Before you start

Residence card with address printed
A Japanese bank account or credit card, for most postpaid plans
An unlocked or eSIM-capable handset
A Japanese address, for fibre

Step-by-step

1
Use a travel eSIM for the first days
A data-only eSIM bought before arrival covers you until the residence card and bank account are sorted, which can take a fortnight. It removes the pressure to sign something unsuitable in week one.
Mobile appWho: YouDay 1
2
Go straight to an MVNO or a carrier sub-brand
IIJmio, mineo and the carriers' own low-cost brands run on the same networks as the majors at a fraction of the price, with no long commitment. The flagship plans are worth it only if you need specific bundled services.
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3
Expect a Japanese payment method to be required
Most postpaid plans require a Japanese bank account for direct debit or a Japanese-issued credit card, and a foreign card is frequently rejected. This is the practical reason the bank account has to come before the phone contract.
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4
Check whether the handset supports Japanese bands
Japanese carrier handsets have historically been locked, and some foreign models have noticeably worse coverage here than a locally sold equivalent. Confirm band support before relying on a phone you brought with you.
OnlineWho: You
5
Order home fibre early and ask what reaches the room
Japanese fibre is fast and inexpensive, but installation in an apartment building depends on what is already wired in. Some buildings run fibre only to the basement and older copper to each flat. Hiroshima's central wards carry a lot of 1970s and 1980s stock, so ask the landlord or agent before signing a lease if your work depends on the connection.
OnlineWho: You
6
Keep your number when you switch
Japan operates mobile number portability and has simplified it considerably — you can now switch between many operators without obtaining a transfer code first. Never cancel the old contract before completing the switch.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Residence card with address
Japanese bank account or credit card
Passport, occasionally requested
Proof of address, for fibre installation

Things most newcomers don’t know

The bank account gates the phone, not the other way round.

Most Japanese postpaid plans require a Japanese bank account or Japanese-issued credit card, and foreign cards are commonly rejected outright. Since the bank account requires ward registration, and ward registration requires an address, the whole chain runs address → ward office → bank → phone. Trying to do it in any other order is where first-fortnight frustration in Japan comes from.

Source: community-reported

MVNOs run on the same towers for a fraction of the price.

Government pressure on the three major carriers produced both low-cost sub-brands and a healthy MVNO market, all using the majors' own networks. Coverage and speed are essentially identical outside peak congestion. Paying a flagship price without needing the bundled extras is paying several times more for the same service.

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

An apartment's 'fibre' can be shared copper from the basement.

A building advertised as fibre-connected may run fibre only to the building and older wiring to each flat, capping your real speed well below what the plan promises. Ask specifically whether the connection is fibre to the room. If your income depends on the connection, treat it as a lease-signing question rather than something to discover afterwards.

Source: community-reported

Set up the city's disaster alerts on the phone you actually carry.

Japanese handsets sold domestically receive the national Earthquake Early Warning and J-Alert emergency broadcasts by default; some imported handsets do not, and the setting is easy to miss. In a prefecture with this much designated sediment-disaster area, the evacuation advisory pushed to your phone at three in the morning is the warning that matters. Hiroshima City also runs its own emergency mail service — subscribe when you register.

Source: Hiroshima City

Common mistakes to avoid

Trying to get a phone contract before ward registration and a bank account.
Signing a flagship carrier plan when an MVNO on the same network costs a fraction.
Assuming a building's advertised fibre reaches your actual flat.
Carrying an imported handset that never receives the national emergency alerts.
Cancelling an old contract before completing the number transfer.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.