Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Japan
- NETWORKS
- Fixed data: KDDI, Softbank · Unlimited: Softbank
- PLAN TYPE
- Data only
- IP ADDRESS LOCATION
- Fixed data: Singapore, Asia · Unlimited: Japan
- DELIVERY
- QR code by email
How it works
- 1Choose a plan and pay.
- 2Scan the QR code we email you. You can install it before you fly.
- 3When you land in Japan, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Questions about the Japan eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Japan?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Is an eSIM better than pocket Wi-Fi in Japan?
Can I add a Suica card to my phone as a visitor?
Does data work in the Tokyo subway?
Will I have signal climbing Mount Fuji?
Can I make calls on trains in Japan?
How much data do I need for two weeks in Japan?
Japan eSIM guide: mobile data for Tokyo, Kyoto, the Shinkansen and the countryside
Japan is one of the easiest countries in the world to travel in, and one of the places where mobile data helps most. Train networks in Tokyo and Osaka are vast, station complexes have dozens of exits, addresses are based on blocks rather than street names, and many restaurants, shrines and shops have signs only in Japanese. With data, a route planner gets you onto the right line and platform, a map leads you to a tiny ramen bar down a side street, and a camera translator turns a vending machine or menu into something you can read.
This guide explains how a Japan eSIM from Spidot compares with roaming, a local SIM and pocket Wi-Fi routers, how much data a typical trip uses, what to do on arrival at Narita, Haneda or Kansai, and what coverage is like in the cities, on the Shinkansen, in the mountains and on the islands. It also covers IC cards, payments and trips that continue to South Korea or Taiwan.
Your options for mobile data in Japan
Visitors to Japan have more options than in many countries. The main choices are roaming, a tourist SIM, a pocket Wi-Fi router rented at the airport, or a travel eSIM.
Roaming on your home SIM
Roaming needs no setup, but Japan is outside most providers' low-cost roaming zones, so daily fees can be high over a two-week trip. Check your provider's terms before you go.
Tourist SIMs and pocket Wi-Fi
Data-only tourist SIMs are sold at airports, electronics stores and some convenience stores. Pocket Wi-Fi routers are popular with groups, as several people can share one device, but they are another gadget to charge, carry and return before you fly home, and everyone needs to stay near the person carrying it. Local SIMs that include a Japanese phone number are harder for short-term visitors to get.
A Spidot eSIM
With a travel eSIM you buy a plan online, receive a QR code by email and install it at home. There is nothing to collect or return, and you are online as soon as you land. Plans for Japan start from $5.90. Your own SIM stays active for calls and texts. Plans are data-only unless you choose Data + calls; most visitors manage with data, booking restaurants and hotels online and messaging through apps.
How much data a trip to Japan uses
Travellers in Japan tend to use their phones all day: route planning before every journey, maps between stations and sights, translation, restaurant searches and a lot of photos. The figures below are rough estimates for planning, not exact measurements.
- Maps and train route planning: roughly 5 to 15 MB an hour of active use.
- Camera translation: a few MB per use, less with offline language packs.
- Messaging with photos: often 50 to 200 MB a day.
- Social media with video: often 300 MB to 1 GB an hour.
- Video calls home: roughly 500 MB to 1 GB an hour.
- Streaming video on long train rides: often 1 to 3 GB an hour in HD.
Choosing a plan
A week in Tokyo and Kyoto with maps, translation and moderate social media is usually covered by a mid-sized fixed data plan. Two weeks or more, a lot of video, or work on the move suit a larger plan or an unlimited plan priced by the day; speed may slow after heavy use. Frequent visitors can use a no-expiry plan so unused data carries over to the next trip. See the prices page for current options.
Install the eSIM before you fly
Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi so you can plan your route from the airport as soon as you land. Make sure your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked; dialling *#06# shows an EID on most eSIM phones. Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel.
- Label the new line Japan or Travel.
- Set the Spidot line for mobile data and keep your home SIM for calls and texts.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM.
- Download offline maps of the cities you will visit.
- Download an offline Japanese language pack in your translation app.
- Save hotel addresses in Japanese as well as English, and screenshot them for taxi drivers.
Arriving at Narita, Haneda or Kansai
Tokyo has two international airports: Haneda, close to the city, and Narita, further out in Chiba. Kansai International Airport, on an island in Osaka Bay, serves Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. Other international airports include Chubu near Nagoya, New Chitose near Sapporo, Fukuoka and Naha in Okinawa.
- Turn off flight mode after landing.
