Pocket Wifi or E-Sim 📱 Which is best for Japan in 2024?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2024
- E-sim vs pocket wifi - which is better for your Japan trip? I tried both, to show you the benefits of each, plus the price, ordering process and how to set them up.
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It's definitely worth having an internet connection when you're out and about in Japan. It's so useful to be able to look up routes, opening times, use Google Maps, check details about tourist attractions and use Google Translate. It makes things so much easier with the language barrier. Japan Wireless provided me with an e-sim and pocket wifi to try out in Tokyo and around Japan. See how we got on - I tested the coverage for each, as well as a comparison of the ordering process, how much they cost, the options and which is best for single travellers, couples, families and groups. See how to set up an e-sim and pocket wifi - it's really easy. Both have pros and cons for different sorts of travellers - which is best really comes down to what you prefer.
00:00 Pocket wifi vs e-sim
02:19 Ordering an e-sim
03:00 Ordering a pocket wifi
03:28 How to set up an e-sim
06:06 Pocket wifi: what you get
07:00 How it went
12:22 Returning the pocket wifi
13:27 Coverage
14:03 Prices
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We just returned from Japan on a 3 week tour. My wife and I both got an Airalo E-sim with 10 gigs at $20 USD per phone. I used less than 2 gigs during our whole trip, and my wife even less. Connection was fantastic. I could open my home security camera app and be seeing a live feed in just a few seconds. Kind of amazing really. Turned it on when we landed at Narita and boom we were connected. I wouldn't hesitate to get it again.
Glad it worked well, thanks for the review! When you can check your home cameras when you're the other side of the world, it makes you remember how useful the internet can be!!
We are East Asians, and for 3 weeks trip we need at least 50Gb. That is just normal among East Asians 😂
@@brianmansan Gotta have all the internets!! 😝
We used 2 pocket WiFi between the 4 of us. Never left us without service while skiing in Hokkaido. When one of us decided return to the hotel earlier, we just gave her a pocket WiFi. Used them on the rest of our trip through Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka & HIroshima. Never left without service even on long trips on the Shinkansen & bus. Being seniors, E-sims appeared to be a bit intimidating. Also, we had better things to do on vacation than to worry about set up & data usage. Airport pick up/drop off was a breeze. We had a great first trip to Japan, thanks to you both!!
Glad it worked well for you too! The signal coverage is impressive - it's great that it even workedon the snowy mountains of Hokkaido! So happy you enjoyed your trip. :-)
I've watched a couple videos of yours and they have been super helpful for planning!! Thank you for making these videos and having the info be so accessible and well-presented
Thanks so much, that means a lot! I just remember how many questions I had when I first went to Japan!
Your videos are soo helpful!!! My sister and I did the pocket WiFi option for our trip to Japan last October 2023, it worked pretty good!
Thanks so much! I think I'll always be team pocket wifi at heart! 😅
Which pocket wifi did you get? Was it good ?
Hey, Im a long time watcher. Just want to say that in my youtube travels you are by far the best content creator for practical and logistical info on travelling to Japan. Your videos are so useful. I really appreciate your efforts. Thank you for helping us fellow Japan lovers. X
Aww thank you so much! I put a lot of time into editing my videos so that means a lot!
I second that! Amy was a great help for me. I can recommend also her book!
For our 13 day trip in Japan, I had a 20GB eSIM (good for 30 days) from Airalo and it was more than enough data for me. The coast was $26USD. Coverage was great traveling all across the country in the cities and in the country side. My wife has t-mobile who gives free international service and it was not as great with coverage. Agree with Phil that the convenance on always having it there and ready to go is a plus.
Thanks for the recommendation! That's a great price, and good to know the service was good.
Perfect timing with this Amy, I'm literally just looking at which esim to go with.
What a coincidence, hope it helps!! :-)
go with the japan wireless router. It's superior!
I also used pocket Wi-Fi from Japan Wireless back in 2019 and had great experience with it. They even provided a power bank to charge the pocket Wi-Fi on the go free of charge. I collected it at Haneda airport. Overall a smooth experience 👍
I am going with an E-sim. Got plenty of crap to carry around already, and eSim I can easily charge, 5G and for my needs (google maps) definitely cheaper and faster than the wireless pocket wifis.
