eSIM for Japan
Internet in Japan from the moment you land. Install at home, no SIM swap.
- Networks
- KDDI/au, NTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile and 1 more · 5GYour phone connects to the strongest network nearby automatically
- When validity starts
- On first connection in JapanYou can buy and install it now
- Your home number
- Stays activeWhatsApp keeps working on the same number
- Hotspot
- Yes, you can share data
- What's included
- Data onlyCalls through WhatsApp or other apps
A Japan eSIM costs from $3.56 (3GB for 30 days) to $14.56 (20GB for 30 days) and runs on 4 local networks, including KDDI/au, NTT docomo and Rakuten Mobile with 5G. Validity starts on your first connection in Japan, not on the day you buy, and your home number stays active for WhatsApp. You can share data over hotspot. Plans are data only; calls go through WhatsApp or other apps.
Japan is known for some of the most reliable cellular infrastructure in the world, including in smaller towns and along the bullet-train routes. That makes a pre-installed eSIM especially practical — you're connected from the first moment, no hunting for station Wi-Fi required.
How do I install an eSIM for Japan?
- Within minutesGet a QR code by email
Together with install instructions.
- About a minuteInstall before you fly
Scan the code in your phone settings, while still at home.
- On landingLand and you're online
Data comes on by itself once your phone finds a network in Japan.
What should I know before a trip to Japan?
The plan's network list includes all four of Japan's major carriers: NTT docomo, KDDI/au, SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile, all on 5G.
Worth knowing in advance: tourists can't get a Japanese phone number. A 2006 Japanese law requires identity verification with a Japanese residence document for any line with voice calls, so almost all tourist plans — this one included — are data-only. In practice you'll barely notice: WhatsApp, maps, translation and taxi apps all run on data, and your home SIM can stay in the phone for SMS verification codes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which network does the Japan eSIM use?
KDDI/au, one of Japan's major carriers, with 5G.
Does the Japan eSIM come with a Japanese phone number?
No. Japanese law requires a local residence document for any line with voice calls, so almost all tourist plans, this one included, are data only. WhatsApp, maps, translation and taxi apps all work on data.
Is an eSIM better than pocket Wi-Fi in Japan?
For most travelers, yes. There's nothing to pick up at the airport or return before you fly home, nothing to charge, and each person in the group is connected on their own phone. Pocket Wi-Fi can still make sense for a large group sharing one device.
Is there an unlimited plan for Japan?
Not at the moment. Japan has data plans from 3GB to 20GB, each valid for 30 days.
Are eSIM, digital SIM, and virtual SIM all the same thing?
Yes. An eSIM (also called a digital SIM or virtual SIM) is a SIM with no physical component, installed on your device by scanning a QR code instead of inserting a card. You use it exactly like a regular SIM for data abroad, without hunting for a SIM kiosk at your destination.
Does my device support eSIM technology?
Most smartphones released in the last five years support eSIM. We recommend checking your device settings, or looking up your phone model in the FlySim compatibility checker. Open the compatibility checker
How exactly does activation work?
After payment, you'll receive a unique QR code by email. Scan it in your device's cellular settings (Add eSIM), confirm, and that's it.