Domestic Telephone Calls

Domestic Telephone Calls

Telephone numbers in Japan consist of three codes:
(example) 03 (area code) + 1234 (exchange number) + 5678 (subscriber’s number).

NTT public telephones can be found anywhere in Japan—on sidewalks, in train stations, stores, restaurants, etc. However, because of the increasing use of cellular phones in recent years, the number of public telephones outside in street areas has decreased considerably.

Almost all green and gray public telephones accept 10 yen and 100 yen coins and pre-paid telephone cards. Pre-paid telephone cards can be purchased at convenience stores and other authorized locations. A local call costs 10 yen per minute, and no change is returned for partial use of a 100 yen coin. The charge for non-local calls depends on the distance. Domestic calls are cheaper at night and on Saturday, Sunday, and national holidays.

Area codes for Japan’s major cities

City Code
Sapporo 011
Sendai 022
Niigata 025
Saitama 048
Chiba 043
Narita 0476
Tokyo 03
Yokohama 045
Nagoya 052
Nara 0742
Kyoto 075
Osaka 06
Kobe 078
Hiroshima 082
Fukuoka 092
Oita 0975
Naha 098