Have to say having booked a holiday to Japan I was concerned about how we would navigate our journey around Japan. Your TH-cam channel has been a real help to prepare for our trip. Great information channel and exceptionally well presented. Thank you for your continued support, I’m now excited about our holiday to Japan 😅
Aww thank you so much! I put a lot of time into my videos, so that means a lot! Have a wonderful time in Japan!
Our group had a mix of pocket wifi and just paying the extra money for an international plan. Main complaints with the pocket wifi was needing to be near the person with the pocket wifi and I think our provider was on a network with less than stellar coverage. Those of us that opted to just go with an international plan had the benefit of needing zero setup, just used our phones normally. If you can afford it (and you can stay within any data limit), activating the international plan of your phone for a few weeks might be the best option for non-budget travelers.
I think some countries/networks have more reasonable international plans than others. That's definitely the easiest option if yours is affordable!
We didn't set up our e-sim before we landed at Haneda and ended up doing the ol' school print-outs and offline maps for a week until we figured it out. (SUPER glad I over prepared, hahaha.) Stressful, but also kept us from staring at our phones for half the trip!
Thank you for this video, I'm gonna come back and reference it before my next trip.
Haha, that's the traditional way! 😂 I did always used to kind of enjoy having a break from the internet when travelling though! And then getting lots of messages when you turn your phone back on at the airport at home...!
Amazing channel for someone coming to japan your great at it
Thanks so much, that means a lot!
Thank you Amy going in May to Japan, found this most helpful. I’m traveling with a tour so looking at an eSIM. 😊
Thanks so much! Have a great time!!
This and the pricing video have been really great thank you
Thanks so much! Glad it's helpful!
thanks for the video ! one thing to note, you may need to unlock your phone to use ( connect) to a network using a sim card from another country ( at least for Canadians ) now federal Wireless Code changed in 2017 so all phones purchased after that date should already come region free or unlocked so you can use any sim card, but I highly recommend checking with your service provider prior to traveling. I ran into this issue when I travelled to Japan in 2016 but I didn't know my phone was locked so other sims wouldn't let me connect to a network , but I got a pocket Wi-Fi as well and that worked flawlessly. Again I think this issue only applies to Canadians, but always double check with whatever cell provider you use
That's a good point, thanks for mentioning that!
Thank you as always, we have just booked our first trip we are going to Korea first and then onto Japan for all of June (we are going to be broke when we get back!!) But i'm ordering your book over the weekend😊
Thanks so much!! That sounds fantastic, I'd love to go to Korea one day!
Very informative cheers.
Thanks, hope it helps!
I went for eSIM mainly for the convenience of setting it up at home and simply switching over to secondary line for data when the plane landed, that was the main attraction for me as wasn’t keen on the idea of queuing at the airport or relying on 3rd party delivery. Didn’t even consider the added bonus of still having internet access after leaving my bag on the train from Kanazawa to Kyoto and how that made getting it back less stressful, so yeah, you convinced me I made the right call!
Oh no, hope you got your bag back ok!!
@@cakeswithfaces It was an experience looking back, the helpful member of staff we found after I realised what happened calmly explained in perfect English what train we should get on and what to do when we arrived. The people at the ticket gates in Osaka then asked for a description of the bag and what was inside, calmly said don’t worry we’ll find it, and returned 5 minutes later with the bag, before presenting us both with stickers of train that looked like a panda face and wishing us all the best on the rest of our trip! 10 points for something that would probably never happen in London lol!
@@shoeithecat523 Ah that's so nice of them! Although it's no surprise they handled it so smoothly for you. There are so many stories of people getting things back after losing them, that would never happen in London!! 😂
Really helpful as always. As we’ll be travelling as a family of 4, I was thinking pocket WiFi as our main connection and an e-sim with a small amount of data for each of us for the times when we are maybe not together doing different things or in different hotel rooms, or maybe if one of us gets separated and needs to be connected
Sounds like a good plan if you won't be together all the time or splitting off to do things separately sometimes!
