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I'm going on a cycle tour in Japan for three weeks. I'm wondering what is the best solution to have an internet access. The uses would be basic, with not a need for a lot of datas: messaging, orientation (like Google Maps), Wikipedia and other websites with not so much medias, etc.

Here are the solution I'm aware of:

  • Maybe there are a lot of free Wi-Fi hotspots on the town? (Pro: cheap ; Con: depends on finding such a hotspot when needed)
  • Use something like "pocket W-Fi" (seems expensive)
  • Buying a sim card for mobile data

What are the best solutions considering coverage, setup (where to buy, etc.) and price?

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  • While not Japan specific, travel.stackexchange.com/a/92508/4188 applies. – chx May 3 '17 at 11:40
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    "Buying a sim card for mobile data" - what's wrong with this solution? It's really the only reasonable option in 2017, unless the country has some sort of insane mobile laws (e.g. Turkey) – JonathanReez♦ May 3 '17 at 11:49
  • I don't know how it is in Japan, but it could be very expensive (I'm used to my country, where 20G of 4G data are sold for ~15$) or with a lot of paperwork... – Shan-x May 3 '17 at 11:54
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    I travelled Japan in March and got a SIM card with data only for about ~10 EUR, which had 250 Mb a day of 4G for 7 days. One can get more data for more money. Had coverage and great speed everywhere. – Oleksandr Kravchuk May 3 '17 at 17:48
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    It is currently possible to buy data-only SIM cards of various sizes right in the airport. They work with recent 2017 year dual SIM mobile phones (tested with Huawei Honor and Huawei P9). You need to configure GSM access, it does not work just after inserting the card, but English instructions are included. The phone obviously should be unlocked. – h22 Oct 24 '17 at 18:04