eSIM for Japan
Instant deliveryPay onceNot sure how much data you need? Estimate it
Japan eSIM plans start at $3.99. 12 prepaid packages cover 1 GB to 50 GB plus daily-unlimited over 3 to 30 days. Data runs on NTT docomo, KDDI/au and Rakuten Mobile. Pay once and the QR code lands in your inbox — your regular SIM stays in the phone.
Fixed data
Daily unlimited
Trip data planner
Japan trip: how much data do I need?
Pick a trip length and how you use your phone. Every answer is a Japan plan on sale today.
Plan for about 3.4 GB–7 GB for this trip.
Recommended from the current Japan plans
Its validity and daily high-speed allowance fit this usage profile for 7 days.
Also fits
Every answer for Japan at a glance
| Trip | Light | Everyday | Heavy | Video-heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | Light | Everyday | Heavy | Video-heavy |
| 10 days | Light | Everyday | Heavy | Video-heavy |
| 14 days | Light | Everyday | Heavy | Video-heavyNo plan fits |
| 30 days | Light | Everyday | HeavyNo plan fits | Video-heavyNo plan fits |
Planning estimates, not a guarantee: video quality, uploads and hotspot use change real usage. Compare destinations in the data calculator
Using an eSIM in Japan
Japan's main mobile networks are NTT Docomo, au (KDDI), SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile. City coverage in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto is dense, so the bigger question for most visitors is how much data they will use, not whether they will have signal.
Mobile data matters more than most visitors expect. Train routes, Google Maps walking directions, translation apps and restaurant bookings all lean on a connection, and free public Wi-Fi is patchier than in many countries.
Good to know
- Signal can drop on mountain stretches and inside long tunnels, including parts of the Shinkansen routes and rural Hokkaido, Tohoku and the Japan Alps.
- LINE is the everyday messaging app for locals and many businesses; it works over any data connection.
- Activation timing varies by package: some start when you install, others when you first connect in Japan. Follow the instructions on your plan.
Japan eSIM questions
- Is an eSIM better than a pocket Wi-Fi in Japan?
- An eSIM lives in your phone, so there is nothing to collect, charge or return, and your maps and translation apps work wherever your phone does. A pocket Wi-Fi can suit a group sharing one connection, but it is another device to carry and keep charged.
- Will my eSIM work on the bullet train and in the countryside?
- Mostly in cities and along main rail lines, but any network can lose signal in tunnels and remote mountain areas. Download offline maps and train timetables before you leave a city.
- Can I make phone calls with a Japan travel eSIM?
- Travel eSIMs here are data plans, so calls and texts go through apps such as LINE, WhatsApp or FaceTime over mobile data. Your usual SIM stays in the phone for calls to your own number.
