Phones & Internet – Anshin Japan

No Signal in Japan? Fix Your Phone in This Order

You get off the plane and turn off Airplane Mode. But at the top of the screen, all you see is “No Service.” Sometimes the signal bars are showing, but your map still won’t open.

At this point, take a deep breath. Then go through these steps, in this order.

This article is about that order. Later, we’ll touch briefly on subways, mountains, a low battery and what to know just in case.

Screen names and rules can change (this article is based on guidance from companies and organizations as of October 2026).

First, in this order

On an iPhone, here’s the order.

1 Check the date and time. If the time is off after you land, go to “Settings” > “General” > “Date & Time” and turn on “Set Automatically.”

2 Turn Airplane Mode on for about 30 seconds, then off again. Then wait for your iPhone to pick the best signal on its own.

3 Still seeing “No Service” or “SOS only”? Go to “Settings” > “Cellular” (called “Mobile Data” in some regions). Check that your travel line is turned on, and that it’s the line chosen for cellular data. An eSIM doesn’t work just because it’s installed; it only works once it’s turned on (for how to install it and switch over, see the “eSIM” article). Then check data roaming for that line.

4 If that still doesn’t work, try a different SIM, or contact the company you bought your travel SIM or eSIM from.

For data roaming in step 3, Apple’s guidance says to turn it on, but for a travel eSIM, follow the company that sold it if it tells you on or off, and if you’re using a travel SIM or eSIM, keep roaming off on your home carrier’s line to avoid unexpected roaming charges.

The right settings are in the guide from the company you bought from

If you’re unsure how to set up a travel eSIM or SIM, look at the guide from the company you bought it from. Airalo, for example, lists what to check when you can’t connect, together with the steps in its app, like this.

Turn that line (the eSIM) on
Set the line you use for cellular data to that eSIM
Enter the APN (access point settings) only if needed, exactly as shown in the app. If it’s filled in automatically, leave it alone
Turn data roaming on or off, as the app tells you

The last item is the important one. Whether data roaming should be “on” or “off” depends on the company’s guide, too. So the screen from the company you bought from is more reliable than some general answer you read somewhere.

With other companies too, and on Android phones, where menu names and locations differ by model and version, the thing to rely on is the guide from the company you bought from.

If you still can’t connect, contact the company’s support. With Airalo, you can ask through the chat in the app or on the website. If you need internet to get in touch, the airport’s free Wi-Fi can help (see the “Free Wi-Fi in Japan” article).

If things suddenly slow down after a few days, check how much data you have left, too. Once you use up your plan’s data, it may stop working or get much slower.

Subways — connected even on the train

Since 2013, Tokyo’s subways have had cell service not just in stations but on moving trains too. You can look up transfers as you ride, and the connection doesn’t drop very often along the way.

Still, even with docomo, one of Japan’s carriers, there are some spots inside stations where you can’t get a signal. If you lose the signal for a moment past the ticket gates or in a passageway, it should usually come back after you walk a little.

One more thing: Tokyo Metro’s free Wi-Fi is currently paused for equipment upgrades (as of October 2026). Even underground, the thing to rely on is your own line.

Mountains and rural areas — even with coverage on the map, the season changes things

In the mountains and rural areas, how far the signal reaches depends on which company’s network your line runs on. For coverage maps, see the overview article.

If you’re heading into Nagano’s high mountains, just one more thing. On Mt. Tsubakuro, Mt. Jonen, Mt. Yari and Mt. Hotaka in the Northern Alps, and on Mt. Norikura, Mt. Ontake and others, some places get their signal from base stations that are set up only during the climbing season. Because of that, on docomo, from around late November to around late April, it may be hard to connect even where the map shows coverage.

Up in the mountains, when you have a connection, take care of what you need to do while it lasts. Going in with that mindset makes the trip easier.

Just in case — satellites and 00000JAPAN

On most trips you’ll never need any of this, but knowing it can take a weight off your mind.

With an iPhone 14 or later, you may be able to text emergency numbers via satellite, even with no signal. In Japan this covers 110 (police), 118 (accidents at sea) and 119 (fire and ambulance), and you need iOS 17.6 or later. If you’re somewhere with no cell signal and no Wi-Fi, and you call or text an emergency number but can’t get through, your iPhone tries to connect to a satellite. It works outdoors, where you have a clear view of the sky and the horizon.

Travelers visiting Japan can use it too (iPhones bought in some countries and regions can’t). Apple’s relay centers accept texts in 9 languages, including English, Japanese, French and Spanish; Korean and Chinese aren’t on that list.

During a major disaster or a large-scale mobile network outage, a free Wi-Fi network called “00000JAPAN” (read as Five Zero Japan) may open up. Anyone can connect, with no password. But it isn’t encrypted, so use it only for what you need, like checking that people are safe or looking up information.

Even with a connection, a dead battery leaves you just as cut off. And sometimes your battery is already low by the time you land.

Download maps before you set out, and test them

If you want to see maps where there’s no signal, one option is to download them before you head out, over Wi-Fi at home or where you’re staying. That’s because downloading needs an internet connection.

But what works offline depends on the map app. Google Maps (Android) only gives driving directions offline, not transit, walking or cycling directions. Apple Maps shows transit and walking directions even offline.

And with both, offline maps are only available in some countries and regions. The surest way to know whether you can download your destinations in Japan is to try it once before you leave.

Just remember this

If you can’t connect: date and time → Airplane Mode for 30 seconds → your travel line and data roaming. The right settings are in the guide from the company you bought from (if you’re using a travel SIM or eSIM, keep roaming off on your home carrier’s line)
In the mountains, get things done while you have a signal
Before you set out, test whether you can download your maps

When the signal bars come back at the top of your screen, open your map and tell your family, “Made it!” If you know the order, even the time you can’t connect is not much more than a slightly longer deep breath.

Official sources we checked (16)

2026-09-28

When You Need a Japanese Phone Number | Less Often Than You Think: For Verification Codes and in Case Something Happens

With a travel eSIM, maps, train routes, even the “I’ve arrived” message to your family all work just like at home. Then you install a taxi app, and the very first screen says “Enter phone number.”

If you get stuck right here, you’re far from alone. Some travel eSIMs, SIMs and pocket Wi-Fi are data-only and don’t come with a Japanese phone number.

But even without a number, your trip will usually go just fine. You need a Japanese phone number less often than you think. There are two things worth knowing in particular: the “verification code” an app sends when you sign up, and making a call if something happens. This article is about how to get through those two.

App steps and rules can change (this is based on what each company and organization said as of October 2026).

Verification codes — if one doesn’t arrive, there’s another way

When you sign up for an app or a website, you enter a phone number and a verification code arrives by SMS. Without a Japanese number, this is usually where you get stuck. That’s because a data-only SIM itself can’t receive SMS (if you keep your home number, you may be able to receive it there; more below).

But there’s more than one way to get past a verification code.

The taxi app “GO”: your passport and a photo of yourself

It’s a relief to call a taxi from the airport or station to your hotel instead of wheeling your suitcase there. To sign up for “GO,” a Japanese taxi app, you usually enter a mobile number that can receive SMS, then type in the 4-digit code that arrives.

If the SMS doesn’t arrive, go to “Cannot receive a SMS message?” on the sign-up screen. Set an email address and password, enter the 4-digit code sent to your email, then take photos of your passport and your face so they can confirm it’s you. What you’ll need: a valid passport, an email address, and a phone with a working camera.

