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🇯🇵 eSIM for Japan
Japan is one of the hardest places to arrive without data. Ticket machines, station names and restaurant menus lean heavily on apps, pocket-wifi rental counters mean a queue and a deposit, and free public wi-fi is patchy once you leave the big stations.
Japan eSIM plans and prices
In short: Num sells 14 prepaid data eSIM plans for Japan, from $3.28 for 2 GB per day (1 day) up to 50 GB over 180 days at $57.40. The best value per gigabyte is 10 GB total for 30 days at $9.63 ($0.96). It connects to KDDI/au, NTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile and SoftBank with 5G on every plan. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects in Japan, it installs by QR code on any eSIM-capable iPhone, and your own number keeps working.
Live prices, updated from our provider catalogue · 3G/4G/5G. These are the amounts charged at checkout — nothing is added afterwards.
| Plan | Validity | Total data | Per GB | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 2 GB | $1.64 | $3.28 |
| 500 MB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 500 MB | $6.72 | $3.28 |
| 3 GB totalTop-up available | 15 days | 3 GB | $1.16 | $3.48 |
| 3 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 3 GB | $1.23 | $3.69 |
| 1 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 1 GB | $4.51 | $4.51 |
| 3 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 3 GB | $1.50 | $4.51 |
| 1 GB totalTop-up available | 7 days | 1 GB | $4.71 | $4.71 |
| 5 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 5 GB | $1.11 | $5.54 |
| 5 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 5 GB | $1.44 | $7.22 |
| 1 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 1 GB | $7.58 | $7.58 |
| 10 GB totalTop-up availableBest value | 30 days | 10 GB | $0.96 | $9.63 |
| 10 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 10 GB | $0.99 | $9.92 |
| 1 GB totalTop-up available | 365 days | 1 GB | $14.35 | $14.35 |
| 50 GB totalTop-up available | 180 days | 50 GB | $1.15 | $57.40 |
Prices shown were generated on 2026-10-08 and can change with our provider's catalogue. The app always shows the current price before you pay.
Num vs Airalo, Saily, Nomad, Simpal, Maya: Japan eSIM prices compared →
Best Japan eSIM by trip length
Our pick for each trip length: the cheapest plan that lasts the whole stay and carries enough data for maps, messaging and a bit of video. Heavy streamers should go a size up.
| Trip | Our pick | Validity | Total data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A long weekend Japan eSIM for 3 days | 3 GB total | 15 days | 3 GB | $3.48 |
| One week Japan eSIM for 7 days | 3 GB total | 15 days | 3 GB | $3.48 |
| Two weeks Japan eSIM for 14 days | 5 GB total | 30 days | 5 GB | $5.54 |
| A month Japan eSIM for 30 days | 10 GB total | 30 days | 10 GB | $9.63 |
Using your eSIM in Japan
Japan is a destination where people ask about the network before the price, because trips leave the cities quickly — Kyoto to Kanazawa, Tokyo to the Japanese Alps. The plans on this page list KDDI/au, NTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile and SoftBank as the networks the eSIM can attach to. Coverage is strong nationwide, including on most Shinkansen routes, so the plan keeps working between cities rather than only inside them.
Every plan in the table is sold as 3G/4G/5G, so a 5G phone will use 5G where the local network has it. There is nothing to select on the phone: once data roaming is on for the Num line it attaches by itself, and the APN is set automatically. If a settings screen shows an empty APN field, leave it empty.
Install at home, on wi-fi, the night before. Airport wi-fi at Narita and Haneda works, but the plan only starts its validity when it first connects in Japan, so there is no cost to installing early and a real cost to doing it at the platform with a train to catch. Turn data roaming off for your home SIM at the same time; calls and texts still arrive on it.
Sizes run from 500 MB over 1 day at $3.28 to 50 GB over 180 days at $57.40. The daily plans suit a two-week trip with heavy map and translation use; the fixed bundles are cheaper for a short city break. Every plan here can be topped up from the app without reinstalling anything. This plan suits someone doing a first trip on trains and apps, who wants data working from the moment the plane door opens.
Practical notes for Japan
- Coverage is strong nationwide, including on most Shinkansen routes and in rural areas.
- Install before you fly — Japanese airport wi-fi works, but you will want data the moment you reach the platform, not after.
- Daily plans suit two-week trips with heavy map and translation use; fixed bundles are cheaper for short city breaks.
How to get connected
- Download Num and pick Japan.
- Choose a plan and pay with Apple Pay.
- Scan the QR code the app gives you — Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM.
- Turn on data roaming for the Num line when you land.
Questions about Japan
How much does an eSIM for Japan cost?
Plans start at $3.28. The table on this page shows current prices — 14 options ranging from short trips to month-long stays. These are the prices you pay in the app; there are no separate activation or delivery fees.
Will my phone work with a Japan eSIM?
Most iPhones from the XR and XS onward support eSIM, and the handset must be carrier-unlocked. Check the compatibility page for the full list before you buy.
When does the plan start counting down?
Validity begins when the eSIM first connects to a network in the coverage area, not when you buy it. You can install it before you travel and it will wait until you land.
Can I keep my normal number while using it?
Yes. The Num eSIM runs alongside your existing SIM, so calls and texts on your usual number keep working while data runs over the travel plan. Turn your normal line's data roaming off to avoid a roaming bill.
Can I add more data if I run out?
Yes — reloadable plans can be topped up from inside the app without buying a new eSIM or reinstalling anything.
Is there an unlimited data eSIM for Japan?
Num does not sell unlimited plans for Japan. The closest are the daily-allowance plans, such as 2 GB per day, which give a fixed amount each day for the length of the trip. For most travellers the fixed bundles, from 500 MB to 50 GB, are better value.
Which networks does a Num Japan eSIM use?
It connects to KDDI/au, NTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile and SoftBank and picks the strongest available network automatically. Every plan on this page supports 5G where the network offers it.
Do I get a Japan phone number with the eSIM?
No. Num eSIMs are data-only. Your own number stays active on your existing SIM for calls and texts, and WhatsApp, iMessage and other messaging apps keep working over the eSIM's data. If you need a local number, see our guide to eSIMs with a phone number.
What is the best eSIM for Japan?
It depends on how long you stay and how much you use maps and video. On this page the best value per gigabyte is 10 GB total for 30 days at $9.63 ($0.96); the trip-length picks match a plan to a weekend, a week, two weeks and a month. The comparison page sets Num's prices against Airalo, Saily, Nomad, Simpal, Maya at matched plan sizes, including the sizes where we are not the cheapest.