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Sakura Mobile in Japan: SIM card, eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi?

Sakura Mobile, which has its office in Shinjuku, Tokyo, sells data eSIMs, SIM cards and pocket Wi-Fi rentals to visitors. This page sets out only what its own pages state, checked on 29 October 2026, so you can decide which of the three fits your phone and your trip. Plan prices depend on your dates and are shown on Sakura Mobile's site.

The four travel products at a glance

All four run on Japanese networks: docomo or au (KDDI). The "from" prices are the lowest figures Sakura Mobile prints on its pages; the price for your trip appears on its site once you choose dates.

Sakura Mobile travel products, as stated on Sakura Mobile's pages on 29 October 2026
ProductNetwork and dataHow you get itAfter the trip
Travel eSIM (data only)from 1,250 JPY (1,375 JPY, tax incl.)3GB/day plan: docomo 5G. Unlimited plan: au (KDDI) 5G. 3GB/day plan: high speed up to 3 GB a day, 1 to 90 days. Unlimited plan: no daily high-speed limit, 1 to 31 days. No phone number.Hotspot on the Unlimited eSIM has a set allowance per plan length (for example up to 6 GB on 7 days, 13 GB on 14 days, 30 GB on 30 days).Delivered by email.Nothing to return.
Travel SIM card (data only)from 3,500 JPY (3,850 JPY, tax incl.)3GB/day plan: docomo 5G. Unlimited plan: au (KDDI) 5G. 3GB/day or unlimited high-speed data. No phone number.No activation: insert the SIM (a SIM pin is included) and set up the APN.Airport counter, hotel or home delivery, local post office, or Sakura Mobile's Shinjuku office.Dispose of the SIM after use; no return. SIM card plans cannot be extended (buy a new one).
Pocket WiFi rentalfrom 299 JPY/day (329 JPY/day, tax incl.)docomo 4G/LTE. Unlimited data; up to 15 devices connected at once.Device 74 x 74 x 17 mm with a 20-hour battery. Works with any Wi-Fi device, including SIM-locked phones. Optional mobile battery 220 JPY/day and router insurance 110 JPY/day (tax incl.).Airport counter, hotel or home delivery, local post office, or Sakura Mobile's Shinjuku office.Return in the prepaid envelope in any Japan Post mailbox by midnight on your return date. Rentals can be extended with an online form.
Travel Voice + Data eSIMau (KDDI) 5G. 3 GB a day plus a Japanese phone number with calls and SMS; domestic calls up to 240, 360 or 480 minutes depending on plan length. For stays of up to 90 days.No "from" price is printed for this eSIM; it appears after dates are chosen.Collected at a counter after in-person ID verification (selected airport counters or the Shinjuku office), which Japanese law requires.Usage starts after you arrive and complete the ID check.

On 3GB/day plans the connection is not cut after 3 GB in a day but slowed: the SIM card page says to 1 Mbps, the eSIM page says to 200 Kbps.

Suited to visitors who want a SIM card or pocket Wi-Fi waiting at the airport or hotel, or an eSIM by email, with English support from order to return. Check prices on Sakura Mobile(affiliate link)

Who it suits, and when to look elsewhere

It fits well if:

  • Your phone cannot take an eSIM. Sakura Mobile sells a physical SIM card and a pocket Wi-Fi as well as eSIMs, and its compatibility checker points eSIM-incompatible phones to those two.
  • Your phone is carrier-locked, or you are not sure. The pocket Wi-Fi works with any Wi-Fi device, SIM-locked phones included, while SIM cards and eSIMs need an unlocked phone.
  • Several people or devices share one connection. The pocket Wi-Fi supports up to 15 connections at once.
  • You want to collect it on arrival or have it waiting at your hotel. SIM cards and pocket Wi-Fi can be picked up at airport counters, delivered to a hotel or home address, or held at a post office.
  • You need a Japanese phone number for a stay of up to 90 days. The Voice + Data eSIM includes one, after an in-person ID check.
  • You want setup help in English. Sakura Mobile says everything is available in English, including technical support, and offers in-person setup help at its Kansai and Fukuoka counters.

Look at other options if:

  • You want to see a fixed price in your own currency before choosing dates. Sakura Mobile shows plan prices only after you enter dates, and charges in Japanese yen only.
  • You land at an airport or at an hour without a pickup point and do not want delivery. Check the counter list below: Narita Terminal 3 and Kansai Terminal 2 have no counter, and the Chubu Centrair point closes at weekends. An eSIM, sent by email, avoids pickup altogether.
  • You expect to run out of data on a SIM card. SIM card plans cannot be extended; Sakura Mobile says to buy a new SIM.
  • You stay longer than 90 days. Travel plans cover up to 90 days; Sakura Mobile points longer stays to its monthly plans.