- Turn on data roaming for the Spidot line; the data roaming guide shows where the setting is.
- Give the phone a minute to find a network, and restart it once if nothing happens.
- Check data works, then plan your route into the city.
Into the city
From Narita, the Narita Express and the Keisei Skyliner run into Tokyo, and limousine buses serve major hotels. Haneda is linked to central Tokyo by the Keikyu line and the Tokyo Monorail. From Kansai, the Haruka express runs to Kyoto and Osaka, and the Nankai line runs to Osaka. You can usually buy an IC card or use one on your phone from the airport station.
Coverage: cities, mountains and islands
Japan has dense, reliable mobile networks, and in cities and towns you can expect a strong signal on streets, in stations and on most of the subway. Your eSIM uses local partner networks; for this plan they are Softbank. The phone chooses automatically.
Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and other cities
The big cities are well covered, including most subway lines and underground shopping streets. The main issue is busy places, such as Shibuya Crossing or a festival crowd, where speeds can dip briefly. In Kyoto, the temples and shrines in the hills, such as the paths behind Fushimi Inari, may have weaker signal in places.
The Japanese Alps, rural areas and hiking trails
Popular rural destinations such as Hakone, Nikko, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa and the Kiso Valley towns are generally connected, though coverage can be patchier between towns and on walks. On mountain hikes, including the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes, the Nakasendo trail sections and climbs in the Japanese Alps or on Mount Fuji, signal can come and go. Download maps and trail information in advance.
Hokkaido, Okinawa and the smaller islands
Sapporo, Niseko and the main towns of Hokkaido are well covered, but long drives through national parks and remote coastlines can have quiet stretches. Okinawa's main island is generally well connected, while smaller islands such as those in the Yaeyama group have coverage in their villages and gaps on remote beaches and at sea.
Using data on the Shinkansen and local trains
The Shinkansen network links Tokyo with Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Kanazawa, Sendai and beyond. Mobile coverage on the main lines is generally good, including in many tunnels, and many trains also have onboard Wi-Fi. Local trains in rural areas may pass through areas with weaker signal.
- Route planners in Google Maps and dedicated Japanese transit apps show trains, platforms, transfers and fares.
- IC cards such as Suica, PASMO and ICOCA pay for trains, subways, buses and purchases in many shops. Many phones can add one to their digital wallet.
- Shinkansen tickets and seat reservations can be booked online through the rail operators' websites and apps.
- Japan has strong etiquette about phone calls on trains: keep your phone on silent and avoid talking on it while on board.
- Download films or podcasts before long journeys if you prefer not to stream.
Payments, apps and practical tips
Cards and contactless phone payments are now widely accepted in Japan, especially in cities, chain stores and hotels. Cash is still used in some small restaurants, temples, rural guesthouses and markets, and convenience store ATMs generally accept foreign cards.
- Currency: the Japanese yen. Carry some cash for small places and coin lockers.
- Taxis can be hailed or booked through apps such as GO, and Uber operates in some cities.
- Restaurant booking sites and apps make it easier to reserve popular places in advance.
- Power sockets take two flat-pin plugs, as in North America.
- Earthquake and tsunami alerts are issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency; tourist information apps such as Safety tips, from the Japan Tourism Agency, provide alerts in English and other languages.
Hotspot use and public Wi-Fi
If you are travelling as a couple or a family, one phone can share data through Personal Hotspot (iPhone) or Mobile Hotspot (Android), much like a pocket Wi-Fi router. Each connected device adds its own usage, so pause cloud sync and automatic updates on laptops. Many travellers find separate eSIMs more convenient because people tend to split up during the day.
Free Wi-Fi is common in stations, airports, convenience stores, cafés and hotels, sometimes after a short sign-up.
- Use mobile data rather than public Wi-Fi for banking and payments.
- Check network names before connecting.
- Turn off auto-join for open networks.
- Avoid entering passwords on pages without https.
Combining Japan with other countries
Japan is often combined with South Korea, a short flight or ferry away, and with Taiwan, Hong Kong or China. A Japan plan is designed for use in Japan, so for a multi-country trip the simplest approach is one eSIM per country. You can install several before you leave and switch the active data line when you arrive in each country.
Keeping track of your data
You can check how much data is left at any time and add more data to the same eSIM. To make data last, set photo backup to Wi-Fi only and download entertainment at the hotel. If data stops working, check that data roaming is on for the Spidot line and restart the phone. For other problems, email support@spidot.com with the email address you used to order.