC card and phone to tap through, and why live mobile data makes transit apps in Japan effortless. #PR
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