eSIM and SIM cards in Japan

Which format

For a modern, carrier-unlocked phone, buy a data eSIM before you fly. It installs at home, activates when the plane lands and the phone finds the partner network, and needs no counter, no queue and no paperwork.

A physical SIM is for an older or carrier-locked handset, and Pocket Wi-Fi - a rented portable hotspot - is worth it for a family or a group sharing one connection across several devices.

Saily plans for Japan

Registration - the rule that catches people out

Japanese law requires identity registration for voice services, not for data. So:

• A data-only eSIM or SIM: no passport, no registration, no delay.
• A voice SIM with a Japanese phone number: passport registration is required, which is why providers such as Mobal ask for it and why those cards take longer to set up.

Unless you specifically need a Japanese phone number, data-only is the simpler product.

Where to collect a physical SIM or Pocket Wi-Fi

• Narita - pickup counters in the arrivals halls of Terminals 1 and 2.
• Haneda - the counters are in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall, just past customs.
• In the city - BIC Camera and Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara, Shinjuku and the other main districts sell data SIMs off the shelf, without registration, usually cheaper than the airport.

Short verdict

Buy a Saily data eSIM before departure unless you need a Japanese number or your phone is locked. It costs little, skips the counter entirely, and has you navigating from the moment you clear customs.