Being connected to the internet while in Japan makes travelling around the country more comfortable and convenient. For some people, the language barrier can be a bit challenging, and ordering food, shopping, navigating, and other mundane tasks can be complicated and stressful. But, with a smartphone with reliable internet access, doing these things should not be that big of a problem anymore.
I recently visited Japan for two weeks, and mostly spent my time in the Hokkaido region. Unlike my previous visits, I had a Mobal Japan SIM card with me.
Before, I heavily relied on free wi-fi offered at the hostels and hotels I stayed at, train stations, department stores, restaurants and cafes, and other establishments. I looked up, downloaded, and saved screenshots of train schedules, maps, and other information before I went to bed or head out in the morning. I also always dropped by tourist information centres to get paper maps, paper bus and train timetables, and the likes, just in case.
But, with a Mobal SIM card, I did not have to do these any longer.
An overview of a Mobal Japan SIM Card plan
A Mobal Japan SIM card offers the following:
- online purchase and worldwide shipping
- no need for a residence visa and lots of other documents to activate
- internet data of up to 7GB of 4G LTE, throttled to 128 kbps if you exceed 7GB
- no limits nor charges on incoming calls and texts
- affordable call and text rates to other networks
- your own Japanese phone number
Purchase and shipping
You can order a Mobal SIM card here from wherever you are in the world. It only costs 3,000 yen, and you can pay using a credit card or PayPal.
My Mobal SIM card was purchased shortly before my arrival to Japan, and it was shipped to my hostel in Sapporo. It was waiting for me when I checked in.
When ordering, you have to select which type of smartphone you have, and provide your personal information, such as name, address, zip code, and phone number. You can also choose your preferred shipping option, and more.
Activation process
To activate your Mobal SIM card, you just have to follow the instructions on the pamphlet that comes with the package.
Using the SIM card ejection pin that I was surprised to see included in the package (which also came with a nano, micro, and standard SIM card adapter set), I opened my iPhone’s SIM card tray and inserted the Mobal SIM card. I made sure that my phone was set to automatically find networks available. Within a few minutes, I saw that my phone had connected to Softbank, Mobal’s Japanese cellphone partner.
Because I was only in Japan for a couple of weeks, I chose a short-term plan for my stay. There are two available: a 15-day voice + text + data plan (which costs 4,000 yen) and a 30-day voice + text + data plan (which costs 6,000 yen). I also had my credit card information and a scan of my passport photo page ready, as these things are necessary for activation.
It took less than a day for my Mobal Japan SIM card to finally be activated.
Pros
Reliable connection anywhere in Japan
While in Hokkaido, I visited a number of big cities, as well as some remote, rural areas, but did not have any problems with connecting to the internet.
I was able to:
- upload photos and videos to Dropbox, Facebook, Instagram, Google Drive, and other websites;
- utilize Japan Transit Planner a free app to look up the best transportation options to get to my next destination;
- use Google Maps’ GPS Navigation to help me find my way out of the train station to my hostel;
- take advantage of Google Translate’s image translation feature to read Japanese texts on signs and menus;
- video chat with family back home;
- and do various other things whenever and wherever — early morning on a four-hour train ride, during rush hour on a sidewalk, or late at night outside a convenience store — without any issues at all.
Japanese phone number
If you have a Mobal SIM card, you get your own Japanese phone number. It is printed on the SIM card packet, and should also appear on your smartphone settings.
Excellent calls and text offers and rates
A Mobal SIM card comes with unlimited free incoming calls and texts. Therefore, you can give your Mobal SIM card number to your friends and family back home to get in touch with you, and not have to worry about expensive international call and text charges on your next bill.
Moreover, it offers free calls to other Mobal Japan SIM cards. If you are travelling to Japan with other people, it is highly recommended to get one for each to be able to easily contact one another, if you decide to split up for a day, in case of emergencies, and other things.
Its outgoing call and text rates to other networks are also affordable.
Cons
Inserting the SIM card
Using a Mobal SIM card does not really have a lot of cons, but I could imagine some people saying the few minutes it takes to take their own SIM card out of their phones and then putting the Mobal Japan SIM card in a negative.
No signal in tunnels
Also, connectivity may disappear when in tunnels. I had this happen a couple of times on my long-distance train and bus trips. It was not a big deal, though, as internet was back as soon as we were out in the open again.
Conclusion
If you want to stay connected 24/7 while in Japan, do not hesitate to get a Mobal Japan SIM card.
For an initial fee of only 3,000 yen, you can get a SIM card that you can insert into your smartphone (whether iPhone, Android, Windows, or others), and avail of a wide variety of benefits while making lots of fun and memorable Japan experiences.