One more thing. With a number from some countries, you may not be able to sign up from outside Japan. In that case, sign up after you arrive in Japan. If you’re in Japan and still can’t sign up, allow your phone to use location services and try again.

Your home number is worth keeping

You may want to receive verification codes from your bank or card company back home while you travel. On an iPhone, you can keep your home number as it is, add a travel eSIM, and use only the travel eSIM for data. For how to install an eSIM and switch over, see the “eSIM” article.

But whether your home number works for calls and SMS in Japan depends on your home carrier. Check with your carrier before you leave. Some carriers need settings like VoLTE or data roaming (for example, Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom). If you turn data roaming on, check your plan’s charges too (see the “How to Get Your Phone Online in Japan” article).

LINE: if you’re from Korea or Taiwan, use your home number

If you’re from Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan or Thailand, LINE verifies you with an SMS-capable number from a mobile carrier in that country or region. If you’re coming from Korea or Taiwan, you can use your home number. You can’t verify with numbers that exist only on the internet (virtual phone numbers), data-only SIMs, or Wi-Fi-only devices.

Booking sites: email works too

Tabelog’s English site sends sign-up and log-in verification codes by email, and booking confirmations by email too. You don’t need to receive SMS. But you will be asked to enter a phone number. When you change or cancel a booking, the number you entered is used to find your booking, so make a note of which number you used.

If something happens — 110 and 119

It’s best if you never need them. But if you know what to do, you can act calmly when the moment comes.

The numbers to remember: 110 and 119.

110 Police (traffic accidents, crime)
119 Ambulance and fire (fires, traffic accidents, serious illness or injury)

Both work 24 hours a day, and both are free.

But on a data-only travel eSIM, or on a phone still using your home line, you may not be able to call 110 or 119. Some Japanese mobile carriers also say that emergency calls can’t be made with a data-only SIM.

So besides your phone, keep two other ways in mind.

Show someone nearby this one sentence

The fastest way is to ask someone nearby, or the staff at your hotel or a shop. The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) also says that if you need an ambulance, you can show the sentence below to a Japanese person nearby and ask them to call one.

救急車を呼んでください。

(Please call an ambulance.)

If you need the police, show this sentence the same way.

警察を呼んでください。

(Please call the police.)

If you save it in your phone’s notes or keep a screenshot, you can show it even without a signal.

“Safety tips,” a free app supervised by the Japan Tourism Agency, also has communication cards to show the people around you when you want to ask them something.

From a public phone, it’s free

Calling 110 or 119 from a public phone takes no coins and no telephone card. Lift the receiver, press the red emergency button if there is one, then dial the number. On a green phone without the button, just lift the receiver and dial.

There are fewer public phones than there used to be, but you’ll still find them at stations, hotels and tourist sites.

Even if you don’t speak Japanese

When you call 119, at most fire departments nationwide (all of them in Nagano Prefecture), an interpreter for English, Chinese or Korean joins the call (as of January 2025).

For 110 too, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department says an interpreter joins the call if you can’t speak Japanese. Stay on the line until the interpreter comes on.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs tells people coming from Taiwan that if they can’t speak Japanese, they should first say they’re a foreigner (for example, “我是台灣人”), and they’ll be connected to an interpreter.

What to tell 119

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency’s ambulance guide for visitors to Japan says to tell them these things, in this order, once you’re connected.

That you need an ambulance
Where you are (if you don’t know the address, a nearby building or intersection; if you can’t read the signs, show the current-location screen of your map app to someone near you)
What’s wrong
Your age
Your name, and a phone number they can reach you on after you hang up

That last number is so the ambulance crew can contact you, for example if they can’t find you. If you don’t have a Japanese number, tell them so, and work it out with someone nearby or the staff where you’re staying.

For when you have no signal and no one is around, see the “When Your Phone Won’t Connect in Japan” article.

Not an emergency, but you need help

You’re lost, or you don’t know what to do. For times like that, there’s a phone line: JNTO’s “Japan Visitor Hotline” (050-3816-2787). It gives travel information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English, Chinese and Korean. If it’s an accident or a sudden illness, call 110 or 119 first. The hotline can also help with the trouble that follows. Call from your hotel’s phone or a line that can make calls. But as a rule, the hotline doesn’t make bookings for you or interpret in three-way calls.

If you want a Japanese number

If you really want a Japanese number, some SIMs and eSIMs come with a Japanese number starting with 070, 080 or 090. For example, Mobal’s plans with a number can receive SMS. You’ll need your original passport to sign up, and people under 18 can’t sign up.

Think of internet phone numbers starting with 050 as something different. For example, Brastel’s “My 050” can’t call 110 or 119, and can’t receive SMS either.

For now, just this

With the taxi app “GO,” you can sign up with your passport and a photo of yourself, even if the SMS doesn’t arrive
If you’ll use your home number, check with your carrier before you leave whether it’s set up for calls and SMS in Japan
Make a note of the phone number you enter on booking sites
Save “救急車を呼んでください。” (Please call an ambulance.) and “警察を呼んでください。” (Please call the police.) on your phone
110 is police, 119 is ambulance and fire. From a public phone, it’s free

Even without a Japanese number, you can call a taxi, and some booking sites let you verify by email. And what to do if something happens is already right there in your phone.

Official sources we checked (24)

2026-09-28

Free Wi-Fi in Japan | At Haneda and Narita, You’re Online Right Away With No Sign-Up. In Town, It’s a Helping Hand With Time Limits

Picture this: you land at Haneda, open your phone in the arrivals lobby, and it hits you. You forgot to add your travel eSIM before you left.

Your map won’t load. You can’t even send your family a “Made it!”

But there’s no need to panic. At Haneda and Narita, there’s free Wi-Fi you can use with no sign-up. This article is about the free Wi-Fi you can count on for a day like that: your first steps at the airport, and how to lean on it well in town.

Wi-Fi names and time limits can change (based on information from each airport and company as of October 2026).

At Haneda and Narita, you’re online with no sign-up

Haneda Airport’s free Wi-Fi is “HANEDA-FREE-WIFI”. It has the same name in Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Pick it from the Wi-Fi list on your phone, open your browser and follow the on-screen steps. That’s all. You don’t need to sign up with an email address.

At Narita Airport, it’s “FreeWiFi-NARITA”. When you pick it, a page comes up automatically, and once you agree to the terms of use, you’re online. No sign-up here either.

No email, nothing. For someone who arrives with nothing prepared, that’s the biggest relief of all.

That said, at Haneda, it may not work inside the shops in the airport (lounges are an exception). Some spots can also have a weaker connection, and at Narita, too, the speed changes with how crowded it is. If the connection feels weak, try moving a little.

Use that Wi-Fi to add your eSIM

On an iPhone, you need to be connected to Wi-Fi (or to someone’s phone through tethering) to add an eSIM. The airport’s free Wi-Fi can be that Wi-Fi for you. You can also buy a travel eSIM after you arrive in Japan. For how to install it and switch over, see the “eSIM” article.

Before you add it, just one thing. Turn off data roaming on your home carrier’s line (the overview article explains why).

Once your eSIM is connected, send your family a “Made it!” From here on, your own data connection is the main act.

Some free Wi-Fi in town comes with time limits

Even after you leave the airport, you’ll find free Wi-Fi in lots of places. But it works a little differently from the airport. Many networks require you to sign up first with an email address or a social media account. Many also come with a time limit, including the free Wi-Fi on the Shinkansen, at Lawson and in Nagano City.

