Travel & Nomad

ETHGlobal Tokyo 2026 Checklist: What to Prepare Before You Fly (Data, Money, Tips)

ETHGlobal Tokyo runs 25 to 27 September 2026 at Tokyo Dome City, inside a whole ETHTokyo Week. Here is what to sort before you fly, so you land ready to build.

Quick answer: ETHGlobal Tokyo 2026 runs 25-27 September at MEETS PORT in Tokyo Dome City, inside ETHTokyo Week (19-27 September). Before you fly: install a Japan eSIM at home so you have your own data for the hackathon and side events, complete Visit Japan Web, carry some yen in cash, and set up a burner wallet for on-site mints.

Key takeaways

ETHGlobal Tokyo is a 36-hour hackathon on 25-27 September 2026, with ETHGlobal Pragma Tokyo on 26 September and ETHTokyo Week events from 19 September.
Venue Wi-Fi at a hackathon is shared by hundreds of builders. Your own mobile data is the backup that saves a demo.
Japan still uses cash in many small places. Carry yen, and know that 7-Eleven ATMs generally accept foreign cards.
Visit Japan Web lets you prepare immigration and customs before landing and generates one QR code.
Install your eSIM at home before the flight, then switch it on after landing at Narita or Haneda.

ETHGlobal Tokyo is the kind of trip where the flight is the easy part. You land, get to the hotel, find the venue, join a team, and then spend 36 hours shipping something that has to work in front of judges. The things that go wrong are rarely the code. They are the Wi-Fi that dies during the demo, the card that does not work at the ramen machine, and the wallet someone drained after a QR code at a side event.

This is the checklist to get all of that sorted before you board.

Land in Tokyo already online

Japan eSIM from $4, installed at home in minutes, paid in USDT.

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When and where is ETHGlobal Tokyo 2026?

What	When	Where
ETHTokyo Week (community events)	19-27 September 2026	Across Tokyo
Agentic Summit (official side event)	23 September	Tokyo
ETHGlobal Tokyo hackathon	25-27 September	MEETS PORT 4F, Tokyo Dome City (enXross DAO as co-venue)
ETHGlobal Pragma Tokyo	26 September	Tokyo

Tokyo Dome City sits next to Suidobashi and Korakuen stations, a short ride from most central hotels. Schedules and venues are set by the organisers, so confirm on the official ETHGlobal and ETHTokyo sites before you book.

Pre-flight checklist for ETHGlobal Tokyo

Phone: eSIM-capable and carrier-unlocked. Check before you buy.
Travel eSIM installed at home on Wi-Fi, switched on after landing. Keep your home SIM active for bank and 2FA codes.
Power bank (carry-on only, check your airline's limits) and a short cable. Conference days drain phones fast.
Hotspot plan check: if you demo from a laptop or share with a teammate, pick a plan that allows tethering.
Hardware wallet or a separate event wallet if you will be signing anything on site.
Offline copies: hotel address in the local language, booking confirmations, and your ticket QR as a screenshot.
Visit Japan Web completed before departure for the immigration and customs QR code.
Yen in cash for small restaurants, ticket machines and shrines. Do not count on cards everywhere.
Laptop charger with a Japan-compatible plug. Japan uses type A plugs at 100V; most laptop chargers handle the voltage, check yours.

Why you want your own mobile data at a hackathon

A hackathon floor is a stress test for any network: hundreds of laptops, containers pulling images, RPC calls and video calls on one venue connection. Organisers work hard on it, but the moments that matter most, final commits, deploys and the live demo, are exactly when everyone is online at once.

Tether your laptop to your phone if the venue network slows at submission time.
Keep a teammate online while they commute between the venue, hotel and side events.
Maps and transfers in Tokyo depend on live data: train changes, exits and walking routes.
Side events at night are spread across the city. You will be finding them on Luma and maps, on the street.

Pick a plan with enough data for tethering and check that hotspot is allowed on the plan page. If you expect heavy use, choose a larger daily allowance rather than the smallest one. You can compare Japan plans and pay in USDT on the Fizen eSIM page.

