Right after landing at an airport in your country you’ll probably turn on your smartphone and start texting to family or someone close. When I arrived at Tokyo Narita International Airport, I had no Internet connection just like a visitor even though I entered the country through the “Welcome back” gate. I’ve been fine without phone for the past several visitings, but at the last trip to Japan, I finally got a B-Mobile’s SIM card to get connected.

I chose B-Mobile because I knew its name. Apparently there’s another reseller and it might be a better choice if your stay would be longer than 14 days. B-Mobile’s website looks a little crappy design but they should be reliable enough since they are a public company with 100+ employees. I purchased the 1GB 14 days plan for around 40 USD. You should check your smartphone’s specs carefully if your smartphone supports their network. While Nexus 5 worked well, Moto X for T-Mobile wouldn’t work, for instance. The download speed is fairly fast for messaging and Maps. I even enjoyed a video chat over its 4G LTE. As long as you are busy for being a tourist 1GB for 14 days should be more than enough.

Once you insert the SIM card (glad I didn’t forget a tiny SIM slot opener) it will be activated automatically. Note that if you’re sending the card to someone’s place you should be aware of that 14 days starts from the delivery day. I thought it will count from when I start using it. Other than that, my experience with the card was pretty good. You won’t lose the connection in some subways.

You can use Wifi at the Narita airport and some major JR train stations. Though hitting multiple “I agree” buttons every time you connect is required. Maybe because of some regulations, there are only a few truly free Wifi spots in Japan. Perhaps you’ll see “Wifi available” stickers at some cafes. Unfortunately, you need a certain mobile carrier account which makes no sense to visitors. At this moment, it is worth paying for the SIM card if you are not willing to struggle for complicated train systems and streets.