Airalo eSIM for Japan — Moshi-Moshi Plans, Prices and Coverage
Japan is a country where buying a local SIM as a tourist is genuinely hard: most prefectural carriers require residency registration, and Pocket Wi-Fi rentals must be booked in advance and returned before departure. Airalo eSIM solves that: install before you fly, activate when you land at Narita or KIX, and Google Maps, the Suica app and Google Translate work immediately — without dragging an extra device through your trip.
Available Airalo packages
The Japan plan is called Moshi-Moshi. The lineup:
- 1 GB / 7 days — $4.50
- 3 GB / 15 days — $8.50
- 5 GB / 30 days — $13
- 10 GB / 30 days — $20
- 20 GB / 30 days — $32
- Unlimited / 10 days — around $35 (FUP applies, ~2 GB/day at full speed)
A 10-day Tokyo–Hakone–Kyoto–Osaka route usually fits inside 10 GB — maps, photo uploads, restaurant menu translation eat roughly 700–900 MB per day.
Coverage and speeds
Moshi-Moshi roams on NTT Docomo and SoftBank, two of Japan's "big three" carriers. Coverage is comparable to a local SIM.
- Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Yokohama — solid 5G in centres, 4G LTE everywhere. Holds up in metros and underground passages.
- Shinkansen — 4G on about 95% of the Tokyo–Osaka route. Short drops in tunnels. On-board Wi-Fi is unreliable; eSIM is more comfortable.
- Hakone, Nikko, Kamakura — 4G in villages, possible dead zones on mountain trails.
- Okinawa, Hokkaido — 4G in cities, weaker on remote beaches or in Hokkaido national parks.
Tethering works. The eSIM doesn't give you a Japanese phone number, but WhatsApp/Telegram/LINE calls work normally.
Installation and activation
Install the eSIM before departure on home Wi-Fi, activate after landing in Japan once the phone catches Docomo or SoftBank.
iOS: Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → scan the QR code. Name the profile "Japan", switch data to Airalo, disable roaming on the primary SIM.
Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Add eSIM → QR from the Airalo email. If data doesn't come up — check APN (usually soracom.io or auto-populated by Airalo).
Airalo vs. Pocket Wi-Fi
Pocket Wi-Fi rental at Narita/Haneda costs ¥600–900/day (≈$4–6), plus a deposit and mandatory return before departure. Over 10 days that's $40–60 for a device you have to carry, charge nightly, and hand back. Airalo Moshi-Moshi 10 GB / 30 days is $20 with nothing to return. The only Pocket Wi-Fi advantage is sharing for a group of 5; for solo or couple travel, eSIM is cleaner.
Where to buy
Buy Airalo eSIM via Marix — pay without juggling foreign cards or subscriptions. QR code lands in your inbox right after payment, install at home, forget about roaming.