In this comprehensive guide we’ll talk all about Japan’s internet, examine prices, speed, etc. You will find out how to hire internet in Japan, what internet services there are, and how a tourist can access the internet for free.
Just because it is Japan, does not mean that in every country the internet will be 1gbps as some imagine. Many people still use ADSL and not optical fiber. Or worse, most use mold from mobile phone services, luckily 4G or even 5G is not bad.
In Japan, the speed and price of the internet varies greatly by company, location, region and contracted service. Speeds range from 30mb to 1gbps. The mobile internet also usually reaches a speed of up to 300mbps thanks to 4g.
As this article is extensive, we will share a summary to help you navigate and understand the objectives of this Internet Guide in Japan:
Table of Content
Internet services in Japan
Optical fiber in Japan has speeds ranging from 100mb to 500mb. There is an optical fiber called hikari that reaches speeds of up to 1gbps. This speed can increase significantly compared to the date I wrote this article (2020).
Remember that speed doesn't matter, you need a good server to download, and your ping should be low for a better experience when loading pages and games.
The most well-known companies in Japan are:
- NTT
- ASAHI
- Au one net
- BIGLOBE
- TWICS
- Yahoo BB
- OCN
- So-net
- @nifty
Sometimes the company that provides the line is different from the company that provides the internet. Prices are very affordable and can range from 2,000 yen to 8,000 yen (60 – 210 USD). Installing the internet can be a little expensive.
Most condominiums, apartments and neighborhoods, offer special internet services, some apartments already offer the internet installed or even for free. The common price is usually 3,000 yen per 100 megs.
Mobile Internet in Japan
In Japan, most hotels, airports, train stations, shopping malls offer free access to wi-fi. Sometimes, to use these free options you need to register, and some restrict access to some sites.
It is recommended that you use the Japan Connected Free Wi Fi app to locate free access points. There are also paid Wi-Fi services that cover 95% of major cities in Japan (Wimax).
Japanese people usually use a small mold that distributes wi-fi to their surrounding area. The mobile internet in Japan also has limits, which can cut access or slow down.
Large mobile companies like Softbank and Docomo have made good use of Wimax technology in addition to offering great options for accessing the data network over 4G.
How can a tourist get access to the internet?
There is a great prepaid chip service, which you purchase to purchase internet access throughout your trip. You can purchase the card at Lawson, Yodobashi, Don Quijote, Nojima, Yamada Denki, Joshin, Aeon, Kojima and Sofmap stores and konbini.
You can also buy the card online and have it delivered to the airport post office. Some companies even provide cell phones and internet and telephone plans within the airport.
These 4G cards reach a speed of up to 250mb and can be purchased for the price of 3,000 yen with a limit of up to 2GB. If you exceed this limit, just recharge.
There are other unlimited plans, which slow you down if you exceed your daily limit. The companies that provide this internet service to tourists are: IIJmio, B-Mobile, COMST, Datago, eConnect, JPSIM, So-Net and others.
Internet de Graça no Japão
“Really? Free internet?” It is indeed possible to have access to free internet in 日本! We even mentioned it in the article… All thanks to a national program created by the Japanese government called: Japan Connected Free Wifi.
Through this program, Japan made an agreement with brands of コンビニ, hotels, restaurants, and other establishments to allow free internet access for tourists when traveling to Japan.
Knowing the application and its positive points
First of all, it is very simple to use. Basically you just have to get a wifi registered in the government program and put it in to connect. and if you want to know if the place allows you to connect or not, just look for the symbol in this image:
The application unifies the registration process for more than 150,000 free tourist spots by numerous companies and organizations, so that visitors can use them without having to register for each service individually. &Nbsp; Registration of some personal data is necessary.
Other ways to get free Internet in Japan
Another way to get free internet in Japan is through the more than 400,000 Softbank hotspots spread across restaurants, cafes, train stations, hotels and other places in Japan. To use this service you need Global Roaming, which is not advantageous for Brazilians and their abusive operators.
There are paid solutions for wi-fi networks but they are not at all advantageous compared to a 4g chip or a portable router. The best option is to use this Japan Free Wi-Fi application and perhaps buy a tourist chip with a good duration for internet usage.
Does the Internet Dominate Japan and the World?
It is not just today that we know that the internet is "dominating" the world. Calm down, it's not a conspiracy theory, it's just the purest reality. But we will explain better what we are talking about.
Analyzing a post from not long ago, The most accessed sites in Japan and Brazil, we can notice interesting things. One of them is the top position of the gigantic search site from Google.
On this website we can access information from around the world. But just to be clear, we cannot access all the information in the world as we believe. You can do school research, be entertained, learn things and more.
Have you ever imagined having to search websites one by one to do a school research? Many would prefer to abandon the internet and go straight to the books. That, it can be good at first sight, reading will always be a good thing. The problem is when information about that location is missing.
Another important point is the rankings of social networks and online stores. This can be seen as a dependency on ease. Social networks allow us to communicate and meet different people. and since we are collective animals, that brings us a certain happiness.
Online stores, on the other hand, are personified convenience and ease. These sites allow us to make purchases from distant places without leaving the place. Which results in a massive rise for this type of convenience.
Now comes the shock of reality. I think the world would collapse if the internet stopped working. Various types of businesses depend directly and indirectly on the internet to function.
Just as I mentioned online stores, we also have online companies and individuals who depend on the internet to survive. In addition, we are all affected indirectly. Theoretically, communications between people, cities and countries would reach bad and critical levels.
Trade was going to be hampered. In addition, companies would go bankrupt, we would be forced to lose amenities. and to end the discussion, we would lose our biggest source of information. So, value the internet you have! Even though it's not the fastest!