B-Mobile Visitor SIM: The Perfect Japanese Data-Only SIM Card for Tourists

I recently tested the new B-Mobile Visitor Sim 1GB Prepaid Card. This is an excellent solution for people who want to use smartphones and tablets (including iPhones and iPads) in Japan. You don't need a long-term visa to get one: You can get one with an ordinary tourist visa. Nor do you need a fixed address: You can have the SIM card mailed to the hotel where you will spend your first night in Japan. You can also arrange to have it sent to a post office in the airport where you arrive. Finally, you don't need to call in to register the card (this step used to be necessary but is no longer). I can't give specific download speeds, but when I tested the card with a smartphone I found that it was fast enough to use Skype, YouTube and, of course, email. The card is available in both micro-SIM and regular-SIM sizes. Note that the card is for data only. You cannot use it to make phone calls, but, of course, you can make voice calls with Skype. For more information, check the B-Mobile Site. For a thorough discussion of phone and data options for Japan, check out my earlier post on this topic.

Genki Sudo's World Order in Kyoto

The incredible Genki Sudo and his World Order dance troupe visited Kyoto in the spring and recorded an incredible video (above). If you don't know Genki Sudo and World Order, you owe it to yourself to click the above video immerse yourself in an excellent new world. I was able to pick out most of the locations for the filming. They include: To-ji Temple, Hanami-koji (Gion), Shimbashi (Gion), Nijo-jo Castle, Hiean-jingu Shrine, Hirosawa-no-ike Pond, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Arashiyama Togetsukyo Bridge, and Hiranoya Teahouse Saga Torimoto. Also, there's a place that looks like the Gosho (Imperial Palace) but I can't recall the exact spot. And there's a bridge that looks like something in Daitoku-ji Temple, but I have to check to be sure. If you like what you've seen, check out their newest video from Mexico City here. The last few minutes are incredible, including a mind-blowing "long arm" trick and a routine in a garden which is something utterly otherworldly - when the B-boys in the Bronx were inventing popping and locking back in the late 70s, they never imagined where their dances would lead.

Alex Kerr's Chiiori Trust Houses in Shikoku

A little while back I made the journey down to Iya Valley, in the heart of mountainous Shikoku, to visit Alex Kerr's wonderful Chiiori Trust project. As readers of Kerr's "Lost Japan" will know, Kerr owns a beautiful restored farmhouse there called Chiiori. His Chiiori Trust organization has recently expanded and now operates three other restored farmhouses in the nearby hamlet of Ochiai. All of the houses are available for overnight rental. They've been beautifully restored and modern conveniences have been added to insure that you'll be totally comfortable. To inquire about booking a stay, visit the Chiiori Trust website. Here's a picture of the original Chiiori house: Here's a picture of the Fushou house in Ochiai: Here's a picture of the view from the living room of the Fushou house: Here's a shot of the interior of the Fushou house:

Gion House Vacation Rental

A few weeks back, I inspected a beautiful vacation rental in Kyoto called The Gion House. As its name suggests, it's located in Gion, just a stone's throw from Kennin-ji Temple. It's divided into an first-floor unit and a second-floor unit. The interior has been lovingly restored and designed by a famous Kyoto architect and it's got everything you need for self-catering and a comfortable stay in Kyoto. You can find out more and make reservations at The Gion House website. Here's a picture of the exterior of the house: Here's a picture of the upper-level living room: Here's a picture of the lower-level bedroom:

Koto-Inn: A Beautiful Vacation Rental in Kyoto

I just checked out another great vacation rental in Kyoto. This one is located very close to Kyoto's "museum district," the Okazaki-koen area. It's located down a quiet pedestrian-only lane and just a stone's throw from the beautiful Shirakawa Canal, which is lined by cherry trees. The place is perfect for couples or families (but perhaps not those with small children). It's decorated with great Japanese antiques and has all the things you need to take care of yourself, including a comfortable bath and a full kitchen. You can find more information here. Here's the entrance:

Here's the foyer (genkan):

Here's the main room:

Here's the main room:

Here's the Shirakawa Canal during cherry blossom season:

Beautiful Vacation Rental House in Kyoto by Aoi Kyoto Stay

I recently checked out an incredible place to stay in Kyoto: the Ayanokoji house offered by Aoi Kyoto Stay, a company that specializes in renting refurbished Kyoto houses. You can find a link to their site here. The house is in a lovely restored kura (storehouse) right in downtown Kyoto on the quiet Takasebune Canal. It's just five minutes' walk south of Shijo, but it feels like worlds away. It would make the perfect base for exploring Kyoto.