Where	Wi-Fi name	Sign-up	Time limit
On board the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen (all trains)	Shinkansen_Free_Wi-Fi	Email or social media	Log in again every 30 minutes (as many times as you like)
Inside Lawson stores (some stores don’t offer it)	LAWSON_Free_Wi-Fi	Email, only the first time (valid for 1 year)	60 minutes per session, up to 5 times a day

On the Shinkansen, the Wi-Fi asks you to log in again after 30 minutes. As long as you know that, you can reconnect without getting flustered.

That time limit is the mark of a helping hand. Look up your next transfer on the Shinkansen. Check directions to your hotel at a convenience store. For getting one thing done, 30 minutes or 60 minutes is plenty of time. Staying connected the whole time is the job of your own data connection.

One app can handle the sign-ups

If signing up at each place is a hassle, there’s a free app called “Japan Wi-Fi auto-connect.” Register as a user once, and the app connects you to supported free Wi-Fi at airports, on trains, at convenience stores, cafés and more. It’s an official connection app, made together with companies and local governments.

Installing it and registering is easier if you get it done before you come to Japan. If you forgot, install it while you’re on the airport Wi-Fi, and it’ll come in handy in town. It also works with the free Wi-Fi at Lawson and in Nagano City.

If it’s on your mind, there are 3 things to check

Some people may wonder, “Is free Wi-Fi in Japan safe?” Based on the guide for public Wi-Fi users put together by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, there are 3 things to check.

Before you connect, check the name. See whether the Wi-Fi name matches what the airport or shop shows (on stickers and so on). That’s because there have been cases of fake Wi-Fi with a similar name copying social media login pages to trick people out of their passwords.

In your browser, check the address and the padlock icon. Once you’ve checked that the Wi-Fi name and the address (URL) of the page you have open are correct, a padlock icon next to the address means that what you send and receive is encrypted all the way to the site, even if the Wi-Fi itself isn’t encrypted. If you see a “!” or a warning that the connection isn’t secure instead of the padlock icon, don’t type anything in.

Turn off the setting that lets your phone connect on its own. Turn off auto-join for any Wi-Fi other than the ones you normally use, like your home Wi-Fi. If you do want to connect automatically, the app mentioned above saves you the trouble of looking for supported Wi-Fi.

Also, some free Wi-Fi, like Nagano City’s, isn’t encrypted. On Wi-Fi that your Wi-Fi list marks as having no security, don’t enter login passwords or card numbers. If you’re looking things up that you don’t mind people around you seeing, that Wi-Fi does the job.

Outside the big cities, free Wi-Fi comes in “dots”

Nagano City’s free Wi-Fi, “Nagano_City_Free_Wi-Fi”, is available at 18 spots, including the plaza in front of Nagano Station and near the main gate of Zenkoji. You sign up with an email address, and you can use it for 30 minutes at a time, as many times as you like.

It may work in front of the station, but step away and it’s gone. Outside the big cities, free Wi-Fi comes in dots, not lines. That’s why the more your trip heads into the mountains and rural areas, the more you’ll rely on your own data connection. For when there’s no signal, see the “When Your Phone Won’t Connect in Japan” article.

When you land, look for the Wi-Fi name first

In the Haneda arrivals lobby, HANEDA-FREE-WIFI. Add your eSIM, then “Made it!”

Out in town, 30 minutes on the Shinkansen, 60 minutes at Lawson. There’s a time limit, but it’s a helping hand that pitches in right when you need it.

Keeping your map open all day is your own data connection’s role. Free Wi-Fi is right there beside it, and every so often, it comes through for you.

Official sources we checked (11)

2026-09-28

How to Rent and Return Pocket Wi-Fi in Japan | Decide How You’ll Pick It Up and Return It, and You Won’t Have to Think About It for the Rest of the Trip

Night at Haneda Airport. As you step out into the arrivals lobby, you pick up a small package. Inside are a palm-sized Wi-Fi device, its charging gear and an envelope for sending it back.

You switch it on and connect your family’s phones one by one. Your kid’s tablet, too. Before long, “Made it!” messages are flying from everyone’s phones.

When a family rents pocket Wi-Fi, one person ends up looking after the device: the Wi-Fi keeper. This article is for that Wi-Fi keeper.

The Wi-Fi keeper doesn’t actually have much to do, because with pocket Wi-Fi, the extra effort all comes at pickup and return. Decide how you’ll pick it up and how you’ll return it before you leave. Once that’s done, you’ll hardly have to think about it for the rest of the trip.

Pickup deadlines, return deadlines and prices differ from company to company, and they can change. When you book, check the information from the company you’re renting from (as of October 2026).

Just 2 things to decide first

Where you’ll pick it up — an airport counter / a self-service box at an airport, station or similar spot / delivery to where you’re staying
How you’ll return it — drop it in a Japanese mailbox / put it back in a self-service box

Which of these you can choose depends on the company. For example, with Japan Wireless, you pick it up at an airport counter or where you’re staying, and return it in a mailbox. With WiFiBOX, you pick it up from a box at an airport, station or similar spot, and return it to a box.

In other words, choosing a company also means choosing how you’ll pick it up and return it.

3 ways to pick it up

At an airport counter

A staff member hands it to you in person. Some companies ask you to show your passport when you pick it up.

Where the counter is depends on the company, and even in the same airport, different companies may use different counters. So you don’t get lost, head to the counter listed in your booking confirmation.

Counters have opening hours. The pickup time you give when you book is a rough guide, and with some companies, you can still pick it up if your flight is delayed, as long as you arrive while the counter is open. If it looks like you’ll get in after it closes, go with delivery to where you’re staying or a 24-hour box (see “If your flight gets in late at night” below).

At a self-service box

You book ahead, then scan a QR code at the box to pick it up. WiFiBOX has boxes at more than 750 locations in Japan, including airports and stations. With no staff needed, some spots at airports can be used 24 hours a day.

You do need to book, but depending on availability, you may be able to book on the same day.

There’s also a 24-hour unstaffed Wi-Fi rental in the Terminal 3 arrivals lobby at Haneda Airport.

Delivered to where you’re staying

You pick it up at the front desk when you check in. It’s sent so it arrives before the day you start using it.

When you order, use the name of the person who’ll pick it up. If it matches the name on your accommodation booking, things go quickly at the front desk.

Note that Japan Wireless says it can’t deliver to Airbnb stays, and recommends picking it up at a post office instead.

If your flight gets in late at night

If you’ll arrive less than 2 hours before the counter closes, Japan Wireless recommends having it delivered to where you’re staying. For a late flight, have it delivered to where you’re staying or book a 24-hour box. That way, you won’t be running around the airport looking for a counter when you land.

If you still don’t make it to the counter in time, contact the company right away (the contact details are in your booking confirmation). Some companies will resend it to where you’re staying, for a fee.

Book early, and it’s easier

Japan Wireless suggests ordering at least 3 days before pickup as a guide, but it also accepts last-minute orders. If you’re having it delivered to where you’re staying, it takes time to get there, so that’s all the more reason to book early.

Once you land, connecting takes a few minutes

Once it’s on, check the device’s Wi-Fi name and password. Then just turn on Wi-Fi on your phone, choose that name and enter the password. Japan Wireless says you can “connect in 2 minutes.” You don’t swap SIMs, so it doesn’t matter whether your phone is SIM-locked.

There’s just one thing to do on your own phone. If the Wi-Fi is weak, your phone may switch over to your home carrier’s line, so turn data roaming off on your home carrier’s line. If you won’t be using your home number for calls or texts, it’s also fine to turn on Airplane Mode and then turn on just Wi-Fi.

