一部アフィリエイトプログラムによる収益を得ています。
Internet Options in Japan at a Glance
| Option | Speed and stability | Ready in | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber-optic broadband | Fastest, very stable, unlimited data | Days to several weeks (installation) | Households staying a year or more, remote work, gaming |
| Plug-in home router | Good, varies with the mobile signal | Days (delivery) | Residents who cannot install fiber or may move soon |
| Pocket Wi-Fi | Moderate, varies with the mobile signal | Same day to a few days | Short stays, groups of visitors, temporary cover |
| Phone data and tethering | Moderate, uses your phone's battery | Immediate | One light user, visitors |
Fiber-Optic Internet at Home
Fiber (光回線, hikari kaisen) is the standard home connection in Japan, with advertised speeds of 1 Gbps or more and no data limits. ADSL is no longer sold.
Line and provider: how a fiber contract works
A fiber connection needs two things: the line to your home and an internet service provider (ISP). Most of Japan's fiber runs on NTT's Flets Hikari network. Today most people sign a single "hikari collaboration" contract, such as docomo Hikari or SoftBank Hikari, which bundles the NTT line and the provider in one bill and often discounts the same company's mobile plan.
Installation and waiting time
If your building is already wired for fiber, the line may be activated remotely, without a technician. Otherwise a technician visits, and you or someone you trust must be at home. Waiting times range from a few days to several weeks, and are longest in the February to April moving season, so apply as soon as you know your address. Installation costs depend on the provider and the building: on NTT's Flets Hikari it is 22,000 yen when a technician visits (23,100 yen for NTT East applications made outside its website since July 2026), and many providers offer campaigns that cover it. See our guide to fiber installation in Japan.
Contracts and cancellation fees
Most fiber plans run on a 2-year term. Since July 2022, Japanese rules cap the cancellation fee of a fixed-term contract at about one month's fee, so leaving early costs far less than it used to. Check, however, whether the installation cost is being paid in monthly instalments: any balance left is due when you cancel.
Ask your provider about a transfer (移転) to your new address before cancelling: it is often cheaper than a new contract, and avoids paying off the installation balance at once.
Internet Without Installation: Home Routers, Pocket Wi-Fi and Phone Data
Plug-in home routers
A home router (ホームルーター), such as docomo home 5G, SoftBank Air or a WiMAX home router, runs on a mobile network: you plug it into a power socket and connect to its Wi-Fi. There is no installation and no technician, and the router can come with you when you move. Speeds depend on the mobile signal at your address and are below fiber, especially in the evening.
Pocket Wi-Fi
A pocket Wi-Fi is a battery-powered router you carry with you. Residents use it as temporary cover until fiber is installed, or as their only connection if they use little data; visitors rent one for a group. Batteries typically last a working day, and the router must be charged nightly. See our reviews of Ninja WiFi and Japan Wireless.
Your phone's data, shared
An unlimited mobile plan with tethering can replace home internet for one person who mostly browses and streams on one screen. Rakuten Mobile's unlimited plan includes tethering at no extra cost: see our Rakuten Mobile guide. It drains the phone's battery and is less stable than a router for video calls.
What speed do you need?
| Activity | Typical speed needed |
|---|---|
| Browsing, email, messaging apps | About 1 Mbps |
| HD video streaming | About 5 Mbps |
| Video calls (Zoom, Teams) | About 10 Mbps |
| 4K streaming, online gaming | 25 Mbps or more, with low latency |
These are per device: a household streaming on several screens at once needs the total. For regular video calls or online gaming, fiber is the safe choice.
Providers with English Support
Most large Japanese providers handle sign-up and support in Japanese. Two companies focused on foreign residents offer home internet with sign-up and support in English:
- Sakura Mobile, which also sells mobile plans and pocket Wi-Fi for residents: see Sakura Mobile's internet plans;
- GTN Mobile, part of a company specialised in services for foreign residents: see GTN's internet plans.
Plans and prices change often: compare the current offers, installation costs and contract terms before you sign. For a wider comparison, see our guide to English-friendly phone and internet companies.
Internet for Visitors to Japan
Visitors cannot sign a fiber or resident mobile contract, which requires a residence card. Their options:
- a data-only eSIM, installed before departure, for one traveller with a compatible phone: see our comparison of SIM cards and eSIMs for tourists;
- a pocket Wi-Fi rental, collected at the airport or delivered to your hotel, for a family or group;
- free Wi-Fi at major airports, many stations, convenience stores and cafés, often with a short registration: see our guide to free public Wi-Fi in Japan.
Most hotels include Wi-Fi, but some traditional inns (ryokan) in rural areas do not: check before you book if you need to work.