Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com! Last week, we introduced you to the payphones and the telephone cards here in Japan. This week we have something for those of you who will be using the denwa more than just occasionally. Today we talk about getting a cell phone during your stay in Japan - either by rental, or purchasing a pre-paid phone. Tune in to find out which will suit your needs better, as well as the phrases you’ll need to make it happen! After listening, stop by JapanesePod101.com and be sure to leave us a post!
This entry was posted on Monday, November 27th, 2006 at 6:57 pm and is filed under Survival Phrases. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
27 Responses to “Survival Phrases #49 - Cell Phone”
JapanesePod101.com says:
November 27th, 2006 at 6:58 pm
Mina-san,
Hope all had a great weekend! Enjoy this very useful edition of survival phrases, and let us know what you think! 
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu!
Daniel Beck says:
November 27th, 2006 at 7:46 pm
Thanks JapanesePod101さん!
I had a nice weekend. How about you? 
Peter says:
November 27th, 2006 at 11:51 pm
Beck-san, you have a cell phone, right? When are you going to use it? 
Jason says:
November 28th, 2006 at 3:14 am
About 95% of my usage of my cell phone is for text messages. I don’t like talking on the phone for some reason. I’d much rather email/text/IM someone or talk to them face to face.
Vicky says:
November 28th, 2006 at 4:38 am
Just check the lesson for today….and I was thinking….
If incoming phone call is free…
Peter-san there is an answer for you. Daniel-san isn’t call you because he has to pay to call you??? Maybe he is also waiting for to you to call. 
I still don’t know how much 3000 yen to US $. And with 3000 yen how many mintues we could use???
My brother went to Japan couple weeks ago he told me Japan is very expensive than Korea that he wouldn’t live there. Is much expensive than US as well??
Daniel Beck says:
November 28th, 2006 at 5:29 am
Peterちゃん、
Maybe I have used my cell phone to text message you in the past and haven’t received replies.
Plus, if I call, I might cause your phone to go off in the middle of a recording session, and that’s not the way I want to make an appearance on the podcast. 
Seriously, we’ll be talking soon! Maybe you’ll call me?
Daniel Beck says:
November 28th, 2006 at 7:17 am
BTW, NagaSE Connection rocks!
Takaseさん、
You love that role as shop clerk, eh?
JapanesePod101.com says:
November 28th, 2006 at 10:27 am
Daniel Beck-san,
It was pretty good, thanks!
Nathan says:
November 28th, 2006 at 10:40 am
Vicky-san,
3000 yen is about 26 dollars. For anyone out there who doesn’t know, if you go to Google and type in something like “3000 yen to dollars” without the quotes, it will give you the answer. Just replace the number, feel free to switch it around, and it works with many other types of calculations, too! (For example, celsius to fahrenheit.) As for prices… it depends on the area of Japan, and the area of the U.S. you are in, of course. As of June this year, Tokyo is the third most expensive city in the world. Seoul is the second.
Sindy says:
November 28th, 2006 at 11:21 am
Hi mina-san
How is everyone been? after a long month of absence how is it going? I miss you all I know you people don’t care or miss me but it doesn’t matter nomore
Now I know why no one calls from Japan to the USA because its very expensive even in prepaid cellphones but not for me, I’m willing to call every listener here at JP101 in one day no matter where your at, just give your phone numbers and you got a call with love from me to you! S_R_C
PS: Dare to call me (347-743-7674)
ヴィッキ says:
November 28th, 2006 at 11:57 am
Thank you Nathan-san for your information. Guess what, it looks like I’m heading to Korea/Japan on June.
Sindy-san, believe or not, many people were wondering about you. Actually there were asking about you to me…. 
Anyway, welcome back. 
Nathan says:
November 28th, 2006 at 12:19 pm
Sindy-san,
Welcome back!
Vicky-san,
Let me know when you find out the dates! Or email me if you already know
Liz21 says:
November 28th, 2006 at 2:19 pm
I have a confession to make!
I sleep with the whole JPOD Team!! 
Yes, folks! I take my iPod to bed with me and listen to the lessons as I drift off . . . .
Barbara says:
November 28th, 2006 at 3:22 pm
Hi Mina-san,
I have been realy busy last few days, I have to play catch up now- I see there is now a scroll bar at the bottom of the page frame…this is so great! Is some thanks due to Sophie-san on this? Arrigato where ever thanks is due. 
I can call Japan for about half the price of calling here from there. And a 3000 yen card- I don’t think that would last very long! Not for me anyway
Daniel Beck says:
November 28th, 2006 at 9:24 pm
Lizさん、
Please remember we have a Sweet 16 on this list.
Sindy says:
November 29th, 2006 at 3:36 am
Thank You Nathan-san and ヴィッキ for your comments!
Hey Liz21 great comment you really got me confused when I read it, I thought something else, then I figure out what you said! Yoshi-san has the best part in the bed right Liz21?
Finally this site is rated E for everyone don’t leave my precious children listeners behind ok! S_R_C
Alain says:
November 29th, 2006 at 10:11 pm
Survival phrase ga chotto…
Since november 2005, the Gaijin Card is mandatory for prepaid phones in Japan.
http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/en/prepaid/purchase/registration.html
The only legal possibility for tourists is to rent a phone at the airport:
http://www.telecomsquare.co.jp/en/index.html
But don’t be afraid: most of the konbini or the small phone shops in town doesn’t know or doesn’t want to know the law and continue to lend phones to tourists with passport only.
Keith says:
December 1st, 2006 at 4:34 pm
I rented a cellphone at the Tokyo airport for 500 yen per day + 80 yen/hr for outgoing calls. Incoming calls were free. It was really convenient!
Keith says:
December 1st, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Yeah, yeah, I know the airport isn’t in Tokyo… but you know what I mean!
Peter says:
December 2nd, 2006 at 3:05 am
Alain-san, it is definitely possible for a visitor to buy a prepaid phone. Nathan will verify this. J-phone was doing it, and Softbank is continuing the policy.
Simon III says:
April 10th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Hi mina-san 
If anyone is keeping an eye on this post/thread/whatever (4 months without comments, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this was not the case) I wouldn’t mind knowing something about the mobiles in Japan as I will be over there soon for around 3 weeks.
Firstly, on the podcast three major carriers were mentioned - Softbank, Docomo and one that sounds like “Eiyu”. I can find info on the first two but I can’t seem to find any info on the last one. Did I get the spelling (or at least the romanised spelling) wrong?
Also, Peter-san mentioned that you could get a prepaid without the Gaijin card through Softbank. Does the same policy apply with the other carriers?
tequilatamm says:
November 16th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Hi all.
Pita-san says above that foreigners can definitely BUY (not rent, as we don’t want to, it’s cheaper to use our Australian phones over there instead) a prepaid phone in Japan, although this was never verified by Nathan as suggested.
I am assuming that foreigners can buy prepaid phones BUT ONLY IF THEY HAVE A RESIDENT VISA. So this would exclude travellers there on holiday visas?
Just wanted to clarify this, as we have tried to find a place to buy a prepaid phone in Japan on several occasions, and you need a visa, if you’re not residing there.
tequilatamm says:
November 16th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Sorry, on that last line I meant, you need a resident visa to buy a prepaid phone! 
Leave a Reply
Subscription Information
Course Information
Technical Information
Feature List
Video Guides
Privacy Statement
Category: Survival Phrases |
Function: buying a prepaid cell phone, renting a cell phone | Topic: phone | Politeness Level: Polite
Share This