Pocket Wi-Fi in Japan: What are the best options?

For some years now, Pocket Wi-Fi has become very popular among travelers as an alternative to stay connected to the internet at all times. In countries like Japan, we can see daily YouTubers or influencers who love the Asian country, recommending pocket Wi-Fi.

This is due to the advantages of renting portable internet, such as the option to share internet and that some of them include unlimited data. 

In addition, this is an option to avoid international roaming for Japan. Although it can also be expensive, so in this article, we will tell you all about Pocket Wi-Fi and some cheaper alternatives.

Companies that offer Portable Wi-Fi for Japan

Here we provide a list of some companies that offer the service of Portable Wi-Fi for Japan. These providers have delivery to different parts of the world such as Europe, the United States, and South America.

Details and prices of Pocket Wi-Fi for Japan

Since renting a Pocket Wi-Fi can be costly. You must know in detail each of the rates of the providers mentioned in the table above. Continue reading below about these providers inside details.

However, we recommend that you thoroughly check the small print and each of the fees that you will be charged depending on your country of origin, as they tend to vary.

Ninja Wifi

Ninja Wifi is a Japanese Pocket Wi-Fi provider with an excellent portable internet rental service for Japan. They ship directly to Japan and you will need to return the Pocket when you leave the country.

To purchase a Pocket Wi-Fi with them, all you have to do is go to their website and request it. Payment must be made by credit card and all prices are in yen. So, you will have to calculate the currency exchange and check the total in your local currency.

The price for a week’s rental with Ninja Wifi is around $49.19 USD, plus $8.79 if you want the Pocket to be delivered directly to your accommodation in Japan. If you receive it at the airport, the delivery is free of charge. In case of loss of the portable router, you will be charged $351.37 dollars for it. Only if you did not purchase the insurance that covers 100% of the loss or damage to the Pocket. It is also possible to connect up to 5 devices to your router.

The daily usage limit of your Pocket Soft is 1 GB per day at 4G, this costs approximately 7.73 dollars per day. Also, as you could see in the table above, the price of their full insurance is 27.05 dollars. 

Japan Experience

This is a travel agency from France that has different services for foreigners who want to visit Japan, mainly from Europe and North America.  Their Pocket Wi-Fi is shipped directly to Japan and takes about 5 days from the time of purchase.

The minimum you can rent a Pocket Wi-Fi with them is five days, and it must be returned before you leave Japan. In case you are late in returning the portable router, you will be charged an extra 3.52 dollars per day. For this, Japan Experience will not warn you in advance. But will simply charge your credit card, the only way you can make the purchase.

Their Pocket is priced at $61.45 USD per week, with no shipping costs. And if you buy the service from them, you must be cautious with the router, as in case of loss or theft you will be charged 175.68 dollars. On the other hand, you can connect up to 10 devices at the same time, and it has unlimited data.

My Webspot

My Webspot, like Japan Experience, also comes from France. This provider has coverage in the United States, Europe, and Asia, it has not yet enabled shipments to Latin America. However, you can request that they send you the Pocket in Japan and return it before leaving the Asian country. 

All payments must be made by Credit Card, these will be processed and secured through PayPal and Stripe. When paying by credit card authorization, a payment of 204.84 dollars will also be held and used as a deposit in case of loss or theft. This will only be debited if something extraordinary happens. My Webspot also requires a copy of an official identification document such as a passport or driver’s license to purchase the Pocket.

For Japan, their Pocket Wi-Fi has 1 GB at 4G speed and when the daily usage limit has exceeded, a reduction to 256kb/s will be made. The cost per loss without insurance is 204.84 dollars and if you have insurance you will have to pay 102.42 dollars.

Travel Wifi

Born in 2007 with the main objective of providing internet to the U.S. Army military, it now provides portable internet service to people all over the world. They are based in France, Spain, Indonesia, Singapore, and Chile.

Their Pocket Wi-Fi service for Japan is 1 GB per day at 4G. Exceeding the daily gigabyte will reduce internet usage to 256kbs. This costs $55.65 USD per week. They allow you to connect up to 5 devices, and they ship directly to your home. Currently, they ship to basically all over the world, to Colombia it costs $28,89, to Mexico $26,00, and to the United States $7.72. 

Please note that Travel Wi-Fi has 14 days to ship the product from the day of purchase so, you will need to order in advance. In case of loss or theft, you will have to pay approximately 113.80 dollars. 

You can pay for your Pocket via PayPal, credit, or debit card. 

Mio Wifi

Coming from Buenos Aires, Mio Wi-Fi offers the Pocket Wi-Fi rental service for Japan at $56 USD per week. They deliver to the United States, Europe, and Mexico. The shipping cost is included in the price, but you will have to take care of all the charges made by Customs in your country.

Remember to place your order for the portable router in advance, as shipping takes 3 to 5 working days. So if you place it at the last minute, it will probably not reach you. Payments can be made by credit card, debit card, Mercadopago, or PayPal. And your card is guaranteed in case of loss, damage, or theft.

Likewise, Mio Wi-Fi is not responsible for the return delivery, so you will have to assume all the costs and the shipping process, for this you have two working days after the end date of the rental. 

In case you lose or damage the device you will have to pay $192.96 USD for it.

Similar and cheaper options to Portable Wi-Fi in Japan

As you can see, renting a Pocket Wi-Fi can cost a lot of money and although it is cheaper than roaming, it is still a high rate. Therefore, we have compiled some recommendations as alternatives to roaming and Pocket Wi-Fi that are perfect for traveling to Japan.

These include data SIM cards and virtual eSIM cards for Japan, along with free Wi-Fi, which of course cannot be missed.

Data SIM card for Japan 

Traveling to Japan using a SIM card is an excellent option, these are easy to use, have unlimited data, and are very stable at the maximum speed available in the country, so it is very unlikely that you will end up without a signal at any point on your trip.

For this alternative, we have among our favorite options the Japan SIM card from the online shop Holafly. This company provides fully English-speaking 24/7 customer service and offers free shipping to Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. In addition, their SIM card for Japan uses the Softbank network, the best in the country.

eSIM data

eSIMs are an excellent option, especially if you are an Apple user, as their devices are a favorite for this type of virtual card. With an eSIM you won’t have to change your phone number because your smartphone will become a dual sim, they are also very stable and will be active within a couple of minutes of purchase.

As with the SIM cards for this option, we recommend Holafly eSIM, with this online shop you will have complete advice on the virtual card where you can check if your device is compatible. In addition, they will provide customer service completely in English, and it doesn’t matter where you are in the world because to purchase one, you only need to have an email address.

Buying a virtual card with Holafly is very simple, you just have to enter their website and complete the purchase, after in a couple of minutes you will be sent a QR code with which you can activate the eSIM Japan.

Free Wifi: 

Thanks to the expansion of free Wi-Fi coverage in Japan, it is not so complex to connect to a free network nowadays. For this, there are different websites and applications that will help you find them.

Among these, you can visit the website Japan Visitor, where you will find information about Wi-Fi hotspots in airports, restaurants, and shopping centers in the main cities of Japan.

Leoneska Ruiz

Leoneska over here, your guide to travel connected. I'm a Venezuelan with over 4 years of sharing tips and tricks to keep mobile internet while traveling and make the most of your adventures. With me, you will be able to learn about the use of eSIMs, Pocket WiFis, and more.