Japan Travel with iPad 3G?

[colmaclean]

In 2005, I was in Japan with only a PSP for wifi-friendly company. While in Tokyo, apart from the free wireless at the Apple Store downtown, I used to stand by the crossroads at Shibuya and fish for a free network - mostly successful!

Certainly beat going into the seedy Internet cafes with the enclosed booths and box of tissues next to the keyboard.

Outside of Tokyo was a different story, though...

 

[b.c.]

In 2005, I was in Japan with only a PSP for wifi-friendly company. While in Tokyo, apart from the free wireless at the Apple Store downtown, I used to stand by the crossroads at Shibuya and fish for a free network - mostly successful!

Certainly beat going into the seedy Internet cafes with the enclosed booths and box of tissues next to the keyboard.

Outside of Tokyo was a different story, though...

thanks for sharing your experience. before I got my first iPhone, I remember finding wifi signal for my iPod touch while standing in the middle of the street during one of those pedestrian-only days in Ginza. however in general I've found free wifi hotspots in Japan to be far fewer than expected.

in any case, most of my business travel is outside of Tokyo. so I would really like to have access to reasonably priced 3G data for the few trips/year I take there. I'm hoping someone here has actually managed to procure a 3G microSIM card from one of the carriers there and used with their foreign iPad... Anyone??

 

[kyotoamigo]

Japan wifi

several companies are offering pocket wifi / mobile internet rental now - Rentafone Japan looks to be the cheapest -
www.rentafonejapan.com/Mobile-Internet.html

 

[TheMacBookPro]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.1-update1; en-gb; SonyEricssonX10i Build/2.0.A.0.504) AppleWebKit/530.17 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/530.17)

Softbank also offers a Mifi for 1575 yen per day.

it isn't advertised, but their airport counters offer it.

more expensive than rentafone Japan though.

 

[b.c.]

several companies are offering pocket wifi / mobile internet rental now - Rentafone Japan looks to be the cheapest -
www.rentafonejapan.com/Mobile-Internet.html

thanks. I had seen the Global Advanced info before but not Rentaphone. perhaps worth a try on an upcoming trip.

so is there still no way for a foreigner to buy a Softbank microsim card and 3Gdata plan?

 

[TheMacBookPro]

thanks. I had seen the Global Advanced info before but not Rentaphone. perhaps worth a try on an upcoming trip.

so is there still no way for a foreigner to buy a Softbank microsim card and 3Gdata plan?

No. Japan has extremely strict rules about purchasing SIM cards. The only way you can get a SIM would be to rent one.

 

[Acas]

Buy iPad WIFI only in japan

No. Japan has extremely strict rules about purchasing SIM cards. The only way you can get a SIM would be to rent one.

How about purchasing WIFI only iPad in Japan?can visitor do that?was thinking to buy new Ipad2 in japan this month end

 

[199708]

I have just purchased a b-mobile card for my ipad2, it works, seems very slow however, and also noticed that it shows zero bars in the corner, "NTT DOCOMO" and "3G" are displayed however. Not sure how to get bars on there.

Screenshot

 

[Night Spring]

I have just purchased a b-mobile card for my ipad2, it works, seems very slow however, and also noticed that it shows zero bars in the corner, "NTT DOCOMO" and "3G" are displayed however. Not sure how to get bars on there.

Have you tried this at different locations? Usually, no bars mean you are in a place with weak signal.

 

[199708]

Have you tried this at different locations? Usually, no bars mean you are in a place with weak signal.

I live central, and my work docomo has full bars everywhere. I have tried the ipad outside on the street and no love.

 

[isabellaadamz]

Japan Travel with iPad 3

Buy a local SIM card on arrival if you plan to use it a lot. Or you can buy an international SIM before you travel.
I don't have a phone, but I now have a 3G kindle. From what I've heard, this should be free in Japan as it is everywhere else (although not as feature rich as an iPhone)
international SIM

 

[cfs]

Buy a local SIM card on arrival if you plan to use it a lot. Or you can buy an international SIM before you travel.
I don't have a phone, but I now have a 3G kindle. From what I've heard, this should be free in Japan as it is everywhere else (although not as feature rich as an iPhone)
international SIM

This is an old thread but regardless, the link you have does not offer any product for Japanese visitors. Am I missing something?