Posted on
/
By
Clay Thomas
Mobal and Sakura Mobile are two of the Japan based providers travelers tend to compare once they start looking at eSIMs. Both have operated in Japan for years, and both sell travel eSIMs alongside longer term mobile services.
Japan is a demanding place to test a connection. You may be using maps between stations, a translation app in a restaurant, and a ride hailing app late at night, often on the same battery and the same plan.
That makes the details matter more than the headline price. The network a plan runs on, what happens once a daily allowance is used, and how much data you can share to a laptop will shape your trip more than a few hundred yen either way.
This Japan eSIM comparison looks at Mobal, Sakura Mobile and Journey Japan eSIM across networks, data limits, speed policy, hotspot, setup and support.
Japan eSIM comparison at a glance
Journey Japan eSIM | Mobal | Sakura Mobile | |
|---|---|---|---|
Network in Japan | NTT Docomo on fixed data plans, KDDI on True Unlimited | Docomo on data only tourist plans | Docomo on the 3GB per day plan, au (KDDI) on unlimited |
Data options | Fixed data or True Unlimited | Fixed data, plus unlimited on 5G plans | 3GB per day, or unlimited |
Speed after allowance | No throttle on True Unlimited | Reduced to around 200 Kbps | Reduced to 200 Kbps after 3GB in a day |
Hotspot | Supported, pooled allowance on True Unlimited | Supported where the device allows | Supported, capped at 3GB total on the Docomo plan |
Plan length | Up to 30 days | Short stay and monthly options | Short stay and monthly options |
Japanese phone number | Not offered | Available on Voice + Data plans | Available on Voice + Data plans |
Setup | QR code by email, no app | Email for data only, ID check for voice | Online for data only, in person ID check for voice |
Support | Japan based, 24/7 in English | Japan based, English | Japan based, English |
Journey Japan eSIM
Journey Japan eSIM is a Japan only eSIM brand founded by Chris Broad, creator of the Abroad in Japan YouTube channel. It provides travel eSIMs built specifically around Japan visitors rather than residents.
Japan eSIM coverage and local network
Journey Japan eSIM runs directly on Japan's local networks, including NTT Docomo and KDDI, rather than reselling access through a third party.
This is an important differentiation. Direct connection allows users to have access to 99% data coverage across all 47 prefectures. From Hokkaido to Okinawa and everywhere in between. This helps if your trip includes exploring rural areas or mountain towns, or visiting dense urban areas and riding along Shinkansen lines.
Journey Japan eSIM offers fixed data plans and true unlimited plans. Each data option support 5G, LTE and 4G wherever the local network and your device support them. Your actual speed will still depend on your location, signal strength, network congestion, and the device you are using.
If you want to see what that looks like in practice, our Japan eSIM speed test database records real speeds measured in locations across the country..
Fixed data and True Unlimited eSIM plans
Fixed data plans carry 30 day validity regardless of how long your trip is, so you do not need to match an eSIM to your exact dates. That can help if a flight is delayed or you extend by a few days.
The True Unlimited 5G plans have no daily data limit, no fair usage throttle, and no slowdown once you pass a threshold. This is different than most unlimited plans that have a data limit incorporated. If you stream, video call, or work while traveling, that may matter more than the size of a fixed allowance.
Hotspot and tethering
Hotspot and tethering work with laptops, tablets and other normal devices. A guide to using a hotspot with an eSIM covers how to set it up.
The True Unlimited plans include a hotspot allowance that matches the number of days in the plan, so a 7 day plan includes 7GB of hotspot data, a 15 day plan includes 15GB, and a 30 day plan includes 30GB. On fixed data plans, hotspot use draws from your regular allowance with no separate cap.
That pooled structure is worth checking against other providers. A daily hotspot cap resets every day whether you used it or not, while a pool lets you spend it when you actually need it.
eSIM setup and support
The Japan eSIM arrives by email as a QR code, with no app to download and no account to create. You can install the eSIM before you fly and keep your existing SIM in place.
Support is Japan based and available 24 hours a day in English, which can help if something goes wrong outside business hours in your home country.
Travel perks
Every Japan eSIM plan includes a set of travel discounts you can use at real locations during the trip, currently covering karaoke at Big Echo, a free sake at Kabuki Hall with any food order, select sandwiches at Sando Lab, and a first drink at LOST Bar Shibuya.
