Calling Japan from your cell phone is easy if you have a card.
If you have an international calling plan, you can dial any country in the world from your home phone, and the same is true for your cell phone. Unfortunately, international calling plans that include Japan can be prohibitively expensive unless you call there frequently. A less expensive alternative for the occasional call to Japan from your cell phone is to purchase a prepaid calling card. Because of the 17-hour time difference, off-peak hours in the U.S., when rates are cheaper, are peak hours in Japan, so check the card conditions to see which country's peak hours apply.
Instructions
1. Purchase an international calling card. There are many cards available online that are intended specifically for calls to Japan. Be sure the card has enough minutes for your needs.
2. Calculate the time in Japan. It is 14 to 17 hours ahead of the time in the continental United States, depending on where you live. If you call in the middle of the day, there is a good chance you will wake someone from a sound sleep. Business hours in Japan begin at approximately 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, or 8 PM Eastern Standard Time.
3. Dial the access number for the card from your cell phone. Listen to the instructions, and when you are directed to dial the number, dial the country code, 81, the city code, which is a two- or three-digit number, and the telephone number, which has seven digits like an American number. If you are calling a cell phone, dial the cell code, either 80 or 90, and the 8-digit cell phone number.
4. Let the phone ring, and if your party doesn't answer, you will hear a message, probably in Japanese. Wait for it to finish, then leave a message when you hear the tone, just as you would if you were calling a phone in the United States.
Tags: cell phone, from your, your cell, your cell phone, from your cell, international calling, calling card
