Asia

Best eSIM for Japan

Japan has excellent eSIM coverage. Nearly all major providers resell either Softbank or NTT Docomo capacity, so real-world speeds are uniformly good — the decision comes down to price and unlimited vs capped data.

Updated October 17, 2026

At a glance

Lowest price we’ve found: Talisim — $9.40 for 10 GB / 30 days on NTT docomo with a Japanese IP (via IIJ), roughly half Airalo’s $18
Best general pick: Airalo — broad Japan catalogue and a polished install, on SoftBank and KDDI
Also on KDDI and SoftBank: Nomad — $16 on sale (usually $18)
Most Japan-native: Ubigi — its parent, Transatel, is an NTT subsidiary, and it’s pre-installed in some Japanese-market connected cars
Best for streaming and video calls: Holafly Japan — unlimited from $27.50 for 7 days, but hotspot is capped at about 500 MB–1 GB a day
For travellers who’ll return: Dracotel — your balance carries to the next trip while you keep its $12-a-year subscription

Prices we checked

10 GB of data for 30 days, from each provider’s own website on 17 October 2026.

Provider	Price	Networks
Talisim	$9.40	NTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile, KDDI/au, SoftBank
Nomad	$16.00 (sale; usually $18.00)	KDDI/au, SoftBank
Airalo	$18.00	SoftBank, KDDI/au

Holafly sells unlimited data instead: $27.50 for 7 days or $50.50 for 15 days.

Network notes

Japan’s three carriers — Softbank, NTT Docomo, and KDDI — all offer excellent nationwide LTE/5G coverage, including on the shinkansen. Whichever provider’s eSIM you pick, expect solid performance.

Practical tips

Install the eSIM before you land. Narita and Haneda Wi-Fi can be flaky.
Most eSIMs are data-only — no Japanese phone number. Use LINE for calls.
Airalo’s Asialink regional plan covers Japan plus the rest of East/SE Asia.

Recommended providers

Airalo

The supermarket of eSIMs: plans for almost everywhere, just rarely the cheapest thing on the shelf.

4.1 / 5

From: $4.50
Countries: 200+
Hotspot: Yes

Ubigi

Your BMW might already have one. Good on laptops and tablets too, though rarely the cheapest.

3.6 / 5

From: $4.50
Countries: 190+
Hotspot: Yes

Holafly

Unlimited data, so no more doing maths. Hotspot taps out at about 500 MB–1 GB a day, though.

4.0 / 5

From: $6.90
Countries: 170+
Hotspot: Yes

Dracotel

One eSIM that stays on your phone between trips. It works like old-school pay-as-you-go, just in 200+ countries.

Something different

4.4 / 5

From: $1.00
Countries: 200+
Hotspot: Yes

Talisim

Usually the cheapest plan we can find, and buying one takes less time than finding your passport.