Tokyo runs on your phone: train routes, Suica, maps, translation, restaurant queues. Sort the data before you land.
The options#
| Where | Cost | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| eSIM | Online, before you fly | Low | Almost everyone with a recent phone |
| Tourist SIM | Narita/Haneda counters and machines; city electronics stores | Low to medium | Phones without eSIM |
| Pocket Wi-Fi | Airport rental, return at departure | Medium, shared | Groups, laptops, heavy users |
| Roaming | Your carrier | High | Short trips, emergencies |
| Free Wi-Fi only | Konbini, stations, hotels | Free | Nobody; the gaps are where you need it |
eSIM#
Buy a Japan plan from any of the travel eSIM providers, install it at home, switch it on at the gate. Choose a plan by days and gigabytes; a week of maps and messaging uses less than you think. Keep your home SIM active for calls and texts if you need them.
Tourist SIM#
Arrivals at Narita and Haneda have counters and vending machines; big electronics stores in Akihabara, Shinjuku and Shibuya sell the same for less. Data-only; no Japanese phone number, which you won't miss.
Pocket Wi-Fi#
One unit, several devices, picked up at the airport counter and dropped in a return box at departure. The group answer.
Set up before landing#
Mobile Suica in your phone wallet, Google Maps offline for Tokyo, a translation app with Japanese downloaded, your airport train route (Narita or Haneda), and the Roavi Community thread for your dates.
Also practical#
Cash or card in Tokyo, getting around, first time in Tokyo, do you need Japanese?.
Ask a Tokyoite#
Which store has the best tourist deal this month, whether the Haneda counter is open at midnight: post your dates on Roavi Community and Local Friends who live here answer. Everything in Tokyo is arranged by message; a Local Friend is the first contact worth having.
Landing in Tokyo? Ask a local the practical questions first.
Post your tripFrequently Asked Questions
Should I get an eSIM or a SIM card for Tokyo?
An eSIM if your phone supports it: install before you fly, activate on landing, no counter, no lost card. A physical tourist SIM if it doesn't, from the airport counters or city electronics stores. Both use Japan's major networks and work everywhere you'll go.Can I buy a SIM card at Narita or Haneda airport?
Yes, from staffed counters and vending machines in arrivals at both. Convenient and a little dearer than the same SIM in a city electronics store. Data-only tourist SIMs need no registration; bring your passport anyway.Is pocket Wi-Fi worth it in Tokyo?
For two or more people sharing, or anyone with a laptop and heavy use, yes: one rental covers everyone and often has higher limits. For one phone, an eSIM is simpler and cheaper. Rent at the airport and drop it in the return box when you leave.Are unlimited data SIMs in Japan really unlimited?
Usually unlimited with a fair-use clause: speeds drop after a daily or total threshold. For maps, trains, messaging and photos you'll never notice; for streaming video all day you might. Check the small print.
