eSIM data plans for Japan

Four carriers carry the fixed data plans here: KDDI/au, NTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile and SoftBank, all on 4G and 5G, in sizes from 1GB to 50GB and validity from seven to thirty days. The unlimited plans work differently: one carrier only, KDDI, on 3G and 4G, sold by the day rather than by the gigabyte, from a single day up to fifteen.

Picking a plan type

A traveller who maps out a fixed number of days and wants an easy price per day is the natural fit for the KDDI unlimited plans, which are sold by the day under a fair use policy that reduces speed past a daily amount. Someone who knows roughly how much data a week of maps, messaging and photos actually uses is better served by the fixed data tiers, which run across four networks rather than one.

Getting around on data

Ride-hailing works differently in Japan than in many other countries. Apps such as GO mainly work as a booking layer for licensed taxis rather than an open marketplace of independent drivers, and booking a ride this way needs a working data connection. Having your eSIM active from the moment you land matters more here than somewhere you can simply hail a car off the street.