Pocket Wi-Fi is data only and doesn’t come with a phone number. For calls, use a calling app. Pocket Wi-Fi can’t be used to call 110 or 119, Japan’s police and fire/ambulance numbers. For phone calls when you need help, see the “When You Need a Japanese Phone Number” article.

During the trip — one device for the whole family

How many devices can connect depends on the model. For example, Japan Wireless allows up to 8. With WiFiBOX, the standard model handles 5, and the 5G model handles 10. If you’re adding a tablet to your family’s phones, check the number before you rent.

Battery life depends on the model, too. For example, a Japan Wireless device lasts about 8 to 10 hours of continuous use, and you can stretch that with the power bank that comes with it. On days you’re out from morning to night, put the power bank in your bag as well. Back at your room, charge the device so it’s ready for the next day.

Since you’re sharing one device, decide who’ll carry it on days your family splits up. It’s realistic to assume that anyone away from the device won’t have a connection.

In the mountains, underground or deep inside buildings, the connection may be weak or slow. For how to check things when you can’t connect, see the “When Your Phone Won’t Connect in Japan” article.

Last day — into a mailbox before security

If you return it in a mailbox

Put the device and all the charging gear into the return envelope you got at pickup, flatten it and drop it in a mailbox. Japan Wireless’s envelope is already addressed, with postage paid. With Japan Wireless, any mailbox in Japan will do, and it doesn’t have to be where you picked it up. You can even return it from a different airport on your way home.

If you’re sending it from the airport, drop it in a mailbox before you go through security (the bag screening). Before your family lines up for security, the Wi-Fi keeper drops the envelope in with a “plop.” And that’s the job done.

There are places you can’t return it, too. With Japan Wireless, you can’t return it at the airport counter where you picked it up or at a hotel front desk.

If you return it to a box

With WiFiBOX, slide the device into a box with an open slot. Once you hear a “click,” the return is done, and a confirmation email arrives. If no email comes, contact the company. There are exceptions to which boxes you can return it to, so check the instructions that came with your booking ahead of time.

Check the deadline in your booking confirmation

By what day and what time do you need to return it? If you mail it, which day counts: the day you send it or the day it arrives? How it’s counted depends on the company’s rules. Some companies give you until the day after you finish using it, but check the deadline in your booking confirmation ahead of time.

When you’re in trouble

You might return it late — apply for an extension first. If you’re late without extending, you’ll be charged for the extra days. With some companies, the connection stops the day after the deadline
You took it home by mistake — contact the company right away
It’s lost or stolen — contact the company right away. Some companies ask you to get a certificate from the Japanese police or a similar authority
Adding coverage? — decide when you book. Some companies don’t let you add it after pickup
It won’t connect or is acting strangely — restart it by holding down the power button (15 seconds for WiFiBOX). If that doesn’t fix it, contact the company. Some companies will send you a replacement device

Coming from Korea or Taiwan? — renting at your home airport is an option too

If you’re coming from Korea or Taiwan, there’s also the option of renting at an airport in your home country and returning it there on your way back. In that case, this article’s “return it in a Japanese mailbox” doesn’t apply.

For example, with 와이파이도시락 in Korea, you can return it at a different center from the one where you picked it up. For how to pick it up and return it, check the information from the company you rent from.

Checking the number of devices and the battery, and turning data roaming off on your home carrier’s line, are the same as in this article.

For now, just this

Decide how you’ll pick it up (counter, box or where you’re staying). For a late flight, where you’re staying or a 24-hour box
Check how and by when to return it in your booking confirmation
Decide on coverage when you book
Once you land, turn data roaming off on your home carrier’s line
At the airport on your way home, drop it in a mailbox before security

Once the envelope drops into the mailbox at the airport on your way home, the Wi-Fi keeper’s job is done. From there, it’s off to the gate, traveling light and chatting with your family about the trip.

Official sources we checked (14)

2026-09-28

Using a SIM Card in Japan | Just Swap It In When You Land — Online That Day, Without Worrying About Roaming Charges From Your Home Carrier

You sit down on a bench in the arrivals lobby and open the little cover on the side of your phone. You take out your home SIM, put the card for Japan in its place, close the cover and turn the phone on.

When your map pulls up the route to your hotel, you’re connected. Then a quick “Made it!” to your family.

Even if your phone can’t use eSIM, or setting up an eSIM just isn’t your thing, you can do this. Your home SIM is out of the phone, so your home carrier’s line stays off while you’re in Japan. It’s the simplest, most worry-free way to go, with no need to think about the bill after you get home.

Prices and procedures can change, so check each company’s information before you buy (as of October 2026).

First, check your phone — the SIM tray and the SIM lock

Some recent phones don’t have a place for a SIM card (a SIM tray). On an iPhone, if there’s a thin cover on the side with a tiny hole in it, that’s the SIM tray. If there isn’t one, that iPhone is eSIM-only. For other phones, check the information for your model.

Phones that can’t take a card include, for example, iPhone Air, recent iPhones bought in the U.S., Canada, Japan and some other countries (14 and later if bought in the U.S., 17 and later in Canada, Japan and some other countries), and Pixel 10 and 11 (standard, Pro and Pro XL) bought in the U.S.

It depends on the country where you bought it and the model, not your nationality. Even with the same iPhone 17, one bought in Korea or Taiwan has a SIM tray.

If your phone can’t take a card, see the “eSIM” or “Pocket Wi-Fi” article. Either way, you’ll be connected from the day you arrive.

The other thing to check first is the SIM lock. If your phone is SIM-locked, a Japanese SIM won’t work even if you put it in. Only your home carrier can unlock it, and it can take a few days, so if you’re going to check, do it before you leave. How to check is covered in the “How to Get Your Phone Online in Japan” article. If you only notice the lock after you arrive, pocket Wi-Fi will still work. See the “Pocket Wi-Fi” article.

Buying in Japan — at the airport or an electronics store

If you want to use it as soon as you land, you can buy one at the airport.

Narita Airport — There are SIM vending machines in Terminals 1, 2 and 3
Haneda Airport — At Terminal 3, the international terminal, you can buy a travel SIM at, for example, the counter in the 2nd-floor arrivals lobby (6 a.m. to 11 p.m.)
Kansai Airport — There are SIM vending machines on the 1st floor of Terminal 1. Some run 24 hours

In the city, you can buy one at electronics stores such as BIC Camera and Yodobashi Camera. You may be able to buy one at a convenience store too, but what they carry is sometimes an eSIM, not a card. If you’re looking for a card, head to an electronics store.

If your flight lands late at night and you’re worried about finding one at the airport, you can also buy one online before you come to Japan.

Coming from Korea or Taiwan — buy one at home and bring it

If you’re coming from Korea or Taiwan, some people get a SIM for Japan at home before they leave and bring it along. Some companies ship worldwide, so you can receive it before you come to Japan.

That way, you don’t have to look for a place to buy one in Japan. Once you’re off the plane, just swap it in. After that, follow the instructions on the card the SIM comes on.

How you start using it differs from product to product, so take a look at the instructions from the company you bought it from before you leave.

Swap it — power off, and line it up the right way

Turn off your phone
Take out the SIM tray — Push a pin into the small hole beside the tray. On an iPhone, a paper clip works too. For a Pixel, use the SIM-eject tool that came with it. Don’t push too hard
Take out your home SIM and put it away — You’ll need it when you get home, so keep it somewhere you won’t lose it
Place the Japanese SIM on the tray — Only one corner of the card is cut off, so it fits only one way. Put the tray back in the same way it came out
Turn your phone back on

Some travel SIMs can be popped out in different sizes to fit your phone. Pop it out following the instructions on the card the SIM comes on.

