Calling to, from, and within Japan

 

First, we hope you will feel that you can forget about your cares and woes back home while you are on this adventure. At the same time, we recognize you may have valid reasons for at least being accessible if necessary.

So here is some information about phones in Japan.

First and foremost, you should know: your cell phone probably won't work in Japan.

• Japan uses a network technology not used anywhere else
• Here is a nice summary of Japanese phone options
• And here are clear instructions for using phones to and from Japan
Examples
• To call to Japan from the US: 011-81-number (omit any leading 0 in the "number" part)
• To call the US from Japan: 010-1-number; Note: this is the most expensive way! The link above has some suggestions for alternatives

 

On the other hand, there are more options than ever before, and some may be of use to you.

• Charlene will be renting a cell phone in Japan, and we will give out this number to everyone
• If you would like to rent your own cell phone, we can help you find various services
• You will have phone numbers for all hotels, although international calls through hotels tend to be very expensive
• You can purchase pre-paid phone cards in Japan that will work from international phones found in most hotels and many other locations
• Certain cell phones ("world phones") may work in Japan - check with your carrier and let us know
• Your carrier may have an option to switch to that includes international calling at a reduced rate, and you can turn this feature on before you leave and off when you return, online
• Certain smart phones (iPhone, Blackberry, etc.) may work in Japan - again, check with your service provider and let us know what you find out