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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 (32)
Rakuten Mobile for Foreigners in Japan: The 15-Minute Setup Guide (2026)
Get an unlimited SIM in Japan with just your residence card — set up by eSIM in about 15 minutes. #PR
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SIM vs eSIM in Japan: Which Should a Newcomer Choose? (2026)
A plain-English guide to eSIM vs a physical SIM in Japan — how each works, which fits your phone and timeline, and how to get connected fast. #PR
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How to Get Internet in Japan: Every Option Compared (2026)
Wi-Fi, pocket routers, SIM and eSIM, roaming and net cafes — what each really costs, and the fastest way to get online whether you're visiting or moving in. #PR
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How to Create a Rakuten ID in English — Free Online Sign-Up, Step by Step (2026)
How to create a free Rakuten ID online, in English: what a Rakuten ID is, why it matters, and a step-by-step sign-up walk-through. The single account behind Rakuten shopping, payments, points, and mobile. #PR
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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
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
Read the guide →What to Check in a Mobile Phone Contract in Japan Before You Sign
A plain-language checklist for signing up for a mobile plan in Japan: contract terms, what's included, SIM type, and eKYC. #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 →Getting Online in Japan: Pocket Wi-Fi, Home Internet or Just Your Phone?
A calm decision guide to the three ways newcomers get online in Japan and how to pick the one that fits your life. #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
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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
Read the guide →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
Read the guide →How Much Mobile Data Do You Actually Need in Japan?
Right-size your mobile data in Japan: how much messaging, maps, social, music and video really use, and how home Wi-Fi changes the picture. #PR
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How to Choose a Smartphone in Japan: A Buyer's Checklist (No Ranking)
A brand-neutral checklist for choosing a smartphone in Japan: screen, camera, battery, storage, water resistance, and SIM-free vs a set device — matched to how you live. #PR
Read the guide →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 →Reviewing Your Phone Bill in Japan: How to Rethink This Fixed Cost
A calm, practical guide to reviewing your mobile spending in Japan: match your plan to real data and call use, understand data-only vs voice, and know what to ask before switching. #PR
Read the guide →SIM-Free vs Carrier-Set Phones in Japan: Which Route Suits You
A plain, even-handed look at the two ways to get a phone in Japan — a SIM-free handset you pair with a plan, or a carrier's device-and-line set — and the everyday trade-offs. #PR
Read the guide →Reading Your Japanese Phone Bill: What Every Line Item Means
A plain-language guide to your monthly mobile statement in Japan: base plan, data, calls, the small mandatory levies, device instalments, and tax — so you know exactly what you're paying for. #PR
Read the guide →Using Dual SIM in Japan: Keeping Your Home Number While Adding a Japanese Line
Keep your home-country number for banks, family, and 2FA while making a Japanese line your everyday primary with dual SIM. #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 →Setting Up Home Internet in Your New Japan Apartment
How fibre home internet works when you move in Japan: contracts, the weeks-long install wait, and covering the gap. #PR
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Using a Travel eSIM for Your First Few Days — Then Switching to a Japanese Number
A two-phase connectivity plan for arriving in Japan: a temporary travel eSIM for day one, then a proper Japanese line once your residence card is in hand. #PR
Read the guide →Getting Connected in Japan: What to Sort Before You Fly vs. After You Land
A two-stage phone plan for moving to Japan: what to decide before you fly, and the residence-card-first steps to get connected after you land. #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 You Need a Japanese Phone Number (and What Quietly Breaks Without One)
A Japanese phone number quietly gates banking, housing, deliveries, apps and SMS logins. Sort it early. #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
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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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