Once it’s in — set up and register as your SIM company says

If you follow what’s written on the card the SIM comes on or on the company’s instructions page, it works in most cases. The steps are mostly things like entering the network settings (APN) or registering an email address.

But some SIMs need you to take a photo of your passport with your phone’s camera and send it. Keep your passport handy when you put the SIM in, too, and you won’t be flustered.

There are also conditions, such as age or how many days you have to finish registering, that vary by product. Check the instructions from the company you bought it from.

Whether data roaming should be on or off also depends on what that SIM company’s instructions say. Your home SIM is out of the phone, so either way, you won’t run up charges on your home carrier’s line.

When it won’t connect — first, these 3 things

Restart — Sometimes it only connects after you restart it once the SIM is in
Check that Cellular Data / Mobile Data is on and Airplane Mode is off
Wait a little — On some models, it can take around 15 minutes to connect

If it still doesn’t work, connect to the airport’s free Wi-Fi and look at your SIM company’s instructions or contact details. Free Wi-Fi is covered in the “Free Wi-Fi” article. Other things to check are in the “When Your Phone Won’t Connect in Japan” article.

When you get home

Once you’re home, swap in the home SIM you set aside, and your phone is back to normal. If you rented the SIM, check the instructions from the company you rented it from for how to return it.

For now, just this

Before you leave, check whether your phone has a SIM tray
Check for a SIM lock before you leave, too
Buy a Japanese SIM at the airport or an electronics store. From Korea or Taiwan, you can also buy one at home and bring it
Once it’s in, set up and register as your SIM company says. Keep your passport handy
Keep the home SIM you took out somewhere you won’t lose it

Once you land, just swap it in. Your maps, your train transfers and your “Made it!” all work like usual from that day on.

Official sources we checked (16)

2026-09-28

Japan eSIM: Install Your Travel eSIM the Night Before You Fly | At the Airport in Japan, Just Switch Over

It’s night. You’ve finished packing, and your passport is waiting by the front door. All that’s left is to go to bed — but before you do, you pick up your phone.

You connect to your home Wi-Fi and install the travel eSIM you bought. That’s it for tomorrow’s prep.

The next day, you land at an airport in Japan and turn off Airplane Mode. Switch the line you use for data to your travel eSIM, and your map opens and shows the way to where you’re staying.

This article is about those 2 moments: installing it the night before and switching over at the airport.

Even if you install it the night before, with Airalo, in most cases your days are counted from when you arrive in Japan and connect to a supported network. With other providers and plans, the count may start from the moment you install, so check the plan description before you buy.

Three things to do by the night before

Check that your phone can use eSIM
Choose a plan and buy it
Install it on your home Wi-Fi

After that, you just switch over at the airport.

1 Can your phone use it?

If you have an iPhone, eSIM works on the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later models.

The other thing to check is the SIM lock. If “Settings” > “General” > “About” shows “No SIM restrictions” next to “Carrier Lock,” you can install a travel eSIM. If your phone is locked, a travel eSIM won’t work.

There’s one exception. Some iPhones bought in China mainland don’t support eSIM. In Hong Kong and Macao, some models take 2 physical SIM cards. If you bought your iPhone in one of these places, check your model’s specs in Settings beforehand.

On Android, it depends on the phone. Google Pixel phones from the 3a onward can use eSIM. On Samsung phones, even with the same model name, eSIM may not work depending on the country where you bought the phone. Don’t go by the model name alone — check with the manufacturer.

Even if your phone can’t use eSIM, you still have options. “SIM cards” and “pocket Wi-Fi” each have their own article.

2 Choosing a plan — days and data

Travel eSIMs come as combinations of days and data. From 3 to 30 days, from a few GB to “unlimited” — what’s on offer varies from provider to provider.

There’s no set rule for how much data you need. A trip that’s mostly maps and train transfers is very different from one where you watch a lot of videos. If you run short, some providers let you top up the same eSIM later.

“The day you install” and “the day the count starts” are two different things

If you install it the night before, won’t your days start running down from that day? That may be the thing you’re most worried about.

With Airalo, in most cases the count starts from when you connect to a supported network in Japan. With other providers and plans, check the plan description before you buy. If your plan counts from the moment you install, install it just before you arrive.

One more thing. Some providers explain that the data amount is what you can use over the whole period, not per day.

Read the plan description for “unlimited”

Even plans sold as “unlimited” may have limits on how much you can use. For example, on Airalo’s unlimited plans for Japan, the speed drops to 1Mbps once you go over 3GB in a day. Airalo explains that this is still enough for messages and maps, but not suited to watching a lot of videos.

What “unlimited” really means is written in the plan description. Read that part before you buy.

Tethering and phone numbers

Whether you can use tethering, or personal hotspot, depends on your phone and your line. If you want to share data with a tablet or computer, check the plan description before you buy.

The eSIMs from the 2 providers in the next section are both data-only. They don’t come with a phone number. On iPhone, even if you use only your travel eSIM, FaceTime and iMessage may continue to work with your home number. Check the settings and charges with your home carrier. For when you need a Japanese phone number, see the article “When You Need a Japanese Phone Number.”

3 Example providers — Airalo and IIJ

Lots of companies sell travel eSIMs. Here are 2 examples that work in different ways.

Airalo — You buy it online and can install it before you leave. It uses the SoftBank and KDDI networks in Japan. Plans run from 3 to 30 days, and there are “unlimited” plans too.
IIJ (Japan Travel SIM) — A Japanese company. Data only. The data-volume plans are valid for 30 days, and there is also an “Unlimited” plan with a choice of validity period (this one comes as a SIM card only). It works wherever docomo’s network reaches. You can buy it at convenience stores such as Lawson.

4 The night before — install it on your home Wi-Fi

After you buy, the provider sends you instructions for installing it. Sometimes it’s a QR code, and sometimes you install it through the provider’s app.

QR code — Scan it with your iPhone camera, tap the notification that appears, and follow the steps on the screen. If you’re asked for a confirmation code, enter the number the provider sent you
Only have one phone — With iOS 17.4 or later, touch and hold the QR code you received by email or in your browser, and an Add eSIM button appears. You don’t need to show the QR code on a second device’s screen
Android — Go to Settings, add an eSIM, and scan the QR code. Menu names differ from phone to phone

On iPhone, you may be asked partway through whether you’ll use this eSIM at home or while traveling. Choose the traveling option.

Until it finishes installing, stay connected to Wi-Fi and don’t stop partway.

Even once it’s installed, it won’t connect tonight. It usually won’t work until you reach Japan. Even so, you’re all set.

Once it’s installed, don’t delete it — just leave it there

Don’t delete the eSIM you installed. Once you delete a travel eSIM, you usually can’t install it again. You may have to buy a new one.

As long as you don’t delete it by accident, nothing will go wrong. While you’re not using it, turning it off instead of deleting it is enough. Just note that with some providers, your days keep counting even when it’s off.

If you think you may have bought the wrong one, the quickest way is to contact the provider before you install it.

5 At the airport — switch over

When you get off the plane, turn off Airplane Mode.

On iPhones with iOS 26 or later, if you’ve installed a travel eSIM, a notification may appear when you arrive asking whether to turn on your travel eSIM. There are 2 choices: “Travel eSIM Only” and “Travel eSIM and Current eSIM.”