Here's a picture of the house from across the canal:


Here's the living room, with a view of the canal:


There's a record player and a collection of great records (as well as, of course, an iPod dock):


Here's the simple kitchen:

How To Buy a Prepaid iPhone SIM Card in Japan

Contrary to reports, travelers CAN buy data-only prepaid SIM cards and micro-SIM cards in Japan. This is important because free wi-fi is relatively rare in Japan. In this post, I will tell you how and where to buy a SIM or micro-SIM for your own device (smartphone or iPad) that will give you access across most of the country. I will also discuss other options, including voice options and pocket wi-fi devices. As you will see below, it is indeed possible to buy a data-only SIM card in Japan, even if you're here on a tourist visa. You can also rent voice/data SIM cards, cell phones and pocket wi-fi options that will meet your needs. The key, as always, is choosing the best-value option for your needs. And, before we even start discussing using your own device in Japan, keep in mind that Japan’s mobile internet/cell phone network is 3G, so if your device is not 3G, it will not work in Japan.

First: What do you want to do?
Before deciding you need, you have to decide what you want to do.

A) Make Phone Calls Only (Voice Only)
If you only want to make phone calls, then the best option is to rent a phone in Japan.

B) Get Online (Data Only)
If you only want to get online and are content to use Skype for phone calls, then you have two main options:
1. Buy a data-only SIM from an electronics store in Japan.
2. Rent a pocket-wifi unit from an online provider.

C) Phone Calls and Internet (Voice and Data)
Finally, if want the flexibility to make phone calls and get online, you have three main options:
1. Rent a voice/data SIM for your own internet capable phone.
2. Rent a cell phone and buy a data-only SIM to use in your own smartphone or iPad.
3. Rent a cell phone and rent a pocket wi-fi unit. This will allow you to make phone calls at a reasonable rate, and to log onto the internet with multiple devices (including iPhones, iPads and laptops). Despite seeming clunky, this is often the best and most economical choice for most travelers.



Let’s discuss these one by one:

A) Phone Calls Only
Because Japan’s cellphone network is 3G, many non-Japanese cell phones will not work here. And even if they do, you’ll have to pay extortionate roaming fees if you use your own phone with its normal SIM. Easily the cheapest way to go if you want a phone you can use and reasonable rates is to rent a phone from a phone rental specialist in Japan. You can order these phones online in English and have them delivered to your first night’s accommodation. A popular Japan phone rental specialist is:

• Rentafone Japan ( www.rentafonejapan.com ): From Y3900 per week; domestic Y35 per minute and overseas calls Y45 per minute. Free delivery and return envelope.


B) Data Only
If you only want to get online and are content to use Skype for phone calls, then your options are:
1. Buy a data-only SIM card from major electronics retailers in Japan like Yodobashi Camera or BIC Camera. You’ll find branches of these stores all over Japan, including Shinjuku and Akihabara in Tokyo, and near Osaka and Kyoto stations. These stores carry prepaid SIM cards from a company called B-mobile (no up to date English site). Note that there are a variety of B-mobile SIMS available, including the one-month/1GB "teigaku" micro-SIM that costs Y3480 that gives you one gigabyte of data for a maximum of one month, and longer unlimited plans. These SIMs allow you to log on from almost anyplace in Japan (except wilderness and some rural areas). Note that you'll need to call to activate the SIM from a Japanese cell phone. You can ask the salesperson at the store to call for you (and they seem willing to do this). Thus, for most travelers, this is a perfectly workable way to get data service for your iPhone or iPad. Note: It is now possible to buy B-Mobile data-only SIM and micro-SIM cards online and have them delivered to a hotel or post office in Japan and you no longer need to call to activate them. For details, see this post.
2. Rent a pocket wi-fi unit, that will allow give you fast internet access across most of the country. You can log onto these with iPads, iPhones and laptops (and multiple users can log on at the same time, which is handy when travelling as a couple/family). Rentafone Japan ( www.rentafonejapan.com/Mobile-Internet.html ) is one of the cheapest and most reliable options for this. They offer two models: type A (Y3900/week), which works almost everywhere, but is somewhat slow at 300kb/s max, and type B (from Y4900/week), which is much faster at up to 40mb/s, but usually about 10mb/s.


C) Phone Calls and Internet
If you want to make phone calls and get online, then you have three options:
1. Rent a voice/data SIM or micro-SIM from Softbank Global ( www.softbank-rental.jp/ ), which has rental counters at Narita, Haneda and Kansai Airports. Note, however, that this is an economical option ONLY if you want to receive calls. If you want to make calls as well, this option gets pricey very fast. Also, these SIMs only work with certain handsets and devices, so check the site carefully.
2. Rent a phone from a phone rental specialist in Japan (see A above) and buy a data-only SIM card in Japan (see B1 above).
3. Rent a phone and a pocket-wifi from a phone rental specialist in Japan (see A and B2 above). Despite the clunkiness of this option, this is the cheapest option for those those who want to make and receive phone calls (international and domestic) and get online.

Warning
The situation with SIM cards and phone rentals in Japan (as elsewhere) is extremely complex and changeable. There are other companies in this field than those I mention above. Also, the phone and data plans offered by all the companies above are subject to change. Always do a bit of your own research if you can before committing to a plan.