Connect in Japan With Sakura Mobile! How to Get Cell Service and Wi-Fi

Sakura Mobile: Your Internet Connection in Japan

Table of Contents

1. The Main Features of Sakura Mobile
2. Pros and Cons to Using Sakura Mobile
3. How to Sign up for Sakura Mobile and Get your SIM Card or Travel Wi-Fi
4. Travel SIM Card and Wi-Fi Services for Short Trips
5. SIM Card and Wi-Fi Services for Long Term Stays
6. Sakura Mobile’s Home Internet

The Main Features of Sakura Mobile

Photo by Pixta

Staying connected via a SIM card or pocket Wi-Fi is essential when traveling around Japan, but it can be challenging to decide which provider to use and trust.

Sakura Mobile is a reliable service offering short-term and long-term SIM cards and pocket Wi-Fi routers. Sakura Mobile utilizes a major Japanese network provider, NTT Docomo, which will provide a strong, fast connection during your trip, no matter if you're in the middle of Shibuya Crossing or in rural Hokkaido. This means you can spend less time worrying about your connection and focus more on enjoying your Japan trip!

SIM cards from Sakura Mobile work with most modern, unlocked smartphones. If your phone is incompatible with travel SIM cards, you can opt to stay connected via a mobile Wi-Fi router instead. Sakura Mobile is user-friendly, too: the website to sign up and rent your pocket Wi-Fi and/or SIM card is in English, and English language support is available for all customers.

Learn more and get started with Sakura Mobile

Pros and Cons to Using Sakura Mobile

Photo by Pixta

There are several providers in Japan that offer SIM and WiFi services to English-speaking visitors and residents in Japan. We've introduced Ninja-Wifi and Mobal among others in our previous articles.

Cost-wise, Sakura Mobile may not be the cheapest service. For those who look for a SIM card to use during their travels, Mobal offers 8 days of unlimited data for 4,730 yen while Sakura Mobile offers 8 days of unlimited data for 4,950 yen, so the price is slightly higher.

Also, when it comes to pocket WiFi to use during a short trip, Ninja-Wifi turns out to be cheaper.

Nevertheless, we recommend Sakura Mobile to those customers who wish to get support in English.

Thorough Service Support in English

Sakura Mobile has gained a reputation for the quality of its customer support and swift response to the troubles that its customers may experience.

For instance, you may want to check whether your device can operate with the broadcasting signal in Japan. If you inquire beforehand, Sakura Mobile will research the quality of the signal in the region you plan to visit and tell you whether a SIM card will suffice or if you should go for a pocket WiFi instead.

English Support for Installing a Home Internet Connection

Sakura Mobile offers a wide range of internet services, from SIM and pocket WiFi for short and long-term stays to home internet.

Upon installing a home internet connection in Japan, customers are required to interact with management companies and staff who can only communicate in Japanese. Sakura Mobile provides interpreters for the installation process making it a lot easier for customers who apply for a new internet connection.

e-SIM Support

Only very few internet providers support e-SIM in Japan at the moment. Sakura Mobile is one of the very few providers that offer e-SIM services.

How to Sign up for Sakura Mobile and Get your SIM Card or Travel Wi-Fi

The signup process is done entirely on the Sakura Mobile website.

1. First, decide if you want a SIM card or pocket Wi-Fi device, and pick your usage period. Make sure you order at least three days in advance of desired use, to allow time for processing and shipping.
2. Input your shipping address in Japan for your order––this can be your lodging, but you can also select Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, and other major Japanese airports. You also will specify your desired pickup time.
3. Complete your order! Sakura Mobile accepts major international credit/debit cards and PayPal.
4. On your pickup day, get your device from your designated pickup location! Then, set up your SIM card or pocket Wi-Fi with just a few quick steps so you can get started on your journey in Japan.
5. Once your trip is over, return your pocket Wi-Fi in the provided return envelope and put it into any Japan Post mailbox (no extra postage required). You do not need to return your SIM card.

Refer to Sakura Mobile's website for more information on shipping options and details on picking up your device.

Travel SIM Card and Wi-Fi Services for Short Trips

If your trip in Japan is 90 days or less, Sakura Mobile offers unlimited data on all SIM cards and pocket Wi-Fi device plans. Below are the different SIM card plans you can choose from:

*The estimated plan costs above exclude tax.

Sakura Mobile's pocket Wi-Fi devices for short-term trips (90 days or less) cost around 299 yen (excluding tax) per day. The pocket Wi-Fi device has unlimited data, too. Sakura Mobile's website has a cost estimator that will tell you exactly how much you can expect to pay if you opt to use pocket Wi-Fi.

SIM Card and Wi-Fi Services for Long Term Stays

For those in Japan for longer than 90 days––whether you are a student on a study-abroad semester or working in Japan––Sakura Mobile provides long-term solutions, too. In addition to full English support, there is no minimum two-year contract necessary: you can start and cancel your contract on your terms.

Data-only and voice and data SIM cards are available in a light plan (4 GB per month) and a premium plan (25 GB per month), which offer enough data for most smartphone users. Sakura Mobile's pocket Wi-Fi router comes with a little more data and is available in 10 GB and 30 GB plans.

You can choose from the following plans if your smartphone supports Sakura Mobile's SIM cards:

*The estimated plan costs above exclude tax.

Pocket Wi-Fi devices from Sakura Mobile can also be rented for long-term stays and come in two different plans:

*The estimated plan costs above exclude tax.

Sakura Mobile’s Home Internet

Sakura Fiber Internet is an option available for anyone looking for an easy-to-setup and fast Internet solution. There is also no binding contract or minimum contract length, so you don't have to worry about when you start and stop using the service.

Sakura Fiber Internet uses the speedy Flet’s Hikari fiber-optic network and is around 6,480 yen per month (tax excluded), making it very comparable to other providers. Full English support over email and phone is also available. If you are staying or living in Japan long-term and are looking for a more English-friendly Internet Provider, be sure to consider Sakura Mobile's home Internet services.

Try Sakura Mobile for Your Next Trip to Japan!

Photo by Pixta

Sakura Mobile offers simple and reliable Wi-Fi and SIM card options for travelers, students, and anyone who needs to stay connected in Japan. Browse the Sakura Mobile website and see which option will work for your upcoming trip!

Learn more about Sakura Mobile

Consider reading the articles below if you are curious about other SIM card and mobile Wi-Fi providers in Japan.

Main picture by Pixta