Travel eSIM Only — You use the travel eSIM for data and don’t use your home carrier’s line. If you want to avoid roaming fees on your home carrier’s line, choose this one. FaceTime and iMessage may still work with your home number (check the settings and charges with your home carrier)
Travel eSIM and Current eSIM — You use the travel eSIM for data, but Apple says you may still be charged roaming fees on your home carrier’s line. If you keep both, turn data roaming off on your home carrier’s line

Next, you’ll also be asked whether to turn on “Low Data Mode,” which saves data. If you’re worried about how much data you’ll use, turn it on.

If no notification appears, go to “Settings” > “Cellular” > “Cellular Data” (called “Mobile Data” in some regions) and choose your travel eSIM.

Turn data roaming on for your travel eSIM, as your provider instructs, and off for your home carrier’s line.

On Android, choose your travel eSIM as the SIM for data. On Pixel, for example, only 1 SIM can be used for data at a time. Menu names differ from phone to phone.

When you can’t connect

If your screen shows “No Service” or “SOS only,” try these first.

Check that data roaming is on for your travel eSIM
In “Settings” > “General” > “Date & Time,” check that Set Automatically is on (the clock may be wrong when you arrive)
Turn on Airplane Mode for about 30 seconds, then turn it off
Restart your phone. Turn your travel eSIM off, then on again

If it still won’t connect, contact the provider you bought it from before you delete the eSIM. For more, see the article “When Your Phone Won’t Connect in Japan.”

During your trip, and after you get home

You can see how much data you’ve used in “Settings” > “Cellular.” When you use it all up, your data stops or slows down. If that happens, top up.

When you get home, in some countries or regions, iPhones with iOS 26 or later automatically turn off your travel eSIM and switch you back to your home carrier’s line. If that hasn’t happened, turn on your home carrier’s line and turn off the travel eSIM.

If you keep the eSIM instead of deleting it, some providers let you top up the same eSIM the next time you come to Japan.

A quick step the night before, just before bed. When you arrive, just switch over. By the time you reach the airport arrivals lobby, your map is already open.

Official sources we checked (15)

Prices and rules differ from provider to provider and may change. Before you buy, check each provider’s own information (as of October 2026).

2026-09-28

eSIM, SIM Card or Pocket Wi-Fi for Japan? If It’s One Phone for You, Start with an eSIM

This article is based on official guidance from companies and organizations, and this site’s phone and internet articles, as of October 2026.

eSIM, SIM card, pocket Wi-Fi. The more you research, the more each one starts to look like a good choice.

This article is for anyone stuck at that point. We’ll keep the explanation short and give you the answer first.

The answer first — this is our short answer

If one person will use one phone, start with an eSIM. If your phone supports eSIM and has no SIM lock, this is what we would choose.

Only move to one of the other two if that does not fit.

Your phone does not support eSIM → SIM card (provided the phone has no SIM lock)
You want to share with family or companions across several devices / you cannot remove the SIM lock → Pocket Wi-Fi

There is one more option: roaming, using your usual phone as it is. If your home carrier has a plan that works in Japan and you can confirm its price and conditions before departure, that can also be a choice.

This article does not compare which is fastest, cheapest, or how many GB you need per day. Those things vary with the way you travel, the company, and the plan, so there is no reliable single yardstick. Base your decision on your phone and how many people need to connect how many devices.

First, check your phone

The answer depends on two things about your phone.

Is it free of a SIM lock? On an iPhone, go to Settings → General → About. If Carrier Lock says “No SIM restrictions,” you are fine. If the phone is locked, neither an eSIM nor a SIM card will work
Does it support eSIM? For iPhones, that means iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, or later. However, some iPhones bought in mainland China do not support eSIM. Some models sold in Hong Kong and Macao take two physical SIM cards. If you bought your iPhone in one of these regions, check the specifications of your exact model first. For Android phones, it depends on the model (Google Pixel 3a or later; some Samsung phones may not support eSIM depending on the country of purchase, even when the model name is the same)

There is also the reverse exception: eSIM-only phones with no place to insert a SIM card. Recent iPhones bought in places such as the United States are like this. See “SIM Card” for which models these are.

For details on how to check, see “eSIM.”

Who should choose an eSIM

You are traveling alone, or everyone will connect using their own phone
Your phone supports eSIM and has no SIM lock

An eSIM is a travel plan you buy online and install inside your phone. You can install it over your home Wi-Fi before departure, so you do not have to look for a sales counter after landing. Because there is no card to swap, you do not risk removing and losing your home SIM. There is nothing extra to carry and nothing to return on your last day.

Just remember these points.

When the validity period starts depends on the company and plan. With Airalo, for example, in most cases it starts when the eSIM first connects to a supported network in Japan. For other companies and plans, check the explanation before buying
Do not delete an installed eSIM. Once a travel eSIM has been deleted, it usually cannot be reinstalled
If you want to share the connection with a tablet or computer, check before buying whether tethering is available. It depends on the phone and network

For installation, switching after arrival, and what to do if it will not connect, see “eSIM.”

Who should choose a SIM card

Your phone does not support eSIM (but has no SIM lock)
Swapping a card feels easier than setting up an eSIM

You swap your home SIM for a travel SIM card. While your home SIM card is removed, that line does not operate in Japan (if your home line is an eSIM, turn off data roaming for that line).

You can buy one at airports (vending machines at Narita and Kansai, counters in Haneda Terminal 3, and elsewhere) or at electronics stores. If your flight arrives late at night, buying one online before coming to Japan is another option.

Keep your passport at hand on the day you buy or insert it. Some companies require a passport check. SoftBank’s travel SIM, for example, requires a photo of the original passport, and people under 18 cannot sign up.

Keep the SIM you removed somewhere safe. You will need it again after returning home.

For places to buy and how to insert it, see “SIM Card.”

Who should choose pocket Wi-Fi

You want one device to connect several phones or tablets for family or companions
Your phone has a SIM lock that you cannot remove before departure
You want to connect a device that supports neither eSIM nor a SIM card

Pocket Wi-Fi means renting a Wi-Fi device and carrying it with you. Your phone simply connects to that Wi-Fi. Because you do not replace the SIM in your phone, its SIM lock does not matter. The number of devices you can connect varies by model; Japan Wireless, for example, allows up to eight.

In return, there are a few extra tasks.

Decide how to receive and return it when booking (airport counter, unattended box, or delivery to your accommodation / return by post or in a box; the choices vary by company)
Charge it every night
Assume that anyone away from the device will lose the connection. On days when your family splits up, decide who will carry it
It does not come with a phone number. You cannot call 110 or 119 through pocket Wi-Fi

For how to receive and return one, see “Pocket Wi-Fi.”

If you need a Japanese phone number

Many travel eSIMs, SIM cards, and pocket Wi-Fi products provide data only and do not include a Japanese phone number.

Even without one, most trips work out fine. The main times you need a number are for verification codes sent when registering for an app and for calls in an emergency.

Keeping your home number can help. On an iPhone, you can keep your home number while using a travel eSIM for data only. In some cases, you can also continue using FaceTime and iMessage with your home number. How much of your home number works in Japan, and what it costs, depend on your home carrier’s settings and charges. Check with the provider before departure
If you truly need a Japanese number, some SIM cards and eSIMs come with a Japanese number beginning with 070, 080, or 090. For example, Mobal’s SIM with a phone number requires the original passport, and people under 18 cannot apply
An internet phone number beginning with 050 is different. Brastel’s My 050, for example, cannot call 110 or 119 and cannot receive SMS

With a data-only SIM, you may be unable to call 110 (police) or 119 (fire and ambulance). If that happens, ask staff at your accommodation or a shop, or someone nearby, for help. For handling verification codes and emergencies, see “When You Need a Japanese Phone Number.”

