Japan
🇯🇵
eSIM for Tokyo
Tokyo is the biggest city most visitors will ever navigate, and almost every step of it runs through a phone: the train map, the transit card, the restaurant reservation. Install the eSIM before the flight and land online.
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1 GB
7 days
$2.99 $2.99/GB
3 GB
30 days −61%
$3.49 $1.19/GB
5 GB
Popular30 days −63%
$5.49 $1.09/GB
10 GB
30 days −72%
$8.49 $0.89/GB
20 GB
Best value30 days −77%
$13.99 $0.69/GB
Tokyo: what to know before you go
- From the airports
- Haneda (HND) is close to the centre and Narita (NRT) is about an hour away by train. Transit directions are the first thing you will need after immigration.
- Transit and the card
- Trains and the metro are the way to move, and a map app that shows platforms and line colours is essential. Suica and Pasmo transit cards can be added to Apple Wallet on a recent iPhone.
- Coverage
- Coverage is excellent across the city and most of the subway. Dense areas like Shibuya and Shinjuku at rush hour can slow, but it stays usable.
- Booking on the phone
- Sights such as Shibuya Sky, teamLab and many restaurants take online bookings with a QR code. Walk-ins are often impossible in busy months.
- Free wifi is patchy
- Public wifi exists in stations and shops but usually needs a registration step and drops often. An eSIM is more reliable.
How much data you need
A week of maps, translation, bookings and photos takes about 4 to 6 GB. Constant navigation by train is what uses it up.
Written . Opening rules, fees and prices at attractions change, so check the official site before you rely on them.
Japan eSIM 2026: prices, network and coverage
9 plans, from $2.99 (1 GB, 7 days) to $13.99 (20 GB, 30 days). Networks: KDDI/au 5G, SoftBank 5G, NTT docomo 5G, and Rakuten Mobile 5G.
| Data | Validity | Price | Per GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $3.49 | $1.16 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $5.49 | $1.10 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $8.49 | $0.85 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $13.99 | $0.70 |
| Unlimited | 3 days | $8.97 | $2.99 per day |
| Unlimited | 7 days | $20.93 | $2.99 per day |
| Unlimited | 15 days | $44.85 | $2.99 per day |
| Unlimited | 30 days | $89.70 | $2.99 per day |
- Network
- KDDI/au 5G, SoftBank 5G, NTT docomo 5G, Rakuten Mobile 5G
- Top-up
- Yes, from the eSIM page, on the same eSIM
- Validity starts
- At the first connection at your destination
- Install by
- Shown on your order. An eSIM that is never installed expires
- Your number
- Stays active, plans are data only
- Hotspot
- Uses the same plan data, no separate charge
- After the daily allowance
- Day passes slow down to 1 Mbps
Questions about Tokyo
- Can I use the eSIM for Google Maps and the train apps?
- Yes. A data plan works for any app, and Google Maps or a dedicated transit app is how most visitors find the right platform. Download offline maps as a backup for the subway.
- Do I need a Japanese phone number?
- Not for the trip. A travel eSIM gives you data only, and apps like WhatsApp, LINE and your usual messaging work as normal. Some restaurant bookings may ask for a number, which is why many visitors book online instead.
- How much does an eSIM for Tokyo cost?
- Tokyo uses the Japan plans, because an eSIM belongs to a country and not to a city. Plans start at $2.99 for 1 GB, valid for 7 days. There are 9 plans, from 1 GB to 20 GB, plus unlimited day passes.
- Do I need a local SIM card in Tokyo?
- No. The eSIM is a SIM card in digital form: you install it from a QR code before you leave, and there is nothing to buy at the airport or swap in your phone.
- How is it different from roaming in Tokyo?
- With roaming, your own carrier bills the data you use abroad, usually by the day or by the megabyte, at the prices of your plan. The eSIM is prepaid: you know the cost before you leave and nothing is added later. Keep data roaming off on your usual line, so it cannot charge you.
- Which networks does the Tokyo eSIM use?
- Yapsim connects to KDDI/au, SoftBank, NTT docomo, and Rakuten Mobile, with 5G where it is available. Each plan lists the operators it uses.
- Can I add more data?
- Yes. You top up the same eSIM from its page, without installing a new one.
- Do I keep my phone number?
- Yes. Plans are data only, so your usual line stays active for calls and texts, and WhatsApp keeps working as always.
- When do the validity days start?
- Not when you buy and not when you install: the days start counting when the eSIM connects to a network at your destination for the first time. A 30 day plan gives you 30 days from that first connection.
- How long do I have to install the eSIM?
- An eSIM that is never installed expires. The "Install by" date is shown on your order and on the site, so you can buy ahead of your trip. Install it before that date, on Wi-Fi.
- Can I use the eSIM as a hotspot?
- Data used through a personal hotspot comes out of the same plan, and Yapsim does not charge it separately. A laptop uses far more data than a phone, so for work a day pass or a bigger plan is safer.
- What happens when the data runs out?
- Plans are prepaid, so there are no extra charges: when the data is used up, the connection stops until you add more from the eSIM page. Day passes give a daily allowance at full speed, then continue at reduced speed (1 Mbps) until the next day.
- When should I install the eSIM?
- Before you leave, on Wi-Fi. When you land, set the Yapsim line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it.