Have used the Pocket Wifi on my last four trips with my parents and have not had any issues. Did use Ninja/Japan Wireless this last trip and was easy to pick up at Haneda. In March, we did have one sent to our hotel in Shinagawa, and the hotel gave it to us as we checked in (had let them know before arriving)
Thanks for the recommendation! Ninja got in touch with me as well so I might try them out next time.
Invaluable. I will be there in three weeks! I need a lot of data so I will be going for the pocket wifi. I didn't know you can order in advance so thanks for that.
That's the right choice if you need a lot of data! Have a fantastic trip!
I pre ordered a pocket WiFi from Sakura mobile, it was waiting for me at my hotel & it worked brilliantly. Just make sure it’s fully charged before you leave or get a spare battery, posting it back was easy
Holafly has unlimited data eSIM
Thanks for another timely and enjoyable lesson. I shyed away from e-sim before but have found the collection/return and use of pocket wifi for both our use across Japan worked well. Might try the e-sim next time. Ta! P.S. when returning pocket wifi make sure router and charger are flat and not overlapping inside envelope otherwise won't fit in narrow post box slot.....
Good tip! The e-sim was better than expected, but for the two of us travelling together, I think we'll still get a pocket wifi next time.
I've always used the pocket wifi. I have been curious about the sim card but was always worried about the whole locked vs unlocked phone causing trouble. Thank you for trying out both options. The esim seems like a great option.
Ah I hadn't thought about that! From a quick Google search, it seems like you might not be able to use an e-sim if your phone's locked. (Before I tried it, I'd always thought that services linked to your phone number like Whatsapp might not work, but you can choose which sim you want to use for which services so it's fine).
Hello,
I've used a sim in October (bought beforehand), and everything worked perfectly, everywhere (I had no data limitation).
Glad it worked well! Also worth checking if there's a data limit! :-)
Very helpful - thanks. My experience with an e-Sim in Japan was mixed. It worked, mostly, with no service problems but I could not get an accurate read on how much data I had used. And it proved impossible to get additional data (I used Ubigi). This is not to say that Ubigi is bad but only that I could not make it work. In the past, I have used a portable router without incident and I plan to do so again when I return to Japan. I agree that a power bank is an excellent idea. I did have a router die on me once and It was a real challenge retracing my steps.
The data did stress us out a bit too! I think next time we'll be getting a portable wifi again, as it's for both of us sharing as well.
If you get the pocket wi-fi , make damn sure you return it when you're in Japan. It is really expensive to ship that tiny little thing back from the US. I wasn't told that I could only return in at the 2nd terminal at Haneda and I was already running late for my flight so I didn't have time to go back.
Yes - some companies will charge you a fee as well if you don't return it before you leave.
We always get both. Pocket WiFi for the family to share, including our son who likes to play games on his iPad. I get an eSIM on my phone, since I never want to be without internet if I'm out on my own. I do try to use the hotel WiFi or sometimes use the pocket WiFi, to conserve the eSIM data. It's nice to always have a connection. Plus I got a phone number eSIM last trip, for package and luggage delivery. 🌸Heidi
Sounds like a good option for your family - it's good to still have internet if you go somewhere alone!
I’ve used ninja WiFi the last two times. Using japan wireless this time. Glad you had a good experience with them. Looking forward to using their pocket WiFi.
No complaints about Japan Wireless, they were all good! I might try out Ninja next time!
My biggest problem with pocket wifi has actually been coverage. I got my pocket wifi from wi-firental. Often, the connection spotty and slow. There were even places in Tokyo, in the open sky, where I had no reception.
Twice, I had to switch on roaming on my phone to get some information (luckily that wasn't too expensive for the short moments I used it). Next trip I'll probably go for an E-sim instead.
Oh no, that's not good. The pocket WiFi I had from Sakura Mobile was slow, but the others have been good. Unfortunately that's something that's difficult to know before you try it, unless you have a reliable recommendation.
Thanks Amy, we’ve just returned from Japan and I only found out about eSIMs on our last day. As it was I ended up paying Vodafone £6 a day to use my uk plan. We’re off to USA & Canada and I’ve bought a Airalo regional eSIM for North America.
