Free wireless cafes in Tokyo - listings please!

[pavinder]

I've been looking for places to take my laptop and go wireless while having coffee in Tokyo. Some areas I haven't found anything yet (Shibuya for example!) although obviously such places exist. Just difficult to search for if you can't use Google in Kanji.

I suggest a thread listing the free wireless cafes you've found so far...

[銕銕銕]

I've been looking for places to take my laptop and go wireless while having coffee in Tokyo. Some areas I haven't found anything yet (Shibuya for example!) although obviously such places exist. Just difficult to search for if you can't use Google in Kanji.

I suggest a thread listing the free wireless cafes you've found so far...

I googled Shibuya for ya. Its all in Jpn.

I hope the link is good:

http://map.lw.livedoor.com/EndUser/D...00&ON_BUTTON=1

Groove on, man.

[trip_hop]

This is in English and has been posted here before...

http://www.jiwire.com/browse-hotspot-japan-jp.htm

and this

http://www.freespot.com/users/map_e.html

All you need to do is google "wifi japan"....

[pavinder]

For starters:

GINZA
Seattle's Best Coffee
http://www.mapfan.com/m.cgi?MAP=E139....40.03.8&ZM=11
Comfortable chairs, power outlets, coffee reasonable

EBISU
Starbucks
Not the branch at the JR station East side.
Come out of the northwest corner of the station. Walk southwest along the main road (maybe 200m). It's a small place on the left in the middle of a block of shops.
OK but not very comfortable for long sessions - mostly stools/plastic chairs
The coffee? Starbucks...

And this has many too....
http://www.freespot.com/users/map-e/map_tokyo.html
Seems a very good site for listing facilities etc, but not a very large number of locations - nothing in Shibuya or Ueno (except hotels) for example.

[pavinder]

Thanks for the replies.

Of course I've googled in English, but that leads to so many sites which either have limited maps (too low resolution to locate the places), or without advanced searching so far too many locations to trawl through (many of which aren't free, or are restaurants, hotels etc).

Searching for a comfortable place to have coffee, meet a friend, spend a long time etc - listings/brief reviews would be welcome for specific locations, as I've tried to make in my previous post.

Coffee is important, so Doutor branches are out.

[sunsoul]

This is a good thread. Thanks to trip hop and kuro for the info..... I am just getting into this wireless business, and have been looking through the list and visiting a few places. I have a few questions..

When I looked at:

http://www.freespot.com/users/map_e.html

It seems to show wireless cafes that have airport capability (for my ibook) and others that don't. So, some wireless cafes will not work with my ibook it seems. Is that right?

Also on this list it shows a whole load of McDonald's as having wireless ports... but the staff don't seem to think so.

Cheers,

SS

[銕銕銕]

Also on this list it shows a whole load of McDonald's as having wireless ports... but the staff don't seem to think so.

I don't think the staff at McDonalds think much at all.

I don't know nuttin 'bout no Hippy Macintosh stuff (), but I used to just walk into any downtown McD's and fire up my Sharp PC thing I got from work. Worked fine.

Is the Mac wireless thingy that much different?

[sunsoul]

I don't think the staff at McDonalds think much at all.

I don't know nuttin 'bout no Hippy Macintosh stuff (), but I used to just walk into any downtown McD's and fire up my Sharp PC thing I got from work. Worked fine.

Is the Mac wireless thingy that much different?

Apparently McD's mainly run "mobilepoint." Is this a free wireless service...? I think it might not be. So far the mobilepoint thingy doesn't work with my ibook airport connection...

[銕銕銕]

Apparently McD's mainly run "mobilepoint." Is this a free wireless service...? I think it might not be. So far the mobilepoint thingy doesn't work with my ibook airport connection...

That's what I used. Worked fine.

Sadness about the lack of Macability

[DenshaDeGO]

Airmac & Airmac Extreme should be okay with any hotspot. Unless there's some proprietary funniness with the access point.

[銕銕銕]

Airmac & Airmac Extreme should be okay with any hotspot. Unless there's some proprietary funniness with the access point.

Do they work while you are on the GoGo?


I found some McD's wireless thingies seem cranky, but hey, you get what you pay for.

[ericsfo]

I've basically been searching for the same thing as the original poster.. A nice cafe with wifi where I can go a couple of hours each day with my laptop to do some work. Since I'm new to Tokyo, I haven't really discovered one that completely suits me just yet. I did try to visit a few places on the freespot list mentioned in this thread as well as some googling.


Seattle's Best (Ginza) - this was probably the closest to what I'm looking for. AC power outlets available in the row of counter seats next to the window. However, I'm personally not crazy about the location.

Cafe Pause (Ikebukuro) - I found this since it comes up prominently when searching for wifi cafes in Tokyo. However, the published information is old as they no longer have wifi there at all.