Will your phone work?

  • SIM cards and eSIMs need an unlocked (SIM-free) phone. Sakura Mobile notes that phones from the United States may be carrier-locked and that you cannot use its SIMs if the phone is not paid off yet. China, Hong Kong and Macau versions of the iPhone are not eSIM compatible.
  • For rural and mountain areas Sakura Mobile lists support bands: Band 18 on the au plans and Band 19 on the docomo plan. If your phone has Band 1 but not that band and you will spend most of your time in such areas, it suggests a Pocket WiFi.
  • If you bought Sakura Mobile's Compatibility Insurance and your phone turns out not to work with the SIM card, it upgrades you to a Pocket WiFi free of charge.
  • If none of the SIM options fit, the pocket Wi-Fi needs no settings on your phone: you turn it on and connect over Wi-Fi.

For the general eSIM checks that apply to any provider (the *#06# EID check, carrier locks), see the notes on our eSIM, SIM and pocket Wi-Fi comparison.

From order to return

  1. Choose dates and a product. Prices appear once you pick start and end dates. Payments are processed in Japanese yen only; prices shown in other currencies are for reference.
  2. Pay. Accepted cards: VISA, MasterCard, Discover, JCB, AMEX and Diners Club, including cards issued abroad. After you order, Sakura Mobile emails a link for the card details, and ships once the card is authorised.
  3. Delivery. A data eSIM arrives by email. For a SIM card or Pocket WiFi, order at least 3 days before your pickup date; the shipping address or date can be changed up to 3 days before pickup. Orders are shipped to arrive the night before your arrival.
  4. Pick up. At an airport counter (show your passport), at your hotel or another address, at a local post office, or at the Shinjuku office (10 AM to 5 PM daily, 5 minutes' walk from JR Shinjuku Station West Exit). At a post office you ask to collect a package ("kyokudome") and show your passport.
  5. Set up. SIM cards need no activation: insert the SIM and set up the APN. eSIMs are installed from the instructions Sakura Mobile sends. The Unlimited eSIM's usage period starts when you arrive in Japan, and it can be installed before you leave home. The 3GB/day eSIM's period starts when you install it, so Sakura Mobile says to install it on the day you want to start.
  6. After the trip. Dispose of a SIM card; nothing to return. Post the pocket Wi-Fi back in its prepaid envelope by midnight on your return date. Pocket WiFi can be posted at major airports and many convenience stores (all Lawson stores). There are no postboxes after security or passport control, so post it before you go through. Pocket Wi-Fi rentals can be extended with an online form; SIM card plans cannot.

Airport pickup counters and hours

As listed on Sakura Mobile's Pickup & Return page. Hours can change; check the page before you travel.

Sakura Mobile airport pickup points, 29 October 2026
AirportWhereHours
Narita Terminal 1JAL ABC Counter, South Wing Arrival Lobby 1F (not the North Wing counter)Every day, 6:30 AM to 1 hour after the final international arrival
Narita Terminal 2JAL ABC Counter, Arrival Lobby 1FNot stated on the page
Narita Terminal 3No counter; collect at Terminal 2—
Haneda Terminal 2Mobile Center, International Departure Lobby 3FEvery day, 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Haneda Terminal 3JAL ABC Counter, Arrival Lobby 2FEvery day, closed 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM
Kansai Terminal 1Sakura Mobile Counter, Arrival Lobby 1FEvery day, 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Kansai Terminal 2No counter; collect at Terminal 1 (free shuttle bus)—
Fukuoka International TerminalSakura Mobile Counter, Arrival Lobby 1FEvery day, 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Chubu CentrairTokoname Post Office Centrair Branch, Welcome Garden 1FWeekdays 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM; closed weekends and Japanese public holidays
New Chitose (domestic terminal)New Chitose Airport Post Office, Center Plaza 2FEvery day, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Getting from the airport into town: Narita · Haneda · Kansai.

