The Internet in Japan is very well developed. Wi-Fi is available at airports, hotels, cafes and business centers. However, free wireless connectivity is virtually non-existent and only available at a few airports.

You can also install the Japan Connected-free Wi-Fi app available on Google Play and the App Store to search for free hotspots. It allows you to find and connect to the nearest free Wi-Fi.

Free internet for tourists

You can get free Wi-Fi for 14 days using NTT East Free Wi-Fi Japan. It covers most of Tokyo, Hakone, Mount Fuji, the Tohoku region and the island of Hokkaido, as well as Narita Airport and Shin-Chitose Airport.

To access NTT East Free Wi-Fi Japan, you will need to get a username and password. Before traveling to Japan, the NAVITIME for Japan Travel application (available on Google Play and the App Store) is downloaded to the smartphone, in which the user is assigned a unique name and password.

Already in Japan, you can get a username and password in:

Travelex points at the international airport and Tokyo or Shinjuku stations at Keio or Odakyu stores.
At the large Isetan shopping malls in Shinjuku, or at the Mitsukoshi chain stores in Nihonbashi, Ginjo, and Sapporo City.
In the main tourist centers, for example, Mount Fuji, Akihabara quarter, Ginza street.

There is also a free regional network in Osaka and suburbs in Japan – OSAKA Free Wi-Fi. It is available at Kansai International Airport, subways, private train lines, hotels and restaurants, shopping and tourist centers. In total, Wi-Fi operates in 44 districts of the city.

There are 2 types of connection:

OSAKA Free Wi-Fi – the connection is available for 30 minutes, then it is reset. After that, you can connect again. The time of use is unlimited.

OSAKA Free Wi-Fi Lite – the connection is available for 15 minutes, then it breaks and requires a new connection. The usage time is limited to 1 hour.

Free Wi-Fi is provided by cafes, restaurants and hotels to their customers. Login and password can be asked from the waiter or administrator.

Popular chain establishments like Starbucks offer free Wi-Fi hotspots for wireless access

Mobile Internet in Japan

Mobile Internet is available when renting a cell phone or buying a special phone for tourists. It is also available when using your own sim cards in roaming. The cost depends on the operator of the rented phone. For example, the cost of a monthly unlimited Internet from SoftBank is about 6,000 yen (2,500 rubles).

To use 3G Internet in Japan on a desktop computer, you do not need USB modems or separate routers. Such devices are not used in the country. To connect, tourists will have to set up a rented or purchased phone in router mode, subject to the availability of an Internet connection in the contract.