Money in Tokyo: cash, IC cards and cards

Situation	What usually works	Tip
Trains and convenience stores	IC card (Suica/Pasmo or mobile versions), cards	Top up with cash at station machines
Small restaurants and ticket-machine ramen shops	Cash	Keep ¥1,000 notes and coins handy
Hotels, department stores, big chains	International cards	Pay in yen, not your home currency
Getting cash	ATMs at 7-Eleven and many convenience stores	Check your bank's foreign ATM fee

Japan is far more card-friendly than it used to be, but plenty of good food still sits behind a cash-only ticket machine. The simplest setup is an IC card for transport, a card for bigger payments, and a small cash float for everything else. For more on staying online in Japan, see our Japan internet guide.

Entry: what to check before flying to Japan

Visa rules depend on your passport. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan before booking.
Visit Japan Web lets you register immigration and customs details in advance and generates one QR code you scan on arrival. It is optional but saves time.
Passport validity and return or onward tickets: confirm the requirements for your nationality on official sources.

How to set up your Japan eSIM in 5 steps

Check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked.
Choose a Japan plan sized for the whole trip, including hackathon tethering, on fizen.io/esim.
Pay in USDT, or with another method offered at checkout.
Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi. On supported iPhones it is one tap; other phones scan a QR code.
After landing, turn on the eSIM line, enable data roaming for it, and set it as your data line. Keep your home SIM on for calls and codes.

Wallet safety during ETHTokyo Week

Never connect your main wallet to a QR code you scanned at a booth or side event. Use a burner wallet with a small balance for mints, POAPs and raffles.
Avoid public Wi-Fi for anything wallet-related. Venue and hotel networks are crowded and shared. Your own mobile data is the safer default.
Treat DMs after the event as phishing by default. Fake speakers, fake sponsors and fake support accounts appear every conference week.
Do not sign transactions you cannot read, especially approvals and permit signatures offered as a free claim.

Tokyo tips for event week

Base yourself near a direct train line to Suidobashi or Korakuen to save time at 2 a.m. after hacking.
Late September is still warm and can be rainy. A compact umbrella earns its place in the backpack.
Trains stop around midnight. Plan how you get back from late side events, taxis are available but expensive.
Quiet on trains: calls on trains are considered rude, message instead.
Convenience stores are your 24-hour base for food, cash and phone chargers.

Frequently asked questions

When is ETHGlobal Tokyo 2026?

ETHGlobal Tokyo 2026 runs from 25 to 27 September 2026, with ETHGlobal Pragma Tokyo on 26 September. It is part of ETHTokyo Week, which runs community events from 19 to 27 September.

Where is ETHGlobal Tokyo 2026 held?

The hackathon venue is MEETS PORT 4F at Tokyo Dome City, with enXross DAO as a co-venue. Confirm the latest details on the official ETHGlobal event page.

Do I need an eSIM for ETHGlobal Tokyo?

It is not required, but it is strongly useful. Venue Wi-Fi is shared by hundreds of builders, and side events, maps and transfers across Tokyo all need live data. An eSIM installed at home gives you your own connection from the moment you land.

Can I use a travel eSIM as a hotspot for my laptop?

Many plans allow tethering, but not all. Check the plan details before you buy and choose a larger data allowance if you plan to work from your laptop over the phone connection.

Is cash still needed in Tokyo?

Yes, in many small restaurants, ticket-machine shops and some shrines. Use an IC card for transport and cards for larger payments, and carry some yen. ATMs at 7-Eleven generally accept foreign cards.

Do I need Visit Japan Web?

It is optional. Visit Japan Web lets you prepare immigration and customs information before you land and gives you one QR code to scan on arrival. Visa requirements depend on your nationality and should be checked on official sources.

Can I pay for a Japan eSIM with crypto?

Yes. On fizen.io/esim you can pay for a Japan eSIM in USDT, which suits builders who already hold stablecoins.

Japan eSIM for ETHGlobal Tokyo

Plans from $4, installed at home in minutes, data from the moment you land. Pay in USDT. Trip-long warranty with free 1-for-1 replacement if an eSIM fails.

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Information only. This checklist is general travel information, not legal, immigration, financial or investment advice.
For readers in the United States. This article provides information only. It is not an offer, solicitation or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, investment, legal or tax advice. Fizen is not offered to US Persons.
Event details can change. Dates, venues and schedules are set by the organisers. Check the official event website before you book.
Entry rules are official-source only. Visa, travel-authorisation and arrival-card rules are set by the destination's government and can change. Confirm them on the official sites linked here before you fly.
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