Sorting your phone is a day-one job. You need a Japanese number to apply for jobs, receive bank verification codes, and complete most app sign-ups. Japan's market has three big carriers and a deep bench of budget brands (MVNOs) that run on the same towers for less, plus travel eSIMs you can switch on before you fly. The catch most newcomers hit is paperwork: a residence card is generally needed before you can sign a postpaid contract, so the order you do things in matters. This guide covers the networks, the budget brands, eSIMs for the moment you land, and what you need to buy a local SIM.
Japan has three big networks: NTT docomo, au (KDDI) and SoftBank. A large group of budget brands and MVNOs (IIJmio, mineo, Rakuten Mobile and others) run on those same networks for less, and that is where many working holidaymakers end up. For a postpaid contract you generally need your residence card, so most people land on a travel eSIM for the first day or two, then move to a local SIM or eSIM once their card and address are sorted. Plan prices change often and are commercial, so compare on the official plan pages rather than any single quoted figure.
Three carriers own the networks:
Coverage from all three is broadly comparable in cities, along rail corridors and in populated areas. Japan is mountainous and rural coverage can vary, so if you are heading somewhere remote for seasonal or resort work, check that carrier's coverage map for the specific area. Each carrier runs an English-language site, and SoftBank and au both list shops with English-speaking staff and pages on what to bring to sign up.
| Provider | Type | Network | eSIM | Residence card for postpaid? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NTT docomo | Carrier | Own (docomo) | Yes | Generally yes |
| au (KDDI) | Carrier | Own (au) | Yes | Generally yes |
| SoftBank | Carrier | Own (SoftBank) | Yes | Generally yes |
| Rakuten Mobile | Carrier with partner roaming | Own plus partner | Yes | Generally yes |
| mineo | MVNO | docomo, au or SoftBank | Yes | Generally yes |
| IIJmio | MVNO | docomo, au | Yes | Generally yes |
| Airalo, Holafly | Travel eSIM | SoftBank, or KDDI and SoftBank | Yes (data only) | No (no Japanese number) |
Every provider and rule below links to its official page; prices change often, so compare on the live plan pages rather than any single quoted figure.
Japan has a large number of budget brands and MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) that lease capacity on the three big networks and sell it for less. These are where many working holidaymakers look:
There are many more budget brands, including the carriers' own low-cost lines. The general trade-off is the same: big-network coverage at a lower price, sometimes with slower speeds at peak times and with support more often in Japanese only. Compare data per yen on the official plan pages, because promotions come and go.
If your phone supports eSIM, you can land with data already working.
International travel eSIM. Providers such as Airalo and Holafly sell Japan data eSIMs you install before you fly, so you have data the moment you switch off flight mode. Airalo's Japan eSIM runs on the SoftBank network, and Holafly's on the KDDI/SoftBank network, per their product pages. Both are data-only, so they give you maps and messaging apps but not a Japanese phone number, and they cost more per gigabyte than a local plan. Use one as a bridge for your first day or two (indicative, provider pricing: Airalo's unlimited packages run from $11.50 USD for 3 days to $72.00 USD for 30 days; Holafly's from $11.70 USD for 3 days to $74.90 USD for 30 days; check the live pages as prices change).
Local eSIM. Rakuten Mobile, mineo, IIJmio and the big three carriers all support eSIM, usually activated by scanning a QR code or through an app once you are set up. A local eSIM still generally needs the same identity verification as a physical SIM, so the residence-card point above applies.
You will still want a proper Japanese number quickly, because employers, banks and most app sign-ups expect one.
Physical SIMs and eSIMs are sold at carrier shops, electronics retailers and online. What you are asked for depends on whether you go prepaid or postpaid:
Japan does have telecoms identity-verification rules, overseen by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). You can read MIC's communications-policy material on soumu.go.jp, though it is policy background rather than a how-to.
For a working holiday, starting prepaid or data-only and switching to a postpaid plan once your paperwork is done is a common path. Postpaid contracts generally need your residence card, an address and a Japanese payment method, which you may not have on day one. Prepaid and data-only options bridge that gap. If you settle in for the longer part of your stay, a postpaid plan on a carrier or MVNO is usually cheaper per gigabyte. Whatever you choose, buy any phone outright rather than financing it on a contract that could run past your visa.
Your bank, email and government logins back home probably send verification codes to your old number. Before you fly, either move those to an authenticator app or put your home SIM on a cheap keep-alive plan. With a dual-SIM or eSIM phone you can run your home eSIM and a Japanese SIM at once. Losing access to your home bank because the code goes to a dead number is a common and avoidable problem.
The emergency numbers in Japan are 110 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance. They work from any mobile, including without your own network's signal. Source: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) emergency guide. Save both.
For a postpaid contract, generally yes: foreign residents are usually asked for their residence card, and often a Japanese address and payment method. Prepaid and data-only options, including travel eSIMs, have lighter requirements, so they cover the gap before your card and bank account are sorted. Check each provider's sign-up page, as the documents accepted vary by brand.
The budget brands and MVNOs (such as Rakuten Mobile, mineo and IIJmio) run on the big three networks and are generally cheaper per gigabyte than the carriers' headline plans, sometimes with slower speeds at busy times and support more often in Japanese. Compare data per yen on the official plan pages.
You can get a travel eSIM that works in Japan before you arrive, from providers like Airalo or Holafly. These are data-only and do not give you a Japanese number. A local carrier or MVNO eSIM with a Japanese number generally needs your residence card, so that comes after you land.
No. Travel eSIMs from providers such as Airalo and Holafly are data-only. They are good for maps and messaging apps on arrival, but for a Japanese number, and for the verification texts banks and employers send, you need a local SIM.
Airport and tourist SIMs are convenient but are usually short-term and priced for visitors, so they get expensive over a stay of months. Use one only as a short bridge if you need data immediately, then move to a local prepaid or postpaid plan.
Usually yes, if it is unlocked and supports the Japanese networks. Rakuten Mobile and the MVNOs publish device-compatibility checkers, for example Rakuten Mobile's check compatibility tool. Confirm your model before you buy a SIM.
Verified on 23 June 2026 by the WHE research team. Sources: soumu.go.jp · jnto.go.jp. How we verify →