Rakumani

Interactive tool

Which SIM should you buy for Japan?

Last checked: July 2026

Five questions, no email required. We don’t show prices here because they move constantly — the guide has the current numbers.

  1. 1How long are you in Japan?

  2. 2What will you use it for?

  3. 3Does your phone support eSIM?

  4. 4How many of you are sharing?

  5. 5Do you need a Japanese phone number?

How the advisor decides

No black box — the logic is short enough to state plainly, and it follows the same reasoning as our SIM and eSIM guide.

  • Need a Japanese phone number? That decides it immediately. Data-only plans — and that’s nearly every tourist eSIM — can’t give you one.
  • Phone without eSIM support? Then the choice is a physical SIM at the airport, or a pocket Wi-Fi rental if you’re sharing.
  • Two or more people? One rented router usually beats buying everyone a plan, because hotspot allowances on eSIMs are often capped separately from the main data.
  • Streaming and uploading daily? An unlimited plan earns its keep. Otherwise, a fixed 10–20 GB plan is cheaper for a normal trip.

We deliberately don’t quote prices in the tool. They change month to month, and the guide has the current figures, with sources.

This tool gives a general recommendation based on typical plans as of the last check; it is not an offer and does not account for every provider. Confirm coverage, caps and prices with the provider before buying. This page contains no affiliate links.