Pocket Wi-Fi · Updated October 2026Ad · Affiliate links

Long-term pocket Wi-Fi for residents

Checked by Sam Harper, editor · October 5, 2026

Neo Charge WiFi has no contract and no monthly fee: ¥17,500 buys the router with 100GB to use within a year. MONSTER MOBILE is ¥2,640 a month for 20GB with no minimum term. Either is worth it when you need more than a phone online and cannot get home internet installed.

Choose prepaid or monthly Check whether you need one

3 options comparedPrepaid or monthly¥2,640 a month for 20GB, no minimum term

Which sounds like you?

I want no contract at allNeo Charge WiFi I use a lot of data every monthMONSTER MOBILE I want English support or to pay with a card from homeSakura Mobile, in the table I only need a phone onlineA SIM is cheaper

The two options

If you want no contract at all

Neo Charge WiFi

Prepaid pocket Wi-Fi

You buy data in blocks. There is no contract to sign, no credit check and nothing to cancel when you leave.

No contract and no monthly fee
Top up only when you need data
Nothing to cancel when you leave Japan

¥17,500 up front for the router and first 100GB, a sale price (list ¥25,000)
Top-ups are manual
No English support

Get prepaid pocket Wi-Fi with no monthly fee

チャージ（プリペイド）式WiFi！契約・月額・契約期間無し【ネオチャージWiFi】

Japanese button: “Top-up (prepaid) Wi-Fi! No contract, no monthly fee, no contract period [Neo Charge WiFi]” Opens Neo Charge WiFi's site (Japanese)

If you use a lot of data every month

MONSTER MOBILE

Pocket Wi-Fi

A monthly pocket Wi-Fi plan, from 20GB to unlimited data. You pay by credit card, and the router goes back when you cancel.

Unlimited data option
Monthly billing, no top-ups to manage

Credit card only; no debit or prepaid cards
Applications are screened
The 2-year plan charges a month's fee if you leave early
Japanese-only support

Get monthly pocket Wi-Fi with an unlimited option

モンスターモバイル無制限プラン

Japanese button: “MONSTER MOBILE unlimited plan” Opens MONSTER MOBILE's site (Japanese)

What each option costs and needs

Prices include tax. Each figure links the provider page it came from, or says it came from the provider's reply to a mystery shopper.

Sakura Mobile's monthly pocket Wi-Fi is the only one of the three with English support and the only one that says it takes cards issued abroad. It is in the table without an advertising link; see Sakura Mobile's pocket Wi-Fi page.

Price, fees, ID and payment for each pocket Wi-Fi option
Provider	Price	Upfront costs	Leaving early	Accepted ID	Payment	Language	Delivery
Neo Charge WiFi Prepaid pocket Wi-Fi	¥17,500 sale price (list ¥25,000) for the router with 100GB, valid for a year from activation. Another 100GB is ¥6,980 The shop calls the sale a limited-time discount (期間限定割引キャンペーン) and shows no end date. Shop prices include tax. Provider page, read September 17, 2026	Free shipping. No monthly fee Provider page, read September 17, 2026	No contract to cancel. No returns unless the router is faulty Provider page, read September 17, 2026	No ID needed, including no residence card Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026	Credit card, convenience store, pay-later, PayPal or carrier billing Cards issued outside Japan may not work, the shop said in its reply to a mystery shopper. Provider page, read September 17, 2026	No English support Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026	Ships within 2 business days after payment Provider page, read September 17, 2026
MONSTER MOBILE Pocket Wi-Fi	¥2,640 a month for 20GB with no minimum term. ¥1,980 on a 2-year plan List prices. A 6-month discount may apply when you sign up. Unlimited data from ¥4,378 a month on a 2-year plan. Provider page, read September 17, 2026	¥3,300 contract fee. The router is rented, and shipping it to you is free Provider page, read September 17, 2026	No fee on the no-term plan. The 2-year plan costs one month's fee if you cancel within 24 months The router goes back when you cancel; a lost router costs ¥16,500. Provider page, read September 17, 2026	No ID normally for the 20GB to 100GB plans. MONSTER MOBILE may ask for it The unlimited plan asks you to upload ID; a residence card is accepted. Provider page, read September 17, 2026	Credit card only. No debit or prepaid cards Whether cards issued outside Japan work is not stated. Provider page, read September 17, 2026	Japanese only Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026	Ships as early as the day your order is confirmed Provider page, read September 30, 2026
Sakura Mobile Pocket WiFi Monthly pocket Wi-Fi, SoftBank network	¥5,478 a month for 100GB 200GB is ¥7,128 a month. Provider page, read October 3, 2026	¥5,500 activation fee Students get ¥1,100 off the activation fee. Provider page, read October 3, 2026	No minimum term and no early termination fee Provider page, read October 3, 2026	Residence card for home delivery; passport for pickup at an airport or the Shinjuku office Provider page, read October 3, 2026	Credit or debit card, including cards issued abroad. No Japanese bank account needed Cash at convenience stores (Smart Pit) is possible with a deposit of two months' fees. Provider page, read October 3, 2026	English support by email, phone and chat Provider page, read October 3, 2026	Usually arrives 1 to 3 business days after your application is approved Or pick it up at Narita, Haneda, Kansai or Fukuoka airport, or the Shinjuku office. Provider page, read October 3, 2026

