How to Choose the Best Japan eSIM

I’m old enough to remember when staying connected in Japan required a lot of effort. For many years, rental was your only option: A physical SIM card; a portable WiFi unit; or even a local mobile phone. Non-resident foreigners couldn’t buy SIM cards outright until the late 2010s!

Thankfully, Japan has adapted quickly since then, in particular when it comes to eSIMs. These days, dozens of companies offer Japan eSIMs, from Holafly, to Saily, to Airalo and beyond.

Over the next few paragraphs, I’ll not only give you my personal recommendation when it comes to the best eSIM for Japan, but also the criteria I’ve used to make my determination. That way, you can reach your own conclusion instead of just taking my word for it!

Almost Every Traveler Needs an eSIM in Japan

The topic of the best Japan eSIM is salient because virtually every traveler needs one—there are only a few exceptions. For example, if your home country’s phone plan offers extremely generous roaming rates. Even then, however, I typically suggest getting a Japan eSIM as a backup, since you never know when your connection will drop out. I may or may not know this from personal experience!

The other possible exception would be if you deliberately want to travel in an analog way, but even in this case I’d probably suggest having an internet connection just in case. From the recent rash of bear attacks, to the fact that even people who speak passable Japanese can benefit from a translation app (may also be speaking from personal experience in this case), an eSIM is something all travelers can benefit from.

Why I’ve Fallen Hard for Holafly’s Japan eSIM

Simple activation

An eSIM is a feature that, while indispensable to travel in Japan, runs mostly in the background—it’s invisible, essentially. As a result, I’ve always been puzzled by eSIMs (looking at yours, Saily) which require a cumbersome, complicated installation process. When you buy an Holafly eSIM, your welcome email includes a QR code—and if you have iOS 17.4 or higher like me, you can touch the QR code for one-touch installation. Easy!

A lot of options; a little price

Now, I’m not going to devote this Japan eSIM review to laboriously listing all the different eSIMs Holafly sells—I trust that you can do that research on your own. What I will tell you is that Holafly offers eSIMS based both on how long you plan to travel as well as how much data you need, and they’re outlined clearly enough that you can choose in seconds. Plus, they’re all cheap, with prices under 4 USD per SIM, per day as of late 2025, and all include unlimited data.

Great coverage and roaming partners

Like other eSIM providers, Holafly is a conduit to networks, rather than a network itself. If you pull down on your screen while using Holafly, you’ll see the actual provider it’s tethered to. Thankfully, while in Japan, this always reveals comforting truths. Namely, that Holafly partners with Japanese cell companies like KDDI and Softbank, which offer some of the best coverage and faster speeds in the country. It’s true peace of mind when you travel!

Hassle-free mobile hotspot

Another factor for Japan eSIM comparison and analysis? The fact that in this day and age, an eSIM is never just a cell connection for your phone. As someone who works on the road and almost entirely from my laptop, I need the ability to hotspot at a moment’s notice. Thankfully, all of Holafly’s Japan eSIMs (buy yours here) offer hot spotting, and at the same speeds you enjoy when browsing on your mobile device.

An amazing navigation and translation companion

The power of an Holafly eSIM has many practical implications for Japan travelers, but I want to highlight two in particular. First, as a navigation companion. I spent most of my time in Japan far off the beaten path, so being able to reliably navigate (whether driving a rental car or walking) is priceless. Secondly, although I speak Japanese, being able to translate text or find a word I don’t know on the…well, “fly” is another instance where Holafly’s power is indispensable.

The One Disadvantage I Wish Holafly Would Address for its Japan eSIM

Remember the “old days,” when foreigners couldn’t buy Japan SIMs outright? Well, the sticking point was not cellular data (which, frankly, didn’t even used to be a common consideration), but having a Japanese phone number. Basically, Japanese authorities didn’t want carriers to be able to issue phone numbers to foreigners who didn’t legally reside in the country.

Now, this is Japan we’re talking about, so I doubt these issues have fully been resolved. Still, other contenders in my best eSIM for Japan rankings do offer Japanese phone numbers to users; Holafly doesn’t. Instead, you can use Holafly to make calls over VOIP, which…works, but not as seamlessly as simply having a local number. I do wish Holafly would address this concern, as it would make a competitive product truly unstoppable.

Other FAQ About Using an eSIM in Japan

Does Holafly eSIM work in Japan?

Holafly offers a Japan-specific eSIM that provides unlimited high-speed data throughout Japan, leveraging and partnering with major Japanese cellphone carriers to provide excellent coverage. You can buy an eSIM based on how many days you’re traveling, and/or how much data you need.

Which eSIM is recommended for Japan?

I personally recommend Holafly in Japan for its easy installation, fast speeds and great coverage, but I encourage you to do your own research. Other popular options include Saily, Airalo and SIM Local, to name just a few of the Japan eSIMs available for travelers.

Does Holafly eSIM include a phone number?

Unfortunately, Holafly’s eSIMs do not include a phone number in Japan. While the company justifies this by pointing out how easy and common VOIP calling is, I still believe their product would be more competitive if they offered an actual local phone number.

The Bottom Line

I’ve personally come to the conclusion that Holafly offers the best eSIM for Japan, but I invite you to make your own determination. When choosing your Japan eSIM, it’s important not only to consider price, coverage and speed, but also the ease of installation and overall peace of mind. After all, the utility of having an eSIM is being connected the moment you land. Do you really want a product that requires you to install an app and manage your SIMs within it? No matter which eSIM you choose—I personally love Holafly’s unlimited data Japan eSIMs—I of course wish you the best of luck as you embark on your trip to Japan. Want to take a trip with more than the winds of luck at your back? Hire me to plan a custom Japan itinerary for you!