Tokyo eSIM

Online the moment you land at HND or NRT

Tokyo has two international airports. Haneda (HND) sits on the bay close to the city; Narita (NRT) is further out in Chiba and takes longer to reach by train or bus. Either way, the first thing you need after touchdown is data: to plan the train into town, message your hotel and get your bearings. With an airova eSIM there is no pocket Wi-Fi counter, no SIM vending machine and no queue at arrivals — the eSIM is already on your phone.

1. At home, before the flight: buy a Japan plan below and scan the QR code on Wi-Fi. The plan does not start until it first connects in Japan.
2. After landing: switch the airova line on, set it as your mobile-data line and turn on data roaming for it. Leave data roaming off on your home SIM so it cannot run up charges.
3. At the gate: the eSIM attaches to a Japanese partner network, usually within a minute — you are online before immigration.

Trains: JR, Tokyo Metro and Suica or PASMO on your phone

Tokyo runs on rail. JR lines, including the Yamanote loop, connect the main hubs, while Tokyo Metro and Toei lines cover the centre. Google Maps transit directions show which line, which platform and which exit to take, with live timings. Suica and PASMO work as digital cards in your phone’s wallet, so you can top up and tap through the gates without a paper ticket. All of this works best with mobile data: transfers change, platforms are busy and station Wi-Fi is not always at hand.

Which network, and how is coverage in Tokyo?

The airova Japan eSIM connects to NTT docomo, KDDI/au, SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile partner networks and uses 5G where it is available, 4G elsewhere. Coverage is dependable across the city — Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza, Asakusa, Akihabara, Roppongi — and in stations and on most train lines. Translation apps with camera and voice modes need data too: point your phone at a menu or sign and read it in your language.

Day trips: Hakone, Nikko and the Mt Fuji area

Hakone, Nikko and the Fuji Five Lakes area are popular day trips, and the towns, stations and main sights are covered by the same networks. Coverage thins in the mountains, on hiking trails and along some scenic roads, so download offline maps and save your train and bus tickets before you set off.

How much data for Tokyo?

A week with maps, transit directions, translation, messaging and photo sharing usually fits in 3–5 GB. Longer trips, video calls home, lots of Reels and stories or remote work call for 10 GB or more. Run out mid-trip? Top up the same eSIM from your account — no new QR code. See how much data you need, our Japan eSIM guide and the Japan eSIM page for the rest of the country.