Land in Japan. Skip the airport counter.
Buy the plan at home, install it over Wi-Fi, and turn flight mode off at the gate. The phone finds a Japanese network by itself. No out-of-region rate from your own carrier, no queue at a SIM counter, and no pocket wifi to collect, charge every night and hand back before you fly home.
Three steps, all of them at home
- 01
Get the app
- 02
Pick the plan that fits the trip
- 03
Scan the code once
Buy it, install it, watch what is left
All of it happens on the phone: choose a plan, install it, keep an eye on the balance, top up the same eSIM. There is no website account to open first.
Frequently asked questions
The questions that come up before departure.
What is an eSIM?
A SIM card built into the phone as software. You install a plan by scanning a QR code instead of pushing a chip into a tray, and the plastic SIM you already have stays exactly where it is.
Does my phone support eSIM?
Most phones sold since 2018: iPhone XS and newer, Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer, Google Pixel 3 and newer, and most current Android models. The phone also has to be carrier-unlocked — worth checking early if yours came with a contract. Our setup guides show where to check on your model.
When should I install it?
At home over Wi-Fi, a day or two before departure. Nothing starts running at that point: the clock begins when the eSIM first connects to a network in Japan. Installing early costs you nothing and saves you doing it on airport Wi-Fi with a queue behind you.
Do I keep my own number?
Yes. The eSIM is data-only, so your home line stays active for your number, your SMS codes and your messaging accounts. Point mobile data at the eSIM and leave the rest alone. What you do not get is a Japanese number — see below for what that means in practice, which is less than most people fear.
How fast is it?
It runs on Japan's networks: LTE wherever they reach and 5G in the cities. Enough for maps through a station with fifteen exits, camera translation of a menu, video calls home, and working from a laptop over the hotspot.
Do I have to take my physical SIM out?
No. Both lines run at once. The only setting that matters is which line carries mobile data: point it at the eSIM, and switch data roaming off on your home line so it cannot connect quietly in the background.
Flying to Japan?
Install the plan before you go, and land with the internet already working.
Free app · Paid once, before departure · Data-only, alongside your own SIM