Hope it works out well - a few people here in the comments have said that Airolo are good!
I took my son to Japan last summer. He requires a lot of down time and we worried about separating with only one of us having a pocket WiFi. I purchased 2 physical SIM cards through Japan Experience that had unlimited data. We had great connections in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. I brought plastic containers that some SD cards came in so I had a place to safely store our US SIM cards for when we got to the airport back home. I think this option is great if you don't want to rely on sticking together at all times or if your phone doesn't accept eSIM.
Great choice! It's good you found one with unlimited data - that was our only real complaint about the e-sim tbh.
Could I ask you how much the physical sum cards were, thank you.
@@austinsakura I paid $68 USD for 2 SIM cards for 16 days.
I just got back from Japan yesterday and used Google Fi. The google maps using google Fi was very confusing. The lag was unbelievable. Very disappointing. It would not reset from your staying point for sometime, even after restarting your phone. Email kept saying I needed another app. Just to read some emails on Gmail. The trips prior, I always used pocket Wifi. Never had a problem with the Wifi. Unless your group decides to split up, then one group was left with getting over charged by their provider back in the US. For me, I will use Google Fi as a backup but will order the Pocket Wifi again for my next trip. Oh, the other con for using E Sim is that your phone should have duel sim capability but you may have to remove your SD card. That maybe pose a problem for some. Thanks Amy! Stay safe and healthy!
I've not tried Google Fi; thanks for sharing your experiences. Overseas charges can be pricey so if you're using a pocket wifi it's best to switch your phone to airplane mode as soon as you get on the plane, then turn on wifi, so your data, etc is off for your whole trip and there are no extra charges.
My wife and I have used both solutions and they're both fine. Esims were preferable because we didn't have to remember to charge and bring the pocket wifi router, and because we could split up for awhile and reconvene easily. It was fun going for separate lunches alone and sending each other photos of our meals!
Ah that sounds fun! We have a tradition of having one separate lunch per trip, so I can go to my fav veggie ramen place and Phil can choose any ramen he wants. Usually with the pocket wifi we have to agree a meeting place and hope no one gets lost! (It'd probably be me!) 😅
@@cakeswithfacesohhh, veggie ramen place recommendations would be massively appreciated (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto)! Going later this year, and vegetarian food options can sometimes be a bit of a challenge.
@@oldmatttv My fav is T's Tantan - I love their gold sesame ramen!
Ippudo in Lumine Est (Shinjuku) is also good - it's the only branch of Ippudo that has vegetarian ramen, and they also have veggie gyoza.
Here's my list of restaurants in Tokyo with veggie options: cakeswithfaces.co.uk/japan/vegetarian-restaurants-in-japan/
@@cakeswithfacesThank you so much, this is extremely helpful!
Just got back from Japan. I used a physical SIM again (not too many Android phones support eSIM). £17.50 for 15 days 10GB of data which was great. Ordered in UK from Ebay and placed in my dual-SIM phone once I got to Japan.
Vodafone charge £6.75 per day roaming so I definitely needed a SIM!
I love the fact in Japan there's always a signal wherever I went. Getting back to the UK and the signal disappeared 3 or 4 times on the train, and of course only works on a bit of the London Underground.
Thanks, I didn't realise that about Android and e-sims. Phil's iPhone and I have a Google Pixel so we could have tested that! The signal is impressive in Japan - can't believe I even had signal up a volcano!
I used a mobile data the last time I was in Japan in December 2019 but when I go back in May I will use eSIM as I am traveling solo. I may have to top up as I plan on doing a few livestreams.
An e-sim's a good option for solo travel. Just make sure you have good enough speed/data for livestreaming!
my phone (iphone13) still takes a sim card. I got a Mobal Softbank sim card for my last japan trip. worked great too! i also got it shipped to me before my trip
Glad it worked well, thanks for reporting back!
We just got back yesterday. I used an e sim. I have a newer phone and my husband has an older phone, he found the free wifi great and we relied on my phone and e sim, battery life was fine. Ordered a 10gb e sim and used just over 2gb and I was using it hard every day. Maps, social media etc. It was so easy and scanned the QR code at the excellent airport wifi. I used Sakura and it was fine for our needs (maps and whatsapp).
