Hotspot has one of the largest networks of broadband wireless spots in Japan. Unlike Freespot you need to pay a subscription fee like a provider but it’s relatively cheap at a flat rate of ¥1600 per month and there are a ton of spots all the country including every subway station in Tokyo. This means that in theory if you were to ride the subway you could surf the web when the train stops at each stations. Is the signal strong enough to extend into the tunnels? Hmmm..this looks like something I’ll have to try and find out for myself.

Anyway, I discovered that with my fiber-optic connection at home I got a hotspot id/login automatically although I would be billed ¥10/min but could upgrade to unlimited usage for ¥1500. That would mean if I used wireless outside for more than 2.5 hours a month it would be worth it. So I signed up and tonight went to MOS Burger. All MOS Burgers are Hotspots. The signal was fairly strong but I forgot to download the setup guide so unfortunately I couldn’t connect. Ate my kinpira rice burger and came home. Here’s some advice to anyone who wants to move to Japan and save money on Internet. Find an apartment near a MOS Burger and you can just pay the ¥1600/month and get unlimited Internet. Then again so many people here don’t bother putting any authentication on their wireless networks so you could just scam off your neighbors.