eSIM for Japan: Airalo vs Ubigi (and the ones sold in Japan)
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Short answer: for a first trip, buy an Airalo or Ubigi Japan eSIM before you fly, install it at home on Wi-Fi, and turn it on when you land. Both run on Japanese networks, cost a few dollars for a short trip, and neither asks for ID. The eSIMs sold by Japanese companies and on KKday work too, but read the small print on when the clock starts: some start counting the day you install, not the day you arrive.
The comparison
| Where it’s from | Network in Japan | Example plans (USD) | When the days start | Hotspot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | App, sold worldwide | SoftBank (+2 unnamed) | 1GB/3d $4.00 · 5GB/7d $10.00 · 10GB/30d $18.00 · 20GB/30d $25.00 · unlimited 7d $26.50, 30d $69.00 | Not stated on the plan page; you can install early and it connects on arrival | Not stated |
| Ubigi | App/site, sold worldwide | KDDI, NTT Docomo, SoftBank | 1GB/3d $3.50 · 10GB/30d $16.50 · unlimited 15d $39 (30GB full speed, then 2 Mbps) | On arrival (“Smartstart”). Unused plans expire 6 months after purchase | “Data sharing allowed” |
| JAPAN&GLOBAL eSIM | Japanese company (In-Plus, Tokyo) | “Japan Local” plan uses domestic carrier lines; carrier not named | Not confirmed on the official site when we checked | 90 days to activate after purchase (from Apr 1, 2026) | Allowed (per reseller FAQ, not the official page) |
| Cross eSIM | Japanese company (Cross Data, Tokyo), opened Apr 2026 | Not stated | Not confirmed on the official site when we checked | QR by email, about 3 minutes after payment | Not stated |
| KKday (example: “1GB daily, 30 days”) | Travel marketplace | Docomo, KDDI, SoftBank | Listing price shown at checkout; 1GB/day at full speed, then 128 kbps | The moment you install it. Install once, at the airport, not at home | Listing says both “available” and “not supported”; assume no |
Read on each official page on Nov 2, 2026. “Not stated” means the page didn’t say; “not confirmed” means we couldn’t open the plan page that day and won’t guess. Airalo’s unlimited plans don’t show a fair-use limit on the plan page; Ubigi’s does (30GB at full speed on the 15-day plan).
Who should get which
- You want it to just work, and you check maps all day: Ubigi. Three Japanese networks listed, data sharing allowed, and the days start when you arrive, so you can install it a week early without losing anything. 10GB for 30 days was $16.50.
- You already have the Airalo app, or you’re visiting other countries too: Airalo. Same idea, SoftBank network, and the regional Asia and global plans let you keep one eSIM for a longer trip. 10GB for 30 days was $18.00.
- You stream, upload or tether a laptop: an unlimited plan, but read the speed cap. Ubigi’s 15-day unlimited slows to 2 Mbps after 30GB; Airalo’s page doesn’t say what happens after heavy use.
- You want a Japanese seller and support in Japan: JAPAN&GLOBAL eSIM, which runs “Japan Local” plans on domestic carrier lines and gives you 90 days to activate. We couldn’t confirm prices on the official site when we checked, so compare before you buy.
- You’re already booking tours on KKday: fine, but the listing we read starts the days on install and can’t be installed twice. Install it at the airport, after you land.
Not sure your phone takes an eSIM? Dial *#06#. If an EID line appears, it does. Phones bought in mainland China usually don’t, and a phone locked to your home carrier won’t take any of these.
How to buy and set it up
- Count your days and your habits. Maps, messages and a few photos a day is about 1GB a day for most people. Add buffer: the next size up is usually only a few dollars more.
- Buy it before you fly, from the links above or the app. You get a QR code or an in-app install. Do this at home on Wi-Fi, not in the arrivals hall.
- Install it, but don’t make it your data line yet. On iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM, scan the QR. Give it a label like “Japan”. Keep your home SIM as the default for calls and texts.
- If your plan starts on install (KKday and some Japanese sellers), stop at step 2 and do step 3 at the airport, on the free Wi-Fi.
- When you land: turn on the Japan line, set it as your Cellular Data line, turn on Data Roaming for that line only, and turn off data roaming on your home SIM so it doesn’t bill you.
- Test it in the terminal. Open a map. If nothing loads, pick the network by hand (SoftBank, Docomo or KDDI, whichever your plan names) and toggle Airplane Mode once.
eSIM vs a physical SIM: a physical prepaid SIM is sold at airport counters and big electronics stores, and it works on older phones. But you must open the tray, keep your home SIM safe, and queue on arrival. If your phone takes an eSIM, there’s no reason to queue. Pocket Wi-Fi only makes sense for a group sharing one router. More on that in SIM, eSIM and Wi-Fi in Japan.
Questions
Does my iPhone support eSIM?
iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and every model since can use an eSIM, according to Apple’s own list. iPhones bought in mainland China are the main exception. Dial *#06# and look for an EID.
Can I keep my own number for calls and texts?
Yes. That’s the point of dual SIM: your home SIM stays in for calls and verification texts, the Japan eSIM carries the data. Turn data roaming off on the home SIM so it doesn’t use (and bill) data by mistake.
Do I get a Japanese phone number?
Not with Airalo, Ubigi or the KKday plan above; they’re data only. Restaurants and apps that insist on a Japanese number are rare for visitors, and most accept your home number for verification.
Can I tether my laptop?
Ubigi says data sharing is allowed. Airalo’s plan page doesn’t say. The KKday listing says both yes and no, so assume no. If tethering matters, Ubigi is the safe pick.
When do the days start counting?
Ubigi: when you arrive in Japan. Airalo: not stated on the plan page, but it lets you install early and connect on arrival. KKday’s listing: the moment you install. JAPAN&GLOBAL eSIM gives you 90 days to activate after buying. When in doubt, buy at home, install at the airport.
Is there free Wi-Fi anyway?
At the airports and in convenience stores, yes; between them, not reliably. If you navigate by map, get data. See the Wi-Fi guide.
Sources
Read on Nov 2, 2026. Prices in USD as shown on each site that day; they change.
- Airalo: Japan eSIM plans (fixed data)
- Airalo: Japan eSIM plans (unlimited)
- Ubigi: Japan 10GB / 30 days
- Ubigi: Japan unlimited, 15 days (fair-use note)
- Ubigi: Japan 1GB / 3 days
- In-Plus (JAPAN&GLOBAL eSIM): service changes from April 1, 2026
- Cross Data: Cross eSIM launch release, April 10, 2026
- KKday: Japan unlimited data eSIM, 1GB daily for 30 days (listing FAQ)
- Apple: eSIM on iPhone