Glad it worked well! Thanks for sharing your experiences!
My last Japan trip I was forced to get the pocket WiFi because I forgot to unlock my phone. So I had no other choice. And to be quite honest, it was a very reliable option the whole time. I only ever kept the pocket WiFi itself in my jacket pocket. It only ever fully died on one day. But I also have a very reliable power bank with me. Might add slight bulk to your jacket or bag, but I’d say it’s definitely worth it! Especially if you prefer not to unlock your phone
Glad it worked out well! They've served us well many a time!
We're going to go with pocket wifi cause there is 2 of us, tethering a hot spot each time seems tedious, we dont anticipate being apart, and probably the deciding factor, our phones are older so we cant use esims or physical sims as our phones are also locked. XD But does look like a convenient choice for those who can take advantage and need to be apart. Thanks for the video Amy! :)
Sounds like a good decision! I wouldn't like having to hot spot either, and we both want internet!
Another issue with pocket wifi, family need to stick within range. If for some parts of trip u need to split up (eg shopping in a mall), some will end up with no internet (no google translate). So these days we go with a combo of both. Pocket wifi heavy user, and a small esim for individuals when we do split up during the trip. Also try. To use different providers as the network coverage can be quite different especially when outside of major cities (eg Hokkaido country side).
Yes that's a good point. Pocket wifi's only best for groups if you'll all be travelling around together.
I took the pocket WiFi from Sakura. We use it with 3 phones.
The battery runs out fairly quick, however we have 3 powerbanks we us, so it is never an issue.
We have been to: Kyoto, Himeji, Hiroshima, Kumamoto and Tokyo, and we always had good reception.
Except under te ground😂.
We don’t download and movies, using the pocket WiFi.
Maybe I just had bad luck with Sakura mobile then! It was very slow even when viewing images on webpages, and on certain services it seemed like the speed was being limited. Haven't had that problem with other providers!
Hey Amy I love your videos I’ve been using your videos to help plan my Japan trip for years and I’m finally going in 2 weeks! The video is very informative but I’m still not sure if I should use a pocket wifi or an e-sim because my group consists of 13 people and we’ll probably not be together all the time so which one should my group use?
Thanks so much! It depends how you'll be going around. If you'll be in smaller groups at times, I'd get several pocket wifi. As long as one person in each party has a pocket wifi, everyone in that group can connect to it. (You don't have to connect to the same one each time - it's like joining someone's wifi at their house - you just enter the password to connect).
Some pocket wifi have a limit to how many devices you can connect at one time (5 or 10), so watch out for that.
I am currently in Japan myself and am using Sakura Mobile as a second physical sim. it costed ¥ 26.950 so about € 164 euro for 90 days for unlimited data. The only downside I found is that I have 3 sim cards that I need to activate after one-other. Each SIM card only lasting 30 days. Non the less I am quite content with the performance of the data sim card so-far. Today the first day of Japanese language school starts so have to see how things turn out :) Thanks for the video
Thanks for the recommendation! It's good to know it's unlimited data - that seems more common with physical sims than e-sims. Good luck with language school! Ganbatte!
Last year we did pocket Wi-Fi and it worked pretty well most everywhere! Getting it at our hotel and having it sent back to them was a breeze (probably the most stressful part for me, what if it never got back to them?).
That said, I am going eSim for my trip back next month. It was a huge hassle plugging the pocket Wi-Fi brick into the USB power bank, turning it on, connecting it to the phones, and then having all these cables and devices to charge at the end of each day. That pocket wi-fi barely held a charge too, it was always dying. Digging through my backpack to mess around with the pocket Wi-Fi device also was super awkward. With eSim it is going to simplify everything. I really hope the internet service is just as good! Would hate to get lost because I can't connect to Google Maps D:
Hopefully you'll find the e-sim's a smoother process! Just watch our for data limits. If it helps, I found the Japan Wireless coverage was the same with e-sim and pocket wifi. That's the only e-sim I've tried, but I'd avoid Sakura Mobile as their internet speed was sloooow.
