Want a cell phone while in Japan
 

Are there cell phones that I can rent when I arrive in Tokyo? Do they have those prepaid ones similar to Tracfones? What kind of cell phone service is everyone using when taking trips to asia? I'm not planning to take any side trips outside of Japan but in case we do end up in Hong Kong or elsewhere, what do you recommend?

This may be more technical than you want, but it is comprehensive: http://euc.jp/misc/cellphones.en.html

Assuming that you are arriving at Narita airport, the following link is relevant:
http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/guid...st/svc_19.html

I will use PuPuRu next time I go to Japan. THey send you the prepaid phone at your home address before you leave. When you are done, you drop it at a Japanese post office in the prepaid envelope. That's it. Yo udo all the registering online. Do not underestimate how long the application process takes at Narita or at a local cell phone office in Tikyo. It took us almost 3 hrs. Vodaphone had to get someone who spoke English on the phone to explain the plans to us (even though I already knew some about the plans- it is part of theer pitch) and then we had to wait and wait til they got our paperwork processed. Never again- I am using PuPuRu next time. Getting the phone ahead of time also adds the convenience of knowing what the cell's phone number is before you leave on the trip, so you can give it people ahead of time.

how long will you be there? you could consider getting a 3G phone from home and save the hassles. IMHO rental is not cheap. Asides from 3G phones other Japanese networks work on CDMA which means they are only be used in South Korea.

Hi KMLoke,

I'm going to Japan end of the month and I have a 3G phone. Could you tell me if it would work automatically in Japan? Just like normal global roaming...or...does it need special um..tweaking? Sorry, not phone-tech inclined...

Thanks for any info!

Janna, you need to read the website mentioned by someotherguy. I just had a look at it and mentally consigned all available options to the "too hard" basket. There does seem to be a slim chance that your 3G phone could roam in Japan, but you need to check with your network supplier.

Like Neil Oz suggested check with your service provider. I suspect it will work. Reason is when I was in Tokyo earlier I got a colleague who brought his 3G phone over from Frankfurt and it worked fine.

emd
what is pupuru and how do you get their phones? Do they have a website?
Aloha!

www.pupuru.com

click "english" on upper right side and go from there.