Japan does have one of the best broadband networks in the world. Even in the smallest village you can often now get 100mb/s broadband service, thanks to super-fast fibre-optic or cable internet.

Japan also has until recently led the way in internet on the mobile/cellphone, although this lead is being quickly eroded by the booming smart phone market in other countries. For the visitor, however, it is slightly complicated; the fact is that connecting can be complicated. The main problem is that due to most people having internet-enabled phones, there is not much of a need for internet cafes.

In the cities, these do exist, although they are hard to find, and are mostly aimed at young (mostly men) who go there to read comics. You get a small cubicle with a large leather chair, and the keyboards are Japanese (similar to the US keyboard but with extra keys that can make using it a nuisance). It’s best to ask at the hotel (or your guide if you are on one of our tours), and the nearest one can be found.

Most hotels in cities have either a wireless or wired connection, but of course then you need to have your own computer to connect. Some hotels also have a public computer that can be used. The situation at Japanese-style ryokan and minshuku is generally different. As they are not targeting business users, but Japanese guests who are only travelling for a few days, very few will have given much thought to providing an internet connection for their guests.

If you do bring a laptop or iPhone-style smartphone with you, what are the options? Well, if you bring an iPhone, then you can ‘roam’ in Japan, meaning you use the local ‘Softbank’ network, but you will need to enable ‘data-roaming’ on your phone, and be prepared for some VERY high bills when you get back. It’s better to keep the ‘data-roaming’ feature disabled, and rely on getting the odd Wifi signal. It is possible to buy Wifi plans from Japanese networks like Mzone, Fletspot, BBmobile, etc, but they are not cheap.

One option is Fon, a Spanish company that sells a Wifi router that shares your own, home Broadband, and allows you to use the broadband of more than a million people around the world. There are a good number of Fon spots in Japan, thanks to an agreement for Fon to supply free Wifi routers to anyone buying the iPhone in Japan. The downside is that Fon spots are mostly residential, and can be a little tricky to locate. They do provide good Fon maps, but you need to be online to see them…

If you don’t need the internet, but just want to use your phone in Japan, then life is a little simpler. As long as you have a newer, higher spec phone (meaning one that supports 3G), you can roam in Japan. You will still be subject to those high roaming charges, but at least you can get connected. Since Japan’s 2G (or standard cellular/mobile network) is not compatible with GSM (that used in other parts of Asia, Europe, Africa, etc.) or CDMA (used in North America) older 2G phone will NOT work in Japan, whatever your mobile/cell phone provider tells you. Japan is just different!

However, an iPhone, Android, Blackberry, or similar smartphone should work just fine. Be aware, however, that because Japan is so mountainous, there is very patchy coverage in rural areas.

One option is to rent a phone. This is one way around those high roaming charges. This means that you get a Japanese handset with a Japanese number, which is better if you expect to get lots of calls. Otherwise, if you ‘roam’ with your own handset, you will be charged even when people call you. Renting is also better if you expect people in Japan to call you, since they will have a Japanese number to call (with roaming they will have to call your overseas number…).

Renting is straightforward, and there are many companies offering the service. The best company depends on what combination of making or receiving calls you anticipate, as some charge a high rental fee while per minute calls are low, and others have a low rental charge but high call charges.

It used to be possible for visitors to buy ‘pre-paid’ phones, and load them with enough credit to make calls. The requirements for doing this are now not practical for visitors, since they require evidence that you are resident in Japan, such as a Japanese drivers license. Per-minute call charges are also quite high.

Yet another option is Skype. This is software that you install on your computer (PC, Mac, Linux) or your smartphone (iPhone, Android, etc.). It normally only works over Wifi (or of course wired internet) not Mobile Broadband. You can buy a Skype number, like a regular phone number from your home country, that anyone can call, although if you are not online the call will go to voicemail. It’s not a bad option if you expect to be able to connect to Wifi at regular intervals, and want to make long calls without spending too much. You can call from Skype to any phone in the world, at a very low cost, so it’s good option. And course with a webcam you can show-off your hotel room (or cafe table) to your friends and family back home.

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