Travel: Mobile WiFi in Japan

So, one of the things I wanted to come back to blog about is traveling. If any of my old readers are still around here somewhere, they know that I did a study abroad for a year in Japan back in 2008. Having lived in Japan during that time and having traveled back to Japan a few times since, I wanted to share a few small tips that will hopefully help you on your Japan travels. :)

First thing's first. What's the one thing everyone wants when they travel? Connectivity. Hence, Mobile WiFi. I always use a Mobile WiFi device when I travel to Japan and although it's mostly so that I can contact my friends while in Japan (yay for free calls on Line!) and I can post my travel photos and videos on Instagram in real time, it's also very useful for navigating. With the help of Google Maps, non-Japanese speaking tourists can easily explore the major cities of Japan. It alleviates some of the stress of having to figure out where you're going and how to get there.

My favorite Mobile WiFi company is Global Advanced Comm. They're convenient to use because they offer a few different delivery methods. I usually either have it mailed to my hotel or, if I'm staying at an AirBnB, I'll pick it up from the airport when I arrive. If you arrive at the airport after the post office counter is closed, an alternate location is provided for you. Check the website for details!

The great thing about this company is they offer a few different speeds of Mobile WiFi devices:

• Super Premium Wifi: 187.5Mbps with Wide Coverage
• Premium Wifi: 75Mbps with Wide Coverage
• Standard Wifi: 75Mbps
• ECO Wifi: 21Mbps

You can make your selection of device based on how many devices will be connected to it, your budget, and also what area(s) of Japan you will be visiting. Global Advanced Comm advises that if you intend to visit mountainous or rural regions, like Hokkaido, you should select either the Super Premium or Premium models to allow for better connectivity. Also, the two lower devices (Standard and ECO) slow down after 10GB so if you think you'll hit this--which you most likely won't unless you're hardcore streaming some video (get off your phone--you're in Japan!! haha!)--you should select one of the two higher models.

I usually go with the Premium model, just to be on the safe side. Plus, if my boyfriend (Casey) is with me, he usually streams videos or surfs social media on the shinkansen (bullet train) or when we're waiting around for our train/bus. The pricing isn't too bad. Check out the current price chart below:

Make sure you keep a portable charger with you. The more you use the mobile WiFi (and the more devices that are connected to it), the faster the battery will drain. If we’re out all day and all night and Casey and I are both using the mobile WiFi to browse the Internet or to navigate with Google Maps, I usually have to charge the mobile WiFi once in the afternoon. If you go out half a day and go back to your hotel to rest or whatever, just charge it and it’ll last another half a day (if you guys want to use it when you go out at night).

Returning is easy: they give you a Japan Post envelope, so at the airport, before you go through security, just put the device, pouch/bag, cables, instruction manuals, etc. into the envelope and drop it into a Japan Post mailing box or at a post office counter. They have the mailing boxes all around the airport, near the ticketing counters or outside the airport.

Hopefully this helped you a little! Keep an eye out for my next blog post on useful traveling apps (iOS). :)



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