Cell phone rental in US or in Japan?

Our family of three will be traveling from the USA for the first time to Osaka and stay in Japan for 7-8 days. Is it best to rent a phone in the USA (return it back in the USA) or rent it in Japan and return it in Japan?

If you're staying at a hotel, they will deliver right to your hotel. They charge from start date to finish date, so you don't want extra travel days if you don't need the phone then.

You can pick up the phone from the concierge/front when you check in, and leave it with the hotel when you check out.

Is it best to rent a phone in the USA (return it back in the USA) or rent it in Japan and return it in Japan?

The advantage of renting in Japan is that it is a little bit cheaper. You save a few days or rental (typically $2.50-10 a day) and the shipping fees (around $20-30). There are many rental kiosks at the airports so you should have no trouble getting a phone quickly and easily, and you can return it to the same kiosk when you leave.

The advantage of having a phone sent to you in the US is peace of mind. You will have a phone from the instant you land to the moment you leave.

Personally though, the 5-6 hours you'd be without a phone at the airport if you rented in Japan isn't much of a disadvantage. There are payphones everywhere so you would have no trouble making calls. You just wouldn't be able to receive calls while waiting for your flight.

Also see this page for more cell phone info and links to some rental companies who rent in Japan and some who will mail you the phone.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2223.html

I recently traveled to Osaka and western Japan and rented a phone via Rentaphone company. The phone was waiting for me at my hotel with instructions as well as a stamped return envelope. I just dropped it at the post office in KIX at the end of my trip. They sent me a receipt email with the detailed bill. It was a cinch! I think the cost was competetive with others.

From my own experience, I rented a cellphone at Narita airport. Right outside the exit gate, there is a cellphone rental service by JAL(?). The fee is not too expensive. Rental cost is 250 yen per day, and outgoing calls are 80 yen per minute. The best part is incoming calls are free, even for international calls. I found it really handy to have a cellphone, esp in cases of emergency and what not.

Many of my friends just rent at the airport rental shops. Pretty much all your major companies and smaller companies have representatives at Narita Airport.

If you look at the Narita Airport site, many of them will allow you to reserve a phone ahead of time and even give you the phone number in advance. All you do is show up, pick it up, and return it when you leave Japan.

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

I used rentafonejapan.com - I had the phone delivered to me in NY as I was going straight from the airport to Hakone and I wanted the phone with me in case I had a problem and needed to call the hotel. So I paid extra for that service but it was worth it IMO. Then I used their prepaid envelope to mail it back from the Post Office at the airport.

If you rent at the airport I guess you wouldn't know the phone number in advance. With advance arrangements you can get the phone number and give it to your friends/family, etc.

Another trip I rented a Japanese compatible phone from my US carrier - tmobile. I was able to use my regular SIM card in it. However, I had a lot of problems figuring out how to use the phone - even with English directions - and its reception seemed poor plus it was very expensive so I wouldn't do that again.

Enjoy!

Oops, evidently you can get the number in advance from an airport shop according to John, sorry.