eSIM for 3 or 6 Months in Japan

Dernière mise à jour: 2026-10-08

Short answer

For 3 to 6 months in Japan, the simplest option is our Japan 50 GB / 180-day plan on the NTT docomo network. You buy it online with just an email address, install it before you fly and have data the moment you land at Narita, Haneda or Kansai. No residence card, no Japanese bank account, no contract.

• 50 GB, valid 180 days on NTT docomo, 5G where available, otherwise 4G
• Works for 3 months too: about 16 GB a month over 3 months, about 8 GB a month over 6
• Top up on the same eSIM if you need more data
• Nothing to cancel when you leave Japan

The Japan page shows the shorter 30-day plans. The 180-day plan isn't listed there, so use the direct link above.

Japan long-stay options

All Japan plans run on NTT docomo, Japan's largest network, with good coverage in cities, along the shinkansen lines and in most rural areas. More detail in our Japan network coverage guide.

Who this is for

Language school and exchange students. A typical term or semester runs 3–6 months. You arrive before your residence card has an address on it, and you need maps, LINE and your school's apps from day one.

Working holiday makers. Japanese contracts usually want a residence card with a registered address and often a Japanese bank account. That takes weeks to set up. The eSIM covers that gap, and longer.

Long-stay travellers and remote workers. Three months is the visa-free stay for many nationalities. One eSIM covers the whole trip, from Hokkaido to Okinawa.

Visiting family. Long stays with relatives where you have home Wi-Fi but need mobile data when you are out.

How much data do I need per month?

Tip: Japanese apartments and share houses usually have fixed Wi-Fi, and many cafés, stations and convenience stores offer free Wi-Fi. With that, 50 GB lasts most people a full 6 months.

Staying longer: top up the same eSIM

If you run low, you don't need a new eSIM. Sign in with the email you ordered with, open your order page (the link is in your confirmation email) and tap Add more data, then choose a top-up. Each option shows its data and validity before you pay, and it is added to the eSIM already on your phone. No new QR code.

We also email you when your data is running low, with a direct link to top up. Top up while the plan is still active; once an eSIM has expired, buy a new plan.

eSIM or a Japanese SIM? The honest comparison

A Japanese SIM or contract wins if you are staying a year or more, want a Japanese phone number (handy for deliveries, clinics, part-time jobs and some apps), and already have your residence card and bank account. Over a long period, a local plan is usually cheaper per month.

Our eSIM wins if you want data from the moment you land, don't have a residence card yet, or don't want a contract with minimum terms and cancellation steps. Most tourists and short-term visitors can't get a regular Japanese contract at all.

Plenty of students do both: they arrive on the eSIM, get a Japanese SIM once their paperwork is done, and keep the eSIM as backup data.

What you get

The eSIM is a data plan. Your home number stays active on your normal SIM, which matters for bank and 2FA codes from home. Over the eSIM, everything internet-based works:

• LINE, WhatsApp, Signal and FaceTime, including voice and video calls
• Google Maps, Japan transit apps, translation apps
• Banking apps, email, streaming
• Hotspot for a laptop or tablet

Your phone must be eSIM-compatible and unlocked. See our list of eSIM-compatible phones and the setup guides for iPhone and Android.

Ready? Buy the Japan 50 GB / 180-day plan or compare shorter options on the Japan page.