Payment, cancellation and support

  • Payments are processed in Japanese yen only; prices shown in other currencies are for reference.
  • Accepted cards: VISA, MasterCard, Discover, JCB, AMEX and Diners Club, including cards issued abroad. After you order, Sakura Mobile emails a link for the card details, and ships once the card is authorised.
  • Under the rental agreement, cancelling before the shipping confirmation email costs nothing; after it, the order is non-refundable. Late returns are charged, and a lost or stolen device is the renter's responsibility.
  • Sakura Mobile says everything is available in English, including technical support. Email replies usually within 24 hours; support hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM JST, 7 days a week, with a phone line for urgent help. In-person setup help is offered at its Kansai and Fukuoka counters; some other counters are for pickup only.
  • Travel plans cover stays of up to 90 days; for longer stays Sakura Mobile points to its monthly plans.

Questions to answer before you order

  • Is my phone unlocked (SIM-free), and does it support eSIM? (Sakura Mobile has a checker on its compatibility page.)
  • Will I mostly use one phone, or connect several devices? Sharing points to the pocket Wi-Fi or a plan with enough hotspot allowance.
  • Do I need a Japanese phone number, or only data? Only the Voice + Data eSIM has a number, and it needs an in-person ID check.
  • 3 GB a day or unlimited? On 3GB/day plans the speed drops after 3 GB in a day; check the current speed on the plan page.
  • Where and when will I collect it? Compare your arrival terminal and time with the counter hours, or choose hotel delivery or an eSIM.
  • For the pocket Wi-Fi: where will I post it back before security on my last day?
  • Is my card one of the accepted brands, and am I comfortable paying in yen?

Before you buy

Prices depend on your dates, and plan details change. Check the current plan, price and terms on Sakura Mobile's site before you pay.

If you have answered the questions above and Sakura Mobile fits your phone and arrival plans: Check prices on Sakura Mobile(affiliate link)

Other options

  • eSIM-only stores. Airalo and Ubigi sell fixed-GB and unlimited Japan eSIM packages online. Their plans, US-dollar prices and fair-use limits are listed side by side on our connectivity page.
  • Your home carrier's roaming. Check its Japan daily rate and data allowance with the carrier itself.
  • How to choose between the three types. See eSIM vs SIM card vs pocket Wi-Fi.

Other trip preparation

The rest of the pre-trip checks are on the Japan trip checklist, and medical-cost questions on travel insurance for Japan.

FAQ

Does Sakura Mobile's travel eSIM come with a phone number?

No. The travel data eSIM and SIM card plans are listed as "No phone number, data only". Sakura Mobile sells a separate Travel Voice + Data eSIM with a Japanese phone number for stays of up to 90 days; Japanese law requires an in-person ID check at a selected airport counter or its Shinjuku office before it starts.

Can I install the Sakura Mobile eSIM before I fly?

The Unlimited eSIM's usage period starts when you arrive in Japan, and it can be installed before you leave home. The 3GB/day eSIM's period starts when you install it, so Sakura Mobile says to install it on the day you want to start. The eSIM is delivered by email.

Does the pocket Wi-Fi work with a carrier-locked phone?

Yes, according to Sakura Mobile's compatibility page: the pocket Wi-Fi works with any Wi-Fi device, and SIM-locked devices also work. SIM cards and eSIMs need an unlocked phone.

How do I return Sakura Mobile's pocket Wi-Fi?

Put the device and all accessories in the prepaid return envelope and drop it in any Japan Post mailbox by midnight on your return date. Airports and all Lawson convenience stores have postboxes, but there are none after security or passport control. Under the rental agreement, late returns are charged.

Which airports have a Sakura Mobile pickup point?

The Pickup & Return page lists Narita Terminals 1 and 2, Haneda Terminals 2 and 3, Kansai Terminal 1, Fukuoka International Terminal, Chubu Centrair (a post office, weekdays only) and New Chitose domestic terminal (a post office). Narita Terminal 3 and Kansai Terminal 2 have no counter.

Can I cancel a Sakura Mobile order?

Under the rental agreement, cancelling before the shipping confirmation email costs nothing; after it, the order is non-refundable. Late returns are charged, and a lost or stolen device is the renter's responsibility. Check the current terms on Sakura Mobile's site before you order.

What currency does Sakura Mobile charge in?

Payments are processed in Japanese yen only; prices shown in other currencies are for reference. Accepted cards: VISA, MasterCard, Discover, JCB, AMEX and Diners Club, including cards issued abroad. After you order, Sakura Mobile emails a link for the card details, and ships once the card is authorised.

Plan the rest of your trip

The same checklist on every page: tours, insurance, mobile data and the JR Pass.

Japan Trip Math has been approved for the affiliate programmes of Viator, Sakura Mobile and SafetyWing and may earn a commission if you book through links marked "affiliate link". It does not change the price you pay. Other links here are not paid. Affiliate disclosure

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