Before you go, just these things

You checked that your phone has no SIM lock and supports eSIM
If using an eSIM, you installed it over your home Wi-Fi. Do not delete the installed eSIM
If keeping your home number, you have a plan to turn off data roaming only for your home line (set the travel line as instructed by its provider)
If using a SIM card, keep your passport at hand
If using pocket Wi-Fi, check the pickup place, return method, and return deadline in your booking confirmation
If using roaming, confirm your home carrier’s plan and price

If both the travel line and home line remain on, your home line may incur roaming charges. Turn off data roaming only for your home line.

More details

An overview of every option → “How to Get Your Phone Online in Japan”
How to install an eSIM and switch after arrival → “eSIM”
Where to buy and how to insert one → “SIM Card”
How to receive and return one → “Pocket Wi-Fi”
If you forgot to install it, use the airport’s free Wi-Fi → “Free Wi-Fi”
Situations where you need a number → “When You Need a Japanese Phone Number”
You arrived but cannot connect → “When You Can’t Get Online”

If you are unsure, open your phone and check only two things: no SIM lock and eSIM support. If both are in place, install the eSIM the night before (or just before arrival if its validity starts at installation), then switch to it at the airport after landing.

Official sources we checked (16)

Prices and rules vary by company and may change. Before buying, check the guidance from each company (as of October 2026).

2026-09-28

How to Get Your Phone Online in Japan | Worried About the Bill? A Japan eSIM, SIM or Pocket Wi-Fi Keeps It Simple

You step off the plane and open your phone first thing. You pull up the way to your hotel on the map, check your train transfers and send your family a quick “Made it!”

If you can do all that from the moment you land in Japan, the start of your trip feels a lot lighter.

For that, there’s just one thing to decide before you leave: how you’ll get your phone online in Japan.

And what you’re probably wondering most is whether a surprise bill will show up after you get home. This article starts with how to choose so that worry goes away.

Prices and rules can change, so before you sign up, check each company’s information (as of October 2026).

Four ways to get online, with free Wi-Fi as a helping hand

Broadly speaking, there are four ways to get your phone online in Japan.

Stay on your home line (roaming): keep your usual phone and number, and use your home carrier’s service
eSIM: put a travel plan inside your phone. No card swapping
SIM card: insert a small travel card into your phone
Pocket Wi-Fi: rent a palm-sized Wi-Fi device and carry it with you

On top of these, airports and stations have free Wi-Fi. But since you can only use it in certain places, it’s a helping hand, not the main act.

The answer first — if you’re worried, switch to something made for Japan

Your home carrier has a plan you can use in Japan, and you know what it costs → roaming. Your usual phone, just as it is
You’re not confident with settings, or you’re worried about a surprise bill → don’t rely on your home line; switch to something made for Japan. That keeps it simple
- Your phone supports eSIM and isn’t SIM-locked → eSIM (you can add it at home before you leave)
- Your phone doesn’t support eSIM but isn’t SIM-locked → SIM card
- You want to connect several devices with family or travel companions / your phone is SIM-locked → pocket Wi-Fi

To decide which one, start by looking at your own phone.

First, check your phone — SIM lock and eSIM

eSIM and SIM cards only work if your phone is not SIM-locked. If it’s locked, a travel plan won’t work even if you add it.

On an iPhone, go to “Settings” → “General” → “About” and see whether “Carrier Lock” says “No SIM restrictions.” eSIM works on iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later models. On Android phones, it depends on the model.

If your phone is locked, go with roaming or pocket Wi-Fi. Both work whether or not your phone is locked.

1 Roaming — easy, and the price is up to your home carrier

You keep your usual phone and number, so it’s the option that takes the least preparation.

If you’re asking yourself, “Roaming on my home line or a local Japanese line — which is better?” start here. Even when you’re roaming, what you connect to in Japan is a Japanese mobile carrier’s network. Your home carrier has an agreement with a Japanese carrier that lets you use its network. That’s what roaming is. Travel eSIMs and pocket Wi-Fi use a Japanese carrier’s network too.

So the difference is mainly money and hassle. And whether you can roam, and how much it costs, is decided by your home carrier. Some carriers have a flat daily rate, and some send you an SMS once your charges reach a certain amount. Check your carrier’s page before you leave, and you can use it with peace of mind.

The thing to watch out for is using it without checking. If you’re not on a plan, or if data roaming is left on, you may end up with a surprise bill. Phone apps use data in the background, for things like automatic updates, even when you don’t have them open. Your usage goes up even when you don’t think you’re using anything. And the bill may arrive after you’re back home.

To stop worrying about the bill — don’t rely on your home line

Checking plans is a hassle, or you’re not confident with settings? Then what keeps things simplest is not using your home line in Japan.

The real fix is to swap SIMs. Once you swap in a SIM for Japan, your home line isn’t active for that whole time. You’ll need your home SIM again when you get back, so put it away somewhere you won’t lose it.

If you’re adding an eSIM and keeping your home number too, there’s just one thing to do. Set your home line so it isn’t used for data (turn data roaming off on it). If you leave both the travel eSIM and your home line on, you may be charged roaming fees on your home line. On an iPhone, you can set data roaming separately for each line.

That said, on the travel eSIM you may need to turn data roaming on, as its instructions say. If you turn everything off, you might not be able to connect. It’s only your home line that you turn off.

When you connect through pocket Wi-Fi or free Wi-Fi, too, keep data roaming off on your home line. If the Wi-Fi is weak, your phone may switch over to your home line.

There’s just one thing to remember. Turn data roaming off on your home line, and set up your travel eSIM as its instructions say.

2 eSIM — add it at home before you leave

With an eSIM, you buy a travel plan online and add it to your phone. There’s no card to swap, so you don’t have to take out your home SIM, and you don’t have to worry about losing it.

On an iPhone, you need to be connected to Wi-Fi (or to someone’s phone through tethering) to add an eSIM. So the easiest way is to add it on your home Wi-Fi before you leave. If you forget, you can also connect to the airport’s free Wi-Fi and add it there.

Once you land in Japan, go to your settings and switch the line you use for data to the travel eSIM. On an iPhone, even while you use data on the travel eSIM, FaceTime and iMessage may keep working with your home number. Check the settings and charges with your home carrier.

You choose a plan by the number of days and the amount of data. Some plans advertise “unlimited” data. Whether the validity period starts “when you install it” or “when you connect in Japan” can differ from plan to plan.

Whether you can share it with other devices by tethering, and how much data you’ll need, are covered in the “eSIM” article.

3 SIM card — buy one after you arrive, or get it ready online before you come

With a SIM card, you swap your phone’s SIM for a small travel card. Even if your phone doesn’t support eSIM, it works as long as it isn’t SIM-locked.

You can buy one online before you come to Japan, and after you arrive, you may also be able to buy one at airport counters and vending machines, electronics stores or convenience stores.

On the day you buy a SIM, keep your passport handy. Even for a data-only SIM, some companies ask to check your passport. For example, SoftBank’s SIM for travelers requires a photo of your original passport, and people under 18 can’t sign up.

Where to buy one is covered in the “SIM Cards” article.

