Shopping Cart
Japan eSIM
Tokyo 3H
Osaka 3H
Same-Day Tokyo
Home Router
FAQ
Guides
WiFi vs eSIM
Terms
About Us
Japan used to be dotted with free hotspots. Since 2022 the big convenience-store, subway and carrier networks have shut down one after another, and the apps that connected you to them have been retired. Here is what a visitor can still rely on in 2026, how to log in, and the honest limits.
Free WiFi in Japan is fine for checking a map at the station or sending a message from a café. It is not a way to stay connected for a day out: hotspots cover 15–20 metres, most cut you off after 30–60 minutes, many need an email registration in Japanese, and the moment you step onto a side street or a train there is nothing. Every traveller we know who tried “free WiFi only” for a trip gave up on day two.
Older guides (including the earlier version of this page) list these. They no longer exist, so do not plan around them.
| Service | Where it was | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 7SPOT | 7-Eleven, Ito-Yokado, Denny’s | Ended 31 March 2022 |
| Famima_Wi-Fi | FamilyMart | Ended July 2022 |
| Metro_Free_Wi-Fi | Tokyo Metro stations and trains | Ended 30 June 2022 |
| Toei Bus free WiFi | Tokyo city buses | Ended November 2021 |
| TOBU FREE Wi-Fi | Tobu Railway | Ended June 2022 |
| docomo Wi-Fi | Cafes, stations, shops | Ended February 2022 (replaced by paid d Wi-Fi for docomo customers) |
| Japan Connected-free Wi-Fi app | NTTBP’s one-tap login app for 100,000+ hotspots | Removed from app stores April 2024; service ended. Successor: Japan Wi-Fi auto-connect |
| Where | What to expect | How to connect |
|---|---|---|
| Narita & Haneda airports | Free, fast enough for messages and maps across the terminals. The best place to install an eSIM or order a pocket WiFi. | Select the airport SSID, accept the terms in the browser pop-up |
| JR-EAST FREE Wi-Fi | Major JR stations in Tokyo and the east (Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno…), some Shinkansen platforms. Not on local trains. | SSID JR-EAST_FREE_Wi-Fi, register an email address, 3 hours per session |
| Starbucks | The most reliable café WiFi in Japan, no time limit in practice. | SSID at_STARBUCKS_Wi2, accept the terms |
| McDonald’s, Doutor, Tully’s | Most branches. Sessions of about 60 minutes; reconnect afterwards. | Store SSID, email or social login |
| Lawson | The only big convenience-store chain still offering WiFi, and not at every store. | SSID LAWSON_Free_Wi-Fi, member registration, limited sessions per day |
| Ward & city networks in Tokyo | Shinjuku, Shibuya, Chiyoda, Toshima, Taito, Bunkyo, Nakano, Kita and others run hotspots around stations, ward offices and parks. Coverage is patchy and signs are often Japanese-only. | SSIDs like Tokyo_Shinjuku_Free_Wi-Fi, 0000Shibuya_City, CHIYODA_Free_Wi-Fi, Taito_Free_Wi-Fi; 30–60 minutes per session, email registration |
| Hotels, hostels, Airbnb | Almost universal and usually good. Still the main reason many visitors think they can skip mobile data. | Password from the front desk or host |
| Tourist information centres, museums, department stores | Look for the Japan. Free Wi-Fi logo. Fine for a quick check indoors. | Varies; often a browser login |
The Japan Wi-Fi auto-connect app (NTTBP, free, iOS/Android) logs you in automatically to many of the station, airport and city hotspots above once you register once. It is worth installing before you fly, but it does not create coverage where there is none.
Walking between places, in taxis, on local trains and buses, in the countryside. This is exactly when you need Google Maps and a translation app.
Banking apps, ticket purchases and check-ins on open hotspots are a bad idea. Public WiFi in Japan is mostly unencrypted.
Sessions time out, speeds are shared with everyone in the café, and you get disconnected when you walk out. Not for a call home or a work meeting.
Use free WiFi at the hotel and the airport, and carry your own connection for the rest. There are two sensible options, and the choice depends on who is travelling:
A Japan eSIM from 2,480 JPY: emailed in minutes, installed before you fly, nothing to return. Runs on the docomo network.
An unlimited pocket WiFi from 610 JPY/day shared by up to 10 devices, delivered to your hotel the same day in Tokyo. Staying a month? See the plug-in home router.
Not sure which? Our Pocket WiFi vs eSIM page compares them honestly — we sell both, so we have no reason to push either.
Spotted a hotspot that has opened or closed? Tell us at mail@easygojapan.com and we will update this page.