Many positive praise and response from travelers across review platforms for Journey Japan eSIM and these perks, holding a 4.8 star rating on Trustpilot.
Plans and pricing
Plan | Data | Validity | Current price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
10GB Japan eSIM | 10GB | 30 days | $19 |
20GB Japan eSIM | 20GB | 30 days | $29 |
50GB Japan eSIM | 50GB | 30 days | $49 |
True Unlimited 5G | Unlimited | 7 days | $29 |
True Unlimited 5G | Unlimited | 15 days | $49 |
True Unlimited 5G | Unlimited | 30 days | $79 |
If you are not sure which size data plan fits your travel, our guide on how much data you need for a trip to Japan walks through typical usage.
Best for: travelers who want a Japan focused travel eSIM, with either a fixed allowance or unlimited data that does not throttle.
Mobal
Mobal is a Japan based mobile provider with offices in Japan, the US and the UK. It serves two fairly different groups, short term visitors who need data and longer term residents who need a Japanese phone number.
Network: Docomo on the data only tourist plans
Data: fixed allowances on tourist plans, with unlimited available on 5G plans
Speed policy: reduced to around 200 Kbps once the high speed allowance is used
Hotspot: supported where your device allows it
Plan length: short stay tourist plans and rolling monthly plans
Calls and texts: available on Voice + Data plans, which include a real Japanese number
Support: Japan based, in English
The long term side is where Mobal is most distinctive. Monthly plans run from 1GB up to 200GB, incoming calls and SMS are free, and unused data rolls over from the previous month.
Data only tourist eSIMs are delivered by email within minutes and do not require ID. However, long term eSIM plans require more information and time to set up.
The main limitation is what happens after the allowance. Once you use the high speed data on a fixed tourist plan, speeds drop to around 200 Kbps for the rest of the validity period, which may not suit you if you expect to stream or video call later in the trip.
Voice plans work differently again. Because Japanese law requires identity verification for a phone number, the access code arrives by post or is collected in Japan rather than by instant email, so build that into your timeline if you need a number from day one.
Best for: longer stays, and anyone who needs a Japanese phone number with generous monthly data.
Sakura Mobile
Sakura Mobile has provided SIM cards, eSIMs and home internet in Japan since 2014. Like Mobal, it covers both travelers and longer term residents, with English support throughout.
Network: Docomo on the 3GB per day plan, au (KDDI) on the unlimited plan
Data: 3GB per day, or unlimited
Speed policy: reduced to 200 Kbps after 3GB in a day on the Docomo plan
Hotspot: supported, capped at 3GB in total on the Docomo plan
Plan length: short stay travel plans and longer term monthly plans
Calls and texts: available on Voice + Data plans with a Japanese number
Support: Japan based, in English
For travelers the choice comes down to the two travel eSIMs. The 3GB per day plan gives you a fresh allowance each morning. This can work well if your usage is simple, steady, and mostly maps, messaging and browsing.
The unlimited plan on au removes the daily ceiling, so it suits heavier days without you tracking a balance.
The limitation to watch on the Docomo plan is the hotspot cap. Tethering is capped at 3GB in total rather than refreshing daily, so it may not suit you if you plan to work from a laptop for more than a day or two.
Longer term Voice + Data plans require an in person ID check, so check the verification steps and timing before you rely on having a number soon after arrival.
Best for: travelers who want a daily allowance rather than a total one, and residents who need a Japanese number alongside home internet.
Which Japan eSIM fits your trip
The three providers are built around different readers, so the useful question is which situation you are in rather than which Japan eSIM brand ranks highest.
Mobal makes the most sense if you are staying longer and need a Japanese phone number, particularly if you want generous monthly data with rollover and free incoming calls.
Sakura Mobile suits you if you prefer a daily allowance that resets each morning, or if you need a Japanese number alongside other services such as home internet. The hotspot cap on the Docomo plan is the detail to check if you travel with a laptop.
Journey Japan eSIM is the closer fit if you want a straightforward travel eSIM, with a fixed 30 day allowance or True Unlimited data that does not throttle, coverage on Docomo and KDDI, hotspot support, and Japan based English support at any hour.
If you are also weighing the larger global providers, our comparison of Airalo vs Holafly vs Journey Japan eSIM and our Saily vs Ubigi vs Journey Japan eSIM comparison cover how those stack up for a Japan trip.
Compare Japan eSIM plans and choose the one that matches your trip.