Neo Charge WiFi Prepaid pocket Wi-Fi

Price: ¥17,500 sale price (list ¥25,000) for the router with 100GB, valid for a year from activation. Another 100GB is ¥6,980 The shop calls the sale a limited-time discount (期間限定割引キャンペーン) and shows no end date. Shop prices include tax. Provider page, read September 17, 2026
Upfront costs: Free shipping. No monthly fee Provider page, read September 17, 2026
Leaving early: No contract to cancel. No returns unless the router is faulty Provider page, read September 17, 2026
Accepted ID: No ID needed, including no residence card Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026
Payment: Credit card, convenience store, pay-later, PayPal or carrier billing Cards issued outside Japan may not work, the shop said in its reply to a mystery shopper. Provider page, read September 17, 2026
Language: No English support Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026
Delivery: Ships within 2 business days after payment Provider page, read September 17, 2026

MONSTER MOBILE Pocket Wi-Fi

Price: ¥2,640 a month for 20GB with no minimum term. ¥1,980 on a 2-year plan List prices. A 6-month discount may apply when you sign up. Unlimited data from ¥4,378 a month on a 2-year plan. Provider page, read September 17, 2026
Upfront costs: ¥3,300 contract fee. The router is rented, and shipping it to you is free Provider page, read September 17, 2026
Leaving early: No fee on the no-term plan. The 2-year plan costs one month's fee if you cancel within 24 months The router goes back when you cancel; a lost router costs ¥16,500. Provider page, read September 17, 2026
Accepted ID: No ID normally for the 20GB to 100GB plans. MONSTER MOBILE may ask for it The unlimited plan asks you to upload ID; a residence card is accepted. Provider page, read September 17, 2026
Payment: Credit card only. No debit or prepaid cards Whether cards issued outside Japan work is not stated. Provider page, read September 17, 2026
Language: Japanese only Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026
Delivery: Ships as early as the day your order is confirmed Provider page, read September 30, 2026

Sakura Mobile Pocket WiFi Monthly pocket Wi-Fi, SoftBank network

Price: ¥5,478 a month for 100GB 200GB is ¥7,128 a month. Provider page, read October 3, 2026
Upfront costs: ¥5,500 activation fee Students get ¥1,100 off the activation fee. Provider page, read October 3, 2026
Leaving early: No minimum term and no early termination fee Provider page, read October 3, 2026
Accepted ID: Residence card for home delivery; passport for pickup at an airport or the Shinjuku office Provider page, read October 3, 2026
Payment: Credit or debit card, including cards issued abroad. No Japanese bank account needed Cash at convenience stores (Smart Pit) is possible with a deposit of two months' fees. Provider page, read October 3, 2026
Language: English support by email, phone and chat Provider page, read October 3, 2026
Delivery: Usually arrives 1 to 3 business days after your application is approved Or pick it up at Narita, Haneda, Kansai or Fukuoka airport, or the Shinjuku office. Provider page, read October 3, 2026

Long-term pocket Wi-Fi plans for residents

Two providers here rent a router by the month or for 3 to 12 months. Prices include tax and were read on October 3, 2026.

Monthly and long-term pocket Wi-Fi plans from Sakura Mobile and Japan Wireless
Plan	Price	Term
Sakura Mobile 100GB, SoftBank	¥5,478 a month, plus a ¥5,500 activation fee	Month to month, no early termination fee
Sakura Mobile 200GB, SoftBank	¥7,128 a month, plus a ¥5,500 activation fee	Month to month, no early termination fee
Japan Wireless, 3 months	¥19,800 in one payment (¥6,600 a month)	Cancel with no fee, but no refund
Japan Wireless, 6 months	¥36,000 (¥6,000 a month)	Early termination fee, amount not stated
Japan Wireless, one year	¥66,960 (¥5,580 a month)	Early termination fee, amount not stated

Sources: Sakura Mobile's pocket Wi-Fi page, read October 3, 2026, and Japan Wireless's order page and FAQ, read October 3, 2026. Sakura Mobile states English support, no two-year contract and cards issued abroad. Japan Wireless markets mostly to visitors and, on the pages we read, does not state how much data the long-term router includes, what ID it asks for or what language support is in. It takes credit or debit cards only, and the 6-month and one-year plans can be paid monthly.

On this page

Do you need one?

Not if you only need a phone: a SIM is cheaper. Pocket Wi-Fi is worth it when you need a laptop online and cannot get fiber, because your lease is shorter than the installation contract, you live in shared or company housing, or you don't have a Japanese credit card.

Pocket Wi-Fi FAQ

Do I need pocket Wi-Fi in Japan if I have a SIM?

Only for a laptop or several devices. You can also share your phone’s data with a laptop (tethering), with no second device to rent or return.

Can I get pocket Wi-Fi in Japan without a contract?

Yes. Neo Charge WiFi sells the router with 100GB and no contract or monthly fee, and that data stays valid for a year from activation. Sakura Mobile’s monthly plans have no minimum term either.

Can I rent pocket Wi-Fi in Japan for a few months or longer?

Yes. Sakura Mobile rents a router month to month on SoftBank, with no minimum term. Japan Wireless sells 3, 6 and 12-month plans, from ¥6,600 a month on 3 months to ¥5,580 a month on one year, and takes cards only. Both are in the long-term plans table.

Is pocket Wi-Fi cheaper than home internet in Japan?

Per month, often yes, but you get less data. MONSTER MOBILE is ¥2,640 a month for 20GB with no minimum term. GMO fiber is ¥4,290 a month for an apartment, plus installation, and needs a Japanese credit card.

How we choose

Sorted by how you pay for data.

MONSTER MOBILE and Neo Charge WiFi have an affiliate program we joined, and we earn a commission if you sign up through one. Sakura Mobile's pocket Wi-Fi is listed without an advertising link. Prices, fees and payment rules come from each provider's own page or its written reply to a mystery shopper, on the date shown in the table.

Last reviewed October 5, 2026. How this site is checked.