SMS enabled rented handphone

I will be in Tokyo for 11 nights nearly the end of march. Which is the best package for mainly local sms (between me and my traveling companion) and minimum local calls? Read about JAL Phone rental. It is very cheap but no mention whether sms is possible.. MyJapanPhone is also good value with free rental for 1 week but is there any hidden cost? I am also sceptical about having to receive and send the phone by mail rather than just dropping off in Tokyo. What happens if it doesn't arrive?

I will be in Tokyo for 11 nights nearly the end of march. Which is the best package for mainly local sms (between me and my traveling companion) and minimum local calls?

Japan uses a different system from SMS that instead assigns an email address to each phone. So really you will be emailing each other. Some companies refer to it as sms (which isn't really the same thing) and others refer to it as email which may be why you don't see it on JAL phone. All companies should offer email so you should be able to use it to contact each other.

Anyway, it's usually really cheap (either charged by data or by email) and can be used to send and receive from phone as well as computer email addresses.

myjapanphone may be best for your situation as their winter offer was for 2 rental phones for the price of 1, although I'm not sure if this is still in effect as it's still advertised on some pages but they have a new campaign as well. Their current offer seems to be free daily rental for one week with a $2 fee per day after that. At $0.08 per message I'd say that's a pretty cheap way to communicate.

I am also sceptical about having to receive and send the phone by mail rather than just dropping off in Tokyo. What happens if it doesn't arrive?

The Japanese Postal system is one of the fastest and most efficient in the world. If you get it into the mail you can be pretty confident that it will arrive. If you prefer to drop it off in person then you should get a phone directly at the airport. There are a number of companies with kiosks at Narita and other airports.

Here's a list of available companies at Narita so you can compare prices:

http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/guide/service/list/svc_19.ht...

Got more confused after checking out the various sites of those offered at Narita. I will be using it to 'sms' my friend's international roaming phone while she is in Japan. I read that some of the rented phones can't call overseas. So how about sms overseas as her phone is international roaming in Japan? Furthermore, if Japan uses e-mail rather than sms, will it be compatible with her international roaming phone? Would the e-mail from my Japanese rented phone be received by her international roaming phone and vice versa when she sends an sms from her international roaming phone will I receive it? I don't have a 3G phone so I can't roam in Japan.

Got more confused after checking out the various sites of those offered at Narita. I will be using it to 'sms' my friend's international roaming phone while she is in Japan.

Make sure that either you get a phone that is sms capable or that your friends phone can accept emails. Otherwise I'm not sure that we're talking about compatible technology. If you go to the kiosk at the airport together ask to see if you can try out the phone to make sure it sends your messages and that your friend can receive them.

I read that some of the rented phones can't call overseas.

Some can't. Usually its a cheaper plan where they disable overseas dialing. They will tell you if this is the case.

So how about sms overseas as her phone is international roaming in Japan?

Assuming that the phone you get can send international sms (some can, it'll be listed as a feature) then she should be able to accept it. You will both be charged international rates regardless of you being in the same country. Think of it as the sms has to travel from Japan to wherever and then back to Japan.

Furthermore, if Japan uses e-mail rather than sms, will it be compatible with her international roaming phone?

Probably if her phone can accept emails. In that case you will be sending your message to an email address and not a phone number.

Would the e-mail from my Japanese rented phone be received by her international roaming phone and vice versa when she sends an sms from her international roaming phone will I receive it?

Depends on the capabilities of your phones. Since sms isn't the same as email don't expect to be able to communicate unless you both either have email or sms.

Hopefully this isn't too late to be helpful. Let us know what you ended up doing and how it turned out.