Editing Japan (section)

==== Mobile data ====

* If your phone supports eSIM, purchase and install an eSIM profile from these providers:
** [https://www.airalo.com/ Airalo], on the KDDI/SoftBank network - more popular with tourists, cheaper and more convenient
** [https://www.sakuramobile.jp/ Sakura Mobile] - on the NTT Docomoco/IIJ network - more popular with locals, more expensive but generally faster overall, tends to struggle in areas with lots of locals
* If your phone does not support eSIM,
** you can purchase a physical SIM card from a local convenience store. Roughly 1 in 4 konbinis have them, ask for a "sim kado." It takes roughly 15 minutes to find a convenience store with one in Tokyo. Airport SIM cards are very expensive and the Keisei Express from Narita has free wifi.
** or you can [https://esim.me/ purchase a physical eSIM to SIM card adapter]. It ships from Germany, so it's best to do this ahead of time or while using a different solution
* '''Free''' wi-fi is common in Japan. All Lawson convenience stores have free wifi. Many of them require verifying an email. Some commercial streets, especially around youth-oriented areas like Akihabara and Shinsaibashi, offer high-speed free wifi. The [https://www.ntt-bp.net/jw-auto/en/index.html Japan Wi-Fi Auto-Connect] app automatically connects you to nearby wifi networks without needing to verify an email and connects you to new ones as you move, but it consumes lots of battery life. Caveat: Shinkansen wi-fi tends to be fairly slow and only good for basic browsing and low bitrate calls.