What's the cheapest SIM card in Japan?

I will arrive in Osaka and travel to Kyoto soon, and stay for one week.
I researched the prices for a tourist SIM card, it seems expensive at $25 for 3GB.. 😳
Most countries I've travelled to are much cheaper.

Are there any cheap alternatives? I can be happy with slower internet, I just want affordability. And I don't want to carry a Pocket Wi-Fi.

Thank you!

If you have a friend who has address in Japan, you can buy cheapper sim from amazon.co.jp or sim providers.
As well as many travelers, I think you don't not have such a friend.
So, you need to get sim at an airport.
Please refer to this following address.
(The page is Japanese, but you can read by google translate.)
It lists many many sim cards that you can buy Narita airport and the detailed location in the airport where you can buy.
If you are going to use other airport like Kansai airport or Haneda airport, the site has the links to a page for other airport.

http://shimajiro-mobiler.net/2016/12/26/post44866/
(As of January 2020, it shows the situation for September 2019.)

Hi, Lime1.

I'm a Japanese working in Tokyo for over a decade.
Let me help you some.

I agree with neisan5. His quote of a blog post by Japanese (his name is Shimajiro) is a great sourse for Japanese who pursuit the best deal of SIM cards/WiFi routers. Some English blogs translated a part of his posts like below.

Comprehensive Lists of Prepaid SIM Cards Sold at Convenience Stores at Narita Airport
(2018 April Edition)
https://pocketwifi.me/sim/989


Hope it helps.

It depends on how long you will stay, but there are cheaper options. There is a company called www.sakuramobile.com which offers both short-term and long-term sim cards and at affordable prices. I would recommend that if you haven't already found your sim card. Good luck!

Go to your local amazon, type sim card Japan and you will get maybe better offers.
Many people buy simcard in Japan which is indeed expensive.