Domestic Calls

Public telephones accept 10 yen and 100 yen coins and/or telephone cards. A local call (within Tokyo's central 23 Wards and some other metropolitan cities) costs 10 yen per minute. If you put in two 10-yen coins and speak for less than one minute, one of the coins will be returned to you. No change is given for partial use of a 100 yen coin. Prepaid telephone cards cost 1,000 yen from vending machines, kiosks at train stations, and convenience stores. Charges for inter-city calls vary according to the distance. Domestic calls are cheaper at night and on Saturday, Sunday & national holidays.

Area Code

Telephone numbers in Japan consist of an area code and a phone number (Exchange Number + Subscriber's Number). For example: (03) 1234-5678.

Sapporo 011   Osaka 06 Sendai 022   Kobe 078 Tokyo 03   Hiroshima 082 Yokohama 045   Fukuoka 092 Nagoya 052   Naha 098 Kyoto 075

Direct Calls

A direct overseas call can be made from a public telephone displaying an International and Domestic Telephone sign. These phones are not widespread, but can be found at airports, hotels, and other key facilities. Direct dial calls can be made via a telephone company using the company's access number.

Credit Card Calls

A credit card call can be made from a telephone with an International and Domestic Telephone sign. Insert a 100 yen coin (returned when you finish the call) and input an access number. The telecom business is fiercely competitive and so rates and systems change often.

Mobile Phones

Now you can use your mobile phone number in Japan using Vodafone and NTT DoCoMo's 3G (3rd generation) service areas. Simply bring your own SIM card and insert it to a rental phone or your own 3G handset. For more details, please check with your local mobile phone service provider or Vodafone or NTT DoCoMo. Rental phone service is also available. You can find rental shops at Narita Airport and Kansai Airport. For further information please contact any of the following companies .

Telephone numbers starting with 0120 are receiver-paid calls under NTT's Free Dial 0120 service. For Japan Telecom, the toll-free numbers begin with 0088, but calling areas are sometimes limited. Toll free numbers can not be called from outside Japan.

Facsimile and Computer Networking

Facsimile machines are available at most hotels. Ask the front desk or go to the hotel's business service center. Some hotel phones and the new gray telephones have modular sockets for computer network access.

Please note that most organizations have English-speaking personnel.

Communications

Daily Living Information

Tourist Information

Transportation Information

International Air Mail

International mail can be classified into letter post (letters, aerogrammes and postcards), parcel post, and EMS (Express Mail Service).

Foreign parcel post can be sent between Japan and most other nations. The maximum weight for a single package is usually 20 kg but it depends on the destination. The type of contents of a parcel accepted, however, and the maximum measurements of a single parcel differ by destination.

EMS is the fastest way to send documents and parcels to over 100 countries and territories worldwide. A tracking system, providing prompt information on a package's delivery status, is available for 35 countries.

Other Mail Services

Private delivery services such as DHL and Federal Express provide fast and efficient services between Japan and other nations. Your choice of service depends on the kind of item you want to send. Please ask your hotel front desk to assist you in posting mail or packages via these couriers.