Japan - roaming, eSIM and tourist SIM options?

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johno1234

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#311509 22-Jan-2024 16:03

Looking at this now for an upcoming extended family 11 day trip to Tokyo and Nagano/Hakuba. Just want everyone to be able to stay in contact when we're spread around Tokyo or a ski area.

I think we only need data - so we can use WhatsApp and similar.

Of the six of us I am the only one with an eSIM phone. We are a mix of Spark pay monthly and prepaid, OneNZ pay monthly and prepaid and 2degrees prepaid.

eSim is the cheapest at US$9.

Spark have the best roaming option $25 for 14 days and 2Gb - cheaper than everything apart from eSIM.

OneNZ is quite expensive for 11 days at $8 a day but n charge if not used on the day.

A Sakura SIM is about $72 for 11 days.

Pocket wifi rental is fantastic for sharing data but useless for contacting each other when separated.

Any other things I should know or consider?

I think it would be eSIM for me (US$9), Spark roaming ($25) and $8/day for the OneNZ/2degree ones.

The other thing is... how well does Spark and OneNZ work in Japan, especially Nagano skifields?

TIA

SpartanVXL

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#3185270 22-Jan-2024 17:21

Without esim it gets a bit expensive.there are some online orders ones for regular sim, check this link for some of the lower data ones https://tokyocheapo.com/business/internet/prepaid-cheap-japan-sim-card-options/

I wouldn’t worry about coverage at places like Hakuba, it’s a ski tourist hotspot so will have coverage all the way up the mountain. I’ve been to Hakuba, Furano, Niseko and all have had fine signal and free wifi somewhere.

Probably the cheapest is day to day roaming if it’s just keeping in contact on the slope. The ski resort buildings all have free wifi so you can use that when you’re in range to keep in touch and only activate roaming via txt code for emergencies. If not wanting the hassle then best to order a physical sim from one of those providers in the link.

The most cost effective way for your group is sharing a unlimited pocket wifi but as you’ve pointed out it’s not useful if everyone is doing their own run down the mountain. If you were doing other things together as a group or have any particularly data heavy users then this choice is the best. Our group of four used well over a couple hundred GB over 20 days :) and if we split up at least one person in each pair had a data connection (esim).

KiwiSurfer

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#3185285 22-Jan-2024 18:46

A bit heavy on info but if you wanted to look into prices for getting a local SIM card here is a good source of information:

https://prepaid-data-sim-card.fandom.com/wiki/Japan

Even if you just have a read of the main providers so you are aware of what product you want when you get your SIM on arrival at the airport.

Not sure if you're aware, but for One Prepaid, there is the option of a weekly pack for $17.25 including 1GB for 1 week (alternatively they also offer $22 including 100 mins and 100 SMS). For 11 days you could just buy two of these packs.

If any of your phones have a second SIM slot that could be used for Spark/One Prepaid roaming packs -- means you could just grab a SIM from the supermarket etc and sort it out in NZ before you go.

And it may be useful to know the roaming partners in case you need to do a manual network selection to make roaming work:-

Spark roams on Softbank (5G/4G) and NT DoCoMo (4G)

2degrees roams on DOCOMO (4G) and SoftBank (4G)

One does not provide info on specific networks but do have 4G roaming

Hope this helps.

SpartanVXL

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#3185290 22-Jan-2024 19:16

Oh fyi the few reasons you’d want a (e)sim with JP phone number is if you want to book a restaurant reservation or call a taxi, although the point is moot if nobody in the group can speak JP (hakuba should have quite a few eng speaking workers). Otherwise just go early to restaurants to walk in and rely on public transport which in majority of cases is very good.

johno1234

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#3185294 22-Jan-2024 19:48

@kiwisurfer I didn’t see any One NZ weekly package, will look again thanks.

KiwiSurfer

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#3185306 22-Jan-2024 20:58

johno1234: @kiwisurfer I didn’t see any One NZ weekly package, will look again thanks.

It's on their prepay roaming page: https://one.nz/prepay-roaming/

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#3185311 22-Jan-2024 21:13

I used skinny roaming (didn't know about spark) for calls and texts [everybody has one so we can call/txt each other] and a 2nd esim (mobal) for 50gb data for those that need data. small cost for a trip costing 5 figures.

i found the esim more reliable than skinny roaming everywhere we went. but i'd do the same. can't call police/SAR with esim.

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johno1234

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#3185766 24-Jan-2024 09:15

KiwiSurfer:

johno1234: @kiwisurfer I didn’t see any One NZ weekly package, will look again thanks.

It's on their prepay roaming page: https://one.nz/prepay-roaming/

Ah, thanks.

It would appear that pre-pay can use the $22 weekly option but pay monthly can only get the $8/day option - unless I am missing something pay monthly customers are punished? Or can a pay monthly customer purchase a weekly pack by SMS like a pre-pay customer? The website doesn't show that option on the pay monthly page.

MaxineN

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#3185774 24-Jan-2024 09:28

Hiya,

Sorry but the prepay roaming packs is meant for prepay roamers.

Pay Monthly are subjected to the $8. The benefit is that you can use your phone as much as your plan allows as if you're in NZ.

Will take my One NZ hat off temporarily as I've been to Japan and did a 10 day stint in Tokyo(back in 2019) I found the pocket Wifi options to be quite good, although you'd get easily throttled down if you went over an amount every 24 hours. Probably way different now.

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johno1234

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#3185783 24-Jan-2024 09:42

Thanks @MaxineN for clarifying. I would go the pocket Wifi option but there's six of us needing to be in contact when we are spread out all over the place so would need six of them which would be too expensive. The one good thing about the daily roaming is presumably no charge if you only use wifi on the day and no cellular data/calls or SMS?

MaxineN

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#3185784 24-Jan-2024 09:44

johno1234:

Thanks @MaxineN for clarifying. I would go the pocket Wifi option but there's six of us needing to be in contact when we are spread out all over the place so would need six of them which would be too expensive. The one good thing about the daily roaming is presumably no charge if you only use wifi on the day and no cellular data/calls or SMS?

VoWiFi/WiFi calling will be preferred when roaming so yup SMS and Calls will behave as if you're in New Zealand.

Ramblings from a mysterious lady who's into tech. Warning I may often create zingers.

nztim

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#3185785 24-Jan-2024 09:44

If you only need data that will be fine, voice/sms need all phones to have the local carriers VoLTE profile loaded into the phone if 3G networks have been closed (not sure if Japan has started that)

In the case with all Apple iPhones it will just work but Androids will be a mix bag

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bender

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#3185813 24-Jan-2024 11:00

I was in Japan last year and used a Sakura eSIM in my iPhone which worked really well including personal hotspot for my laptop. I ran that + my One NZ eSIM with all data via the Sakura eSIM.

My partner's iPhone doesn't do dual eSIM but we picked up a physical SIM from a vending machine at Narita in the arrival area. From memory it was $30-$50 NZD with about 50GB of data and had English instructions in the box.

I always prefer a local eSIM/SIM if your phone can do dual SIM as roaming data going all the way back to NZ can be pretty slow.

Shindig

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#3185888 24-Jan-2024 14:43

Any help

https://www.cheapies.nz/node/45228

The little things make the biggest difference.

EviLClouD

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#3185889 24-Jan-2024 14:44

We went for 2 weeks and purchased the Airalo esim - it worked flawlessly.

johno1234

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#3186735 26-Jan-2024 10:20

Update: Airalo. eSIM works a treat. Installed itself easily but one thing I initially missed was going into cellular data settings and turning on roaming data.