Cafe la Voie (Shinjuku) - Nice upscale cafe / wine bar. Ordering anything gets you 2 hours of wifi. Drink prices are 600 Yen and up, even for just a latte, so I guess you're paying for the time anyway. There are a couple of AC power outlets. I don't feel comfortable working here with all the smokers and it feels a bit too upscale to work out of.

Mixing Cafe (Shinjuku) - You basically pay for time, but drinks are free. It's 315 Yen or so for the first hour and 120 or so (?) each half hour after that. The good thing is there's plenty of power outlets and other people on their laptops, the bad thing is that the drinks suck. It's all self-service from soda / coffee machines. No espresso.


That's it for now. I've only been in Tokyo for 4 days so haven't had much time to cover more places. Anyone have any good personal recs? Do the Dotour's / Veloce / Starbucks / other chain places have wifi? Either paid or free is fine.

[Derukugi]

OK, not to be left out I bought and installed a wireless card for my laptop.
So what next? Can I just schlep the thing to the nearest Starbox and have internet? Anything else I need to know? Do I have to ask the countergirls for a password or some such?
(Sorry, I am new to this)

[ericsfo]

in my 1 week of experience here in Tokyo, I don't think Starbucks has wifi. Or if it does, it's not like the USA where all Starbucks have tmobile coverage.

As far as connecting, I've only been to a few "free" wifi places, so the connection is not usually secured by a password. Just look for the essid that looks like it corresponds to the cafe you're in and you should be good to go.

[sunsoul]

In this week's edition of metro there is a bit of blurb on this Buffalo gadget that boosts your wifi reception up to 150m.... it clicks on to the top of your laptop. Apparently it also strengthens your homing capacity. About 3,500 yen. Is it worth having?

[malloy]

Very very few places give free WiFi. I can't think of any.
Lots of places offer WiFi but you have to have a subscription to a service such as Yahoo BB, which charges about 300 yen a month for WiFi privileges in addition to its usual charges. Starbucks used to offer it to Yahoo BB users but stopped last year. McDonald's still does, as do a couple Renoir cafes and the big New Yorker's near Parco in Shibuya.
Info here:
http://wireless.yahoo.co.jp/

[sunsoul]

Very very few places give free WiFi. I can't think of any.
Lots of places offer WiFi but you have to have a subscription to a service such as Yahoo BB, which charges about 300 yen a month for WiFi privileges in addition to its usual charges. Starbucks used to offer it to Yahoo BB users but stopped last year. McDonald's still does, as do a couple Renoir cafes and the big New Yorker's near Parco in Shibuya.
Info here:
http://wireless.yahoo.co.jp/

The Freespot list (in previous post)) is quite comprehensive actually. The vast majority of those places would provide free wifi access. I have been to Wired Cafe in Shibuya (inside Q-Front), and Berry Cafe in Jiyugaoka. Sometimes these kind of cafes get busy though, and most don't have any power supply.

Happy Surfing.

[ptyk]

The Freespot list (in previous post)) is quite comprehensive actually. The vast majority of those places would provide free wifi access. I have been to Wired Cafe in Shibuya (inside Q-Front), and Berry Cafe in Jiyugaoka. Sometimes these kind of cafes get busy though, and most don't have any power supply.

Happy Surfing.

Where is Berry Cafe in Jiyugaoka? Are you talking about this place:

http://www.mycafe.jp/mycafe/others/berry/index.html

[sunsoul]

The website for Cafe Berry's:

http://www.cafe-berrys.com

Basically, go out of the station (central exit), straight down the main road, and head for Book Off (1min walk). It is inside the store, up the stairs..... not so big, but you can borrow the books and read them at the table which is good... plus the free net access of course.

[ptyk]

The website for Cafe Berry's:

http://www.cafe-berrys.com

Basically, go out of the station (central exit), straight down the main road, and head for Book Off (1min walk). It is inside the store, up the stairs..... not so big, but you can borrow the books and read them at the table which is good... plus the free net access of course.

Thanks! Been there and didn't stay long. Loud clientele and uncomfortable seating. Jeez, would it kill the Japanese to open a comfortable cafe. Actually, here's my favorite in Jiyugaoka--it's a cafe, bar, antique store:

http://www.vostok.co.jp/index.html

Their homemade pirozhki (Russian meat pies akin to pierogi) are to die for! I doubt they offer wi-fi.

[kochikame]

new yorkers in shibuya (behind tokyu hands) has wireless access... fine for macs... and you can smoke if you want! on weekdays, doesn't get busy til lunchtime...

[douglas]

Aren't there better things to do in Tokyo than sit in a stupid trendy coffee house on your stupid trendy laptop?

[imlost]

Aren't there better things to do in Tokyo than sit in a stupid trendy coffee house on your stupid trendy laptop?

What? There are other things to do in Tokyo?

[ptyk]

What? There are other things to do in Tokyo?

My sentiments exactly.

[mieske33]

http://www.marunouchicafe.com/english/about_mc.html


Can't eat or drink here though but comfy seats.