Obtaining Internet in Japan

1. Overview
2. Japan’s Fiber Optic Power
3. Your Provider/ISP
4. Phone & Pocket Wi-Fi
5. Internet Comparison Chart

I. Overview

Some apartments in Japan offer free internet that’s included in your rent. While it sounds like a steal at first, people soon realize that the bandwidth is shared throughout the entire building. So, for anyone who finds themselves doing any of the following at peak hours:

• Streaming
• Online games
• Watching videos and movies

Then you’ll notice that it’s quite terrible. Even simple YouTube videos at 480p are slowed to an abysmal crawl when everyone in the building is online at the same time. Fortunately, Japan also boasts some of the fastest internet around. You’d be surprised too to know that despite its speed, some internet services can be quite cheap compared to many western countries, making your transition to living in Japan that much smoother.

II. Japan’s Fiber Optic Power

While it will cost more, we recommend getting a fiber optic connection to your place for a more steady and solid internet speed. You can choose a fiber optic connection from any of the companies listed below (but make sure that the contract that you take includes a Wi-Fi router):

• NURO Hikari
• au Hikari
• eo Hikari
• BBIQ
• SoftBank Hikari
• Docomo Hikari (English available)
• Gaming+

III. Your Provider/ISP

However, setting up the connection doesn’t land you with any actual service. Now, you also need to establish a Provider/ISP along with the fiber optic connection. This is generally automated, as the fiber optic company and provider often set up their contracts as a set.
You can view the many major Japanese Provider/ISP companies listed below:

• Au one net
• BBIQ
• Biglobe
• Eo
• Rakuten
• Yahoo!BB
• Edion net
• Docomo net
• GMOtokutokuBB

IV. Phone & Pocket Wi-Fi

※Some phone carriers offer Wi-Fi service with cheaper cost if you get a cell phone from them as well. Also, some carriers give you cash back service and provide a wide coverage area for internet use.

If you are planning to use only a moderate amount of the internet and don’t require a fast connection, then you can just get a portable pocket Wi-Fi for your convenience. Some services include the following:

• UQ WiMAX
• auWiMAX
• Y!mobile
• SoftBank
• Docomo

V. Internet Comparison Chart

Here is a chart that you can compare and see which company is the best option for you!

Legend: ◎ = very good, 〇 = good, △ = passable, × = not good

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All images are for illustrative purposes only.

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