4 Pocket Wi-Fi — one device gets everyone online

With pocket Wi-Fi, you rent a Wi-Fi device and carry it around. Your phone just connects to the device’s Wi-Fi. You don’t change SIMs, so it works even on a SIM-locked phone.

Its biggest strength is that one device can get several devices online. Your family’s phones, a tablet, a laptop, all on the same device. Some companies say up to 8 devices can connect.

You can pick one up at counters at airports such as Haneda and Narita, and some companies will deliver it to where you’re staying if you book ahead. Ordering before you come to Japan is often cheaper. When it’s time to return it, some companies let you drop it in a Japanese mailbox.

The trade-off is a little extra effort: carrying it, charging it and returning it.

How to rent and return one is covered in the “Pocket Wi-Fi” article.

eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi?

The most common question is which of these two to go with.

If you’re traveling solo, or each person connects on their own phone: eSIM. Nothing extra to carry, and nothing to return at the end
If several of you share one device, you also want to connect a tablet or computer, or your phone is SIM-locked: pocket Wi-Fi

Still not sure? The “eSIM, SIM Card or Pocket Wi-Fi for Japan?” article gives you just the answer first.

Arriving late at night? Sort it out before you leave

Airport counters have opening hours. At Narita Airport, the counters are open roughly from 7 a.m. to around 9 p.m. Haneda Airport has counters open from early morning until around 11 p.m., and Terminal 3 also has a 24-hour unstaffed Wi-Fi rental.

At Narita, the counters are outside security and customs (in the area anyone can enter).

Even so, if your flight gets in late at night, add your eSIM before you leave or have your pocket Wi-Fi delivered to where you’re staying, and you won’t have to look for anything at the airport.

Rough prices

As for SIM card prices, GO TOKYO says they’re roughly between ¥2,000 and ¥8,000 (page updated September 1, 2026).

Prices vary a lot depending on the number of days, the amount of data and the company, so check each company’s page for its prices when you sign up.

Free Wi-Fi — no sign-up needed at the airports

The free Wi-Fi at Haneda Airport (HANEDA-FREE-WIFI) and Narita Airport (FreeWiFi-NARITA) can be used without signing up. You can count on it if you forget to add your eSIM, or when you want to message your family right after landing.

Stations, tourist spots and some shops also have free Wi-Fi. But how you sign up differs from place to place, and the connection ranges from good to patchy. If you install an app called “Japan Wi-Fi auto-connect,” you sign up just once and it connects you automatically to free Wi-Fi at airports, stations, shops and more.

In rural areas, places with free Wi-Fi are even more limited. It’s hard to get through a trip on free Wi-Fi alone, so it’s realistic to think of it as a helping hand.

Also, some free Wi-Fi isn’t encrypted. Narita Airport recommends using a VPN if you want a secure connection. For more, see the “Free Wi-Fi” article.

Do you need a Japanese phone number?

Some travel eSIMs and SIMs are data-only and don’t come with a Japanese phone number.

Some services also ask you to enter a phone number. For example, the taxi app “GO” has you register with a phone number and a verification code. Some people register with a non-Japanese number.

There are also SIMs that come with a Japanese phone number (a number starting with 070, 080 or 090). For these, identity checks at sign-up are required by law, and travelers show their passport. Some companies require you to show the original, or only accept people 18 and older.

There’s one more thing worth knowing. With a data-only SIM, you may not be able to call 110 (police) or 119 (fire and ambulance). If that happens, ask staff at your hotel or a shop, or someone nearby, to call for you. Phone calls when you need help are covered in the “When You Need a Japanese Phone Number” article.

When you can’t connect — in mountains and rural areas, it comes down to the carrier

If you’re heading into the mountains or rural areas, you’ll want to know whether you’ll get a signal. That’s where it matters which carrier’s network you’re using. Japan’s mobile carriers each publish a map of where their signal reaches (a coverage map). au, one of Japan’s carriers, also has a map in English. If you’re heading to the mountains or the countryside, take a quick look at the map for the network you’ll use before you leave, and you’ll feel more at ease.

How to check things when you can’t connect is covered in the “When Your Phone Won’t Connect in Japan” article.

For now, just this

Before you leave, check your phone’s SIM lock and eSIM support
If you’ll roam, check your carrier’s plan and prices before you leave
If you’re worried about the bill, go with a Japan eSIM, SIM or pocket Wi-Fi. Keep data roaming off on your home line
With an eSIM, add it on your home Wi-Fi before you leave
On the day you buy a SIM, keep your passport handy

From the day you arrive, your maps, your train transfers and your “Made it!” all work just like they do at home. No worrying about a bill that shows up later.

Official sources we checked (27)

2026-09-28

Category: Phones & Internet

First, in this order

The right settings are in the guide from the company you bought from

Subways — connected even on the train

Mountains and rural areas — even with coverage on the map, the season changes things

Just in case — satellites and 00000JAPAN

Download maps before you set out, and test them

Just remember this

Verification codes — if one doesn’t arrive, there’s another way

The taxi app “GO”: your passport and a photo of yourself

Your home number is worth keeping

LINE: if you’re from Korea or Taiwan, use your home number

Booking sites: email works too

If something happens — 110 and 119

Show someone nearby this one sentence

From a public phone, it’s free

Even if you don’t speak Japanese

What to tell 119

Not an emergency, but you need help

If you want a Japanese number

For now, just this

At Haneda and Narita, you’re online with no sign-up

Use that Wi-Fi to add your eSIM

Some free Wi-Fi in town comes with time limits

One app can handle the sign-ups

If it’s on your mind, there are 3 things to check

Outside the big cities, free Wi-Fi comes in “dots”

When you land, look for the Wi-Fi name first

Just 2 things to decide first

3 ways to pick it up

At an airport counter

At a self-service box

Delivered to where you’re staying

If your flight gets in late at night

Book early, and it’s easier

Once you land, connecting takes a few minutes

During the trip — one device for the whole family

Last day — into a mailbox before security

If you return it in a mailbox

If you return it to a box

Check the deadline in your booking confirmation

When you’re in trouble

Coming from Korea or Taiwan? — renting at your home airport is an option too

For now, just this

First, check your phone — the SIM tray and the SIM lock

Buying in Japan — at the airport or an electronics store

Coming from Korea or Taiwan — buy one at home and bring it

Swap it — power off, and line it up the right way

Once it’s in — set up and register as your SIM company says

When it won’t connect — first, these 3 things

When you get home

For now, just this

Three things to do by the night before

1 Can your phone use it?

2 Choosing a plan — days and data

“The day you install” and “the day the count starts” are two different things

Read the plan description for “unlimited”

Tethering and phone numbers

3 Example providers — Airalo and IIJ

4 The night before — install it on your home Wi-Fi

Once it’s installed, don’t delete it — just leave it there

5 At the airport — switch over

When you can’t connect

During your trip, and after you get home

The answer first — this is our short answer

First, check your phone

Who should choose an eSIM

Who should choose a SIM card

Who should choose pocket Wi-Fi

If you need a Japanese phone number

Before you go, just these things

More details

Four ways to get online, with free Wi-Fi as a helping hand

The answer first — if you’re worried, switch to something made for Japan

First, check your phone — SIM lock and eSIM

1 Roaming — easy, and the price is up to your home carrier

To stop worrying about the bill — don’t rely on your home line

2 eSIM — add it at home before you leave

3 SIM card — buy one after you arrive, or get it ready online before you come

4 Pocket Wi-Fi — one device gets everyone online