Gadget / Smartwatches / Guide
【Oct 2026 Update】Best Garmin Smartwatches in Japan: Three 2026 Models Compared, Forerunner 70 Lasts About 13 Days
Choose a Garmin by battery days, whether it supports Suica payments, and whether it has a screen. The Forerunner 70 (May 28, 2026) costs JPY 39,800 and lasts about 13 days as a smartwatch. The Forerunner 170 costs JPY 47,800 and lasts about 10.
Key points
- Release order: Forerunner 70 and 170 (May 28, 2026), CIRQA Smart Band (Aug 6, 2026)
- Battery as a smartwatch: Forerunner 70 about 13 days, 170 about 10 days, CIRQA about 10 days
- Prices: JPY 39,800 (70), JPY 47,800 (170), JPY 32,800 (CIRQA). The JPY 8,000 gap between 70 and 170 is about 20% of the 70's price
Which Garmin watch? Battery days decide it
With a smartwatch, whether you must charge it every night changes how it feels to live with. Garmin builds watches that last days, not hours.
As an IT consultant (SE), I read the footnote before the headline number. Battery days depend on use, so I separated "as a smartwatch" from "with GPS running".
Three models released in 2026. The short answer: for a first Garmin, the Forerunner 70, which lasts about 13 days.
Three yardsticks: battery, features, price
| Yardstick | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Battery days | Forerunner 70 | About 13 days, 3 days more than the 170's 10 (about 23%) |
| Features | Forerunner 170 | Garmin Pay (Suica supported), altimeter, barometer and electronic compass |
| Price | CIRQA Smart Band | JPY 32,800, JPY 7,000 below the Forerunner 70 (39,800 − 32,800) |
Battery days change with screen brightness and notifications. The figures in the table are Garmin's test conditions.
The three models: release dates and numbers
| Model | Release | Price (tax incl.) | Battery (watch mode / GPS on) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forerunner 70 | May 28, 2026 | JPY 39,800 | About 13 days / about 23 hours | 40g |
| Forerunner 170 | May 28, 2026 | JPY 47,800 | About 10 days / about 20 hours | 41g |
| CIRQA Smart Band | Aug 6, 2026 | JPY 32,800 | About 10 days / ― | Sensor about 15g (about 21g with band) |
The Forerunner 70 and 170 both have a 1.2-inch AMOLED screen and running metrics such as VO2 Max and running dynamics. The JPY 8,000 gap is about 20% of the 70's price (8,000 ÷ 39,800).
Forerunner 70: about 13 days for JPY 39,800, a first Garmin
Released May 28, 2026 for beginner runners and first-time watch buyers. It weighs 40g, and Garmin says the 1.2-inch AMOLED screen is easy to read in sunlight.
It records heart rate, sleep, stress and Body Battery (an energy-level score) around the clock. Over three years that is about JPY 36 a day (39,800 ÷ 1,095).
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Garmin Forerunner 70
Rakuten Ichiba is a Japanese marketplace. Overseas shipping depends on the shop.
Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
Forerunner 170: the step-up model with Suica and an altimeter
Released the same day at JPY 47,800. Compared with the 70, it adds Garmin Pay (Suica supported) and an altimeter, barometer and electronic compass.
Battery drops to about 10 days, 3 fewer than the 70. It suits runners who want to tap through a ticket gate mid-run, or who run on hills. For music too, there is the JPY 55,800 170 Music.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Garmin Forerunner 170
Rakuten Ichiba is a Japanese marketplace. Overseas shipping depends on the shop.
Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
CIRQA Smart Band: health tracking on your wrist for JPY 32,800
Released Aug 6, 2026 as Garmin's first band-type tracker. The sensor weighs about 15g, is 9mm thick, lasts about 10 days and is 5ATM water resistant.
It covers heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep score and HRV (heart-rate variability). There is no GPS on the band: it uses your phone's GPS ("connected GPS").
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Garmin CIRQA Smart Band
Rakuten Ichiba is a Japanese marketplace. Overseas shipping depends on the shop.
Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
Strengths and things to note
Strengths
Forerunner 70: about 13 days and 40g, made for all-day wear. Forerunner 170: Suica and an altimeter for JPY 47,800. CIRQA: Garmin-grade sleep tracking for JPY 32,800.
Things to note
Garmin lists Suica payment as a 170 feature. If you want it on the 70, check first. The 170's battery is on the shorter side at about 10 days. The CIRQA has no GPS, so carry your phone to record a run.
Which one should you buy?
A first Garmin: Forerunner 70. Suica and an altimeter: Forerunner 170. No watch on your wrist but sleep and health tracking: CIRQA Smart Band.
If you can't decide, take the Forerunner 70. The reason: about 13 days for JPY 39,800, at only 40g.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Garmin Forerunner 70
Rakuten Ichiba is a Japanese marketplace. Overseas shipping depends on the shop.
Buying from outside Japan? Sign up free for Rakuten Global Express (Rakuten's official forwarding service) and check out with its Japan warehouse address → full guide
For running audio that leaves your ears open, see the best ear-cuff earbuds. For focus days, there are the best wireless earbuds, and for travel the best Qi2 power banks.
Related reading: Forerunner 70 review.
FAQ
What is the best Garmin smartwatch?
For a first one, the Forerunner 70 (about 13 days). For Suica, the Forerunner 170. For screenless health tracking, the CIRQA Smart Band.
What is the difference between Forerunner 70 and 170?
The 170 costs JPY 47,800 and adds Garmin Pay (Suica), an altimeter, a barometer and a compass. Battery is about 13 days on the 70 and about 10 on the 170.
When did the Forerunner 70 come out in Japan?
It went on sale May 28, 2026, at JPY 39,800 (tax included).
About the writer and sources
Written by a gadget nerd who works as an IT consultant (SE). At work, I read the footnotes behind a spec before the headline number, and I built the tables here the same way.
Release dates and prices were re-checked on Oct 26 against the makers' announcements and Rakuten Ichiba listings. Sources are listed below.
