Just buy a SIM card when you get there.

Look up Telecom Square on the net. They have kiosks at Haneda, Narita and other major airports. Rent a pocket WiFi for about $40 week or less. You get LTE service for multiple devices. I believe I had unlimited data last March. Place your reservation online and pick up at airport. You can drop off at the main airports when you depart.

Thanks guys. Great tips. This time will be a learning experience. I'll follow up on the suggestions:

1) SIM card - lo and behold, my phone does have a SIM car holder. Seems like my phone is unlocked as well (per website). Not sure how to confirm it really is.

2) Pocket WiFi rental - what's this about location and other info being sent to carriers if I make a wifi call though? Any concerns?

3) TravelPass

Why buy a pocket wifi for $8 a day when it's $10 to have wifi, cell, gps.... Is saving $2 a day really worth the $14 you can't buy a sushi roll for $14....

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Why buy a pocket wifi for $8 a day when it's $10 to have wifi, cell, gps.... Is saving $2 a day really worth the $14 you can't buy a sushi roll for $14....

I have both Verizon & Tmobile, the pocket wifi was faster & worked better than either.
If you use a US carrier, you're a 2nd-class (at best) user on the jpn networks. I deal with that at home with Tmobile (actually, 3rd class), hence why I have verizon for personal rather than just using the work phone for everything (which is allowed & encouraged).
Pocketwifi worked so well, a group of 7-8 of us with 3 pocket wifi's never hooked up the the work network while we were in Japan for 2 weeks - all phones & laptops ran off the LTE & I never really noticed lag or congestion.

As far as location & other info being sent, your phone sends that on normal calls anyway, it's just a privacy notification they have to make.

Thanks for all the tips guys.

I'm still trying to figure out the TravelPass option. The website is not entirely clear to me.

If I use TravelPass, is the following true:

1) I can make unlimited phone calls w/in Japan and to the US (home). There are no per minute charges to use phone service while in Japan? (I have unlimited phone and text).

2) I can do unlimited iMessage (iphone)?

3) I will be limited to my data plan (2GB/month). SMS texting, email, web browsing and GPS fall into this category (not iMessage texting). But after that runs out, my plan allows for an additional 1GB for $10. That would still be available?

Thanks!

The Pocket WiFi is too expensive - $150+ it seems. SIM card is kind of expensive too ($90 for 15 days + 3GB data). If TravelPass can provide unlimited calls w/in Japan and I get access to my 2GB of data, then that's probably sufficient.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: konata88,

Okay, going w/ TravelPass for now.

Dumb questions:

1) While in Japan, how do I call / text a US number? I think I just press and hold "0" to insert a "+" then type in area code and phone number, correct?

2) While in Japan, how do I call / text a local number? Do I just dial it like I would on a local landline? Or do I need to type in some special characters first (like "+")?

3) While in Japan, how do local people call me? Do they need to call / text my cell as though an international number? Or can they somehow call / text me like a local number since I'm on the local network? If so, how do they do it?

Sorry for the dumb questions: first time for everything. And I've been searching the verizon website but can't find the info.