Twenty years ago, finding a pay phone was such an easy task. But now, we hardly see them anywhere since mobile phones became the dominant communication tool. For teenagers and twenties, public pay phones can be the same as antiques that they have never seen nor touched. However, you may not be able to make a phone call from your mobile phone in an emergency situation such as a natural disaster. It is very important to know how to use a public telephone in case of an emergency. This column will introduce some important tips to use Japanese public telephones by using examples of NTT’s pay phones.
Types of Japanese public telephone
There are two kinds of public telephone commonly used in Japan, digital phones and analog phones. There also are coin-and-telephone-card operated phones, coin only phones and telephone card only phones. Digital phones and analog phones can be easily distinguished. An analog phone has a red “emergency button” while a digital phone doesn’t have one. Some of digital phones can be used to make international calls, and often placed in airports and major railway stations. Normally, phones for international and domestic use are indicated as “International & Domestic” on the display screen. Analog phones are domestic use only. To make an international call from the analog phone, you need an international calling card.
How to use public telephone
All public telephones are coin or telephone card operated, or both. Only 10yen and 100yen coins can be used for coin operated phones. Telephone cards are sold at kiosk in railway stations or convenience stores. Sometimes you find a bending machine of telephone cards beside the public telephones. To make a call from a public telephone, you need to follow slightly different steps depending on the type of telephone you are using.
Digital phone
- Pick up a receiver then you will hear a dialing tone
- Insert a coin or telephone card
- Dial the telephone number (To call emergency number such as 110 or 119, just dial the number right after picking up the receiver)
Analog phone
- Pick up a receiver (You hear no dialing tone)
- Insert a coin or telephone card, then you will hear a dialing tone
- Dial the telephone number (To call emergency number such as 110 or 119, pick up the receiver, press the red emergency button, and then dial the number)
※For both digital and analog phones, you need to dial the area code unless the number you are calling has the same area code.
※To make an international call from the public telephone, dial “Telephone company’s access code – 010 – Country code – Area code – Telephone number”. Telephone company’s access code: 0036（NTT East）、0039（NTT West）、0033（NTT Communications）
Calling rates
Calling rates of public telephone varies depending on distance, time, whether the call is to a landline or mobile phone. To call the same area number between 8:00AM and 11:00PM, it costs 10yen for 57.5 seconds. For more detailed information about calling charges from public phone to landline phone, visit the website of NTT East or NTT West. Calling rates to mobile phones may are different by the receiver’s telephone company, but it is generally expensive and hovers from 10yen/9 seconds and 10yen/20 seconds.
※Calls from public telephones are preferably connected under some emergency situations such as natural disaster. In such unusual cases, service providers may release their public telephones as free of charge.
Where to find
As you know, finding a public telephone is no longer an easy task nowadays. In addition, telephone companies did not disclose the locations of their public phones until recent. But now, they release a online search tools for public telephones on their websites. It is recommended to check the pay phone locations in your arrival airport or major railway stations.
NTT East Public telephone finder
NTT West Public telephone finder
Better have some change in your wallet!
In recent years, pay phones have been regaining attentions from the public as a useful communication tools at the time of a natural disaster that mobile phone reception tends to fail. Also, visitors who have just arrived in Japan may need to use a payphone to contact someone when their mobile phone is no use. How to use a pay phone is quite straightforward, however, there are a few little differences between Japanese pay phone and other countries’ one. It is a good idea to learn how to use Japanese pay phone in advance.
Related Article:
List of English Speaking Emergency / Helpline Numbers for Foreigners
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