A Must-Read for Travelers to Japan! Things to Be Mindful of When it Comes to SIM Cards and Pocket Wifi at Kansai Airport

Many people arrive at Kansai Airport in Japan for travel or business purposes. You might have considered buying a SIM card or renting a Pocket Wi-Fi upon your arrival at Kansai Airport.
Purchasing a SIM card or renting a Pocket Wi-Fi right after arriving at the airport is very convenient .

For those planning to travel to Japan and use Kansai Airport, there are important thing to be aware of.
The variety of SIM cards and Pocket Wi-Fi available for sale at Kansai Airport is limited, and the prices are relatively high.

The reason why SIM cards and Pocket Wi-Fi are expensive at Kansai Airport


The reason why SIM cards and Pocket Wi-Fi are expensive at Kansai Airport is closely tied to the post office.

The post office, being a public service, allowed any company providing SIM cards or Pocket Wi-Fi to offer these services to visitors at Kansai Airport through the airport’s post office. As the post office served as a public service, numerous companies would send SIM cards and Pocket Wi-Fi to the airport’s post office, where visitors could easily pick them up. This competition among companies using the airport’s post office as a pickup location led to a trend of price competition, resulting in better quality services being offered at lower prices.

However, in 2021, the post office at Kansai Airport closed, and since then, only a few vendors at the airport can provide SIM cards and Pocket Wi-Fi to visitors. This has created a situation where there is no fair competition in pricing.

Many travelers arriving at Kansai Airport choose to purchase SIM cards or rent Pocket Wi-Fi from the airport’s shops. While some companies have partnered with airport shops to offer SIM cards and Pocket Wi-Fi, this is only a small portion.

Airport shops, unlike public services such as the post office, have higher operating costs due to the high airport usage fees. This necessitates setting higher selling prices, and with limited options for shops that can use Kansai Airport, the prices of SIM cards and Pocket Wi-Fi tend to be higher.

How to buy SIM cards or rent Pocket Wi-Fi at a lower price


Arriving at Kansai Airport and purchasing a SIM card or renting a Pocket Wi-Fi is convenient.
However, if you are planning a trip to Japan now, it is recommended to pre-book services online stores not Kansai Airport shops. By arranging to pick up your SIM card or Pocket Wi-Fi at your hotel or another local post office, you can significantly reduce the costs.

There are numerous online stores offering a variety of plans for SIM cards and Pocket Wi-Fi, allowing you to choose a service that suits your needs at a reasonable price. The convenience of picking up your purchased items when checking into your hotel .

Considering the option of eSIM could also be a good choice, as it is not limited by location or time.

Price Comparison for Pocket Wi-Fi: Popular Shops with Physical Stores at Kansai Airport and Online Shops

Let’s compare the rental prices of Pocket Wi-Fi from popular shops with physical stores at Kansai Airport and those provided by online shops. The Pocket Wi-Fi specifications offered are similar.
If you changing shops won’t affect the communication quality as it is mainly determined by data capacity and network strength.

LightPocket

pocket Wifi Japan
LightPocket is an online-exclusive Pocket Wi-Fi rental service. They provide Pocket Wi-Fi with SoftBank network, ensuring nationwide coverage in various locations in Japan.
One of their representative plans : SoftBank 100GB/month.

10 days¥4400
20 days¥6200
30 days¥7470

Ninja WiFi


Ninja WiFi is a leading Pocket Wi-Fi rental service in Japan, with physical stores at international airports, including Kansai Airport, They provide Pocket Wi-Fi with SoftBank network.
One of their representative plans : Softbank 3GB/day

10 days¥7,700
20 days¥15,400
30 days¥23,100

When comparing prices, you’ll notice significant differences even for similar products. While the convenience of picking up the device upon arrival at Kansai airport is available if there’s a physical store, the communication quality doesn’t vary significantly among rental companies.

LightPocketNinja Wi-Fi
10 days¥4,400¥7,700
20 days¥6,200¥15,400
30 days¥7,470¥23,100

If you’re considering renting a pocket Wi-Fi, why not reserve a Pocket Wi-Fi online before coming to Japan by the online Shop not from the shop at the airport?
You can conveniently pick it up at a nearby post office or during check-in at your accommodation, providing a hassle-free experience.
Price-wise, online-exclusive shops are undoubtedly more affordable, even for similar products.

How about treating yourself to some delicious Japanese cuisine with the money saved?

Recommended Alternatives to Kansai Airport Post Office

Kansai Airport users are opting to receive their SIM cards or Pocket Wi-Fi devices not at Kansai Airport but at conveniently located post offices in convenient locations in Osaka.
For travelers seeking an alternative to the now unavailable post office at Kansai Airport, we recommend the following post offices conveniently located in Osaka:

Namba Area

Osaka OCAT NAI Post Office
10:00-18:00(Everyday)
This post office is located at JR Namba station. it a very convenient place to pick up

Osaka Minami Post Office
08:00-18:00(Everyday)
This post office is located in Shinsaibashi, one of the bustling districts in Osaka. As many people visit Shinsaibashi, there are also numerous individuals who choose this post office to receive our WiFi .

Osaka Station Umeda Area

Osaka Chuo Post Office
09:00-18:00(Everyday)
This post office is located adjacent to Osaka Station (Umeda Station). Due to the high number of station users, there are also many people who choose this post office to receive our WiFi services.

Tenoji Area

Tenoji Mio Post Office
10:00-18:00(Everyday)
Adjacent to Tennoji Station, this post office is extremely convenient for people using Tennoji Station.

On the LightPocket website, these post offices are available as selectable delivery locations, so there is no need to provide the addresses.
LightPocket

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Author:

I am Japanese and my nickname is Momo. I have been working in the mobile telecommunications industry for about 7 years and am familiar with Japanese telecommunications services. Although my English is not very good, I would like to provide useful telecommunication-related information to those who stay in Japan as accurately as possible.

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