^(I want to get some 2-way radios for use in backcountry snowboarding trips. These areas we go have little cellphone coverage. Japan has strict laws against FRS/GMRS devices which sucks. Does anyone know any legal devices sold online in Japan? You can of course get FRS/GMRS radios on) [^(amazon.jp)](https://amazon.jp) but they would be illegal. So no idea why they are sold. I guess I could buy some and hope not to get caught etc, but that doesn’t seem right to me and I don’t think I’d go that route. Also no idea why the font changed on this post.
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For anyone (like me) for whom the post is screwed up, this is what it says.
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I want to get some 2-way radios for use in backcountry snowboarding trips. These areas we go have little cellphone coverage. Japan has strict laws against FRS/GMRS devices which sucks. Does anyone know any legal devices sold online in Japan? You can of course get FRS/GMRS radios on amazon.jp but they would be illegal. So no idea why they are sold. I guess I could buy some and hope not to get caught etc, but that doesn’t seem right to me and I don’t think I’d go that route. Also no idea why the font changed on this post.
With FRS/GRS, don’T even think about them. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications actively monitors those frequencies for traffic, and have direction finding systems set up, etc.
The only legal ones that don’t require a license have a range of about 500m outside the city, up to around a kilometer and a half if you have clear line of site.
I’ve used radios as a ski instructor in Japan and we had ones that worked through cell phone reception. They always had service.
I also hike a lot, deep in the northern and southern alps. With docomo I almost always have service. Even on the most remote hikes.
Where do you want to snowboard in the backcountry?
There are radio shops which sell legal walkie-talkies, I’m not sure how popular or widespread they are today. There are also many on Amazon Japan. I’d try big Yodobashi Camera, Yamada Denki and Bic Camera.
Coincidentally, in the pre-cell-phone era I remember drivers who were driving up to skiing resorts would have them in their cars to communicate with the other drivers who they were traveling with to coordinate rest breaks.
This may not be the right path for you.
If you go on these kind of trips somewhat often, you might consider getting your radio license. The Japanese Amateur Radio League has good English resources that can get you by. If you need something you can rely on out in the snow, this is the way to go.
Some countries (especially America) have bi-lateral agreements with Japan where you can convert your license. If you happen to be American, you can even take the FCC test in Japan, it’s offered every so often.
Handheld radios are legal in Japan. They’re just not based on FRS/GMRS which are US standards. Assuming you don’t want to go through the hassle of getting a radio license, you basically have two choices: Getting a low-powered analog transceiver (特定小電力トランシーバー) or a high-powered digital one (デジタル簡易無線). The former can be used out of the box but has short range and may not be reliable enough for backcounty. Serious trekkers and mountain climbers will almost always use the digital transceivers. They’re easy to buy online but you first need to register them with the ministry that oversees telecommunications before you can use them. This will take time and money.
Or, do what many enthusiasts do and rent them. I’ve never done backcountry but I’ve seen places in Hokkaido, Tohoku, and Nagano rent them out. You can even reserve them online and have them delivered to you.