I've used pocket wifi in the past and I agree on the group usefulness. The only downside is that someone will be without data if you split the party for a bit.
Last year I used a physical SIM card from Sakura since I already have an eSIM from my regular carrier, and my phone can't dual sim with two eSIMs. The physical ones come with unlimited data while the digital ones do not, for some reason. Speed was perfectly fine, but I also didn't really use it for streaming and stuff.
Good tip about the unlimited data from physical sims - limited data was our main complaint about the e-sim.
Just the video I need right now. There are 3 of us so I will be getting the pocket wifi from Japan Wireless. We are going in September, when do you recommend I order it? Also, could I drop the pocket wifi back at the airport where I picked it up? And do I need an adapter for my electronic devices I'm bringing? Or will they fit the plugs I have? (American) Thank you in Advance!
I'd usually order my pocket wifi about a month before I go. I think it depends on the company, but you just need to leave enough time for them to despatch it to wherever you're picking it up.
Usually you have to post the pocket wifi back, but there are postboxes at the airport (like the one in the video). The place where you pick it up at the airport isn't the wifi company; it's a counter where you can pick up parcels (a bit like a post office).
Japanese plugs are the same as US plugs (two flat pins) so you won't need an adapter.
Thank you for the info. eSIM is convenient no extra thing to carry or recharge. Little tricky to set up at first. I used Airalo eSIM and was cheap. Plus you can always add on after you use up your data. Have to have LINE or facebook messenger etc to call other people.
I might try WiFi again only because I use iPhone and I messages and FaceTime works with WiFi that should be constantly connected. Going in July and will use both to see also. Thank you
Thanks for sharing your review! With FaceTime, the unlimited data that comes with a pocket wifi would be useful.
I do both 😊
Just to double make sure you always have internet! :-)
In the past we have used a pocket wifi.
For the upcoming trip in october I will travel with my parents and my sister. With the good chance that we will split up or that the parents want to retire earlier to the hotel I'd probably get us E-Sims.
That is the main issue with a pocket wifi, if you split up.. who gets to take it along ;)
Yes that is true! We have a tradition of having one separate lunch to try out veggie and non-veggie ramen places, and it always felt weird not having internet, it's like a comfort blanket, you always know where you are!
@@cakeswithfacesI also think my parents will really need google translate. They are both deaf and that could be a interesting experience for them beeing in a country with a very different culture. And they kind of need there smartphones for a lot of their communication.
or go with two routers instead. will still be cheaper and your parents will probably not split up, so they could take one and you the other.
@@Geisti Smartphones are so useful not just for language barriers but general accessibility and communication barriers!
I did data roaming with my UK network provider paying £6 a day. Don’t know what network I was connected to in Tokyo but it was so slow live streaming was near impossible. Next trip I’ll try that Mobal SIM card which gives calls and data and the option for a Japanese phone number.
It should work out better for live streaming hopefully. And a Japanese phone number can be useful if you need to register for anything or make bookings, etc.
I used pocket wifi, and planned to use it on my next trip there. You never know when you might need internet, so unlimited is my jam.
I agree, it's good to know you can always have as much data as you need!
@@cakeswithfaces I tend to wear cargo pants on vacation even in summer (Florida boy), so there is always a pocket for the wifi. Besides it is safer to keep money and passport in an odd Zipped or velcro pocket so it it is harder to get stolen.
@@Gantorin Very true - even in a country with low crime rates like Japan you can never be too careful! (You can tell I grew up in London...!).
Hiya, we're in Japan right now, staying at the Gracery in Shinjuka. Took your advice on the esims and they work great 👍🏼 . Could you recommend any bars / pubs for us? Around shinjuku as that's where we're based. We're 4 blokes in our 50's, we're after good beer and atmosphere music. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Loving Japan so far. Thanks fot the vids, keep the good work. 😢
Great hotel choice! Not very original but have you been to the Golden Gai? Always an experience! Or pick a random izakaya (although not one in Kabukicho with touts or you might get your drinks spiked & end up with a massive credit card bill... Choose somewhere yourself, don't let anyone drag you into their place). It's more for eating as well as drinking but Torikizoku's good for food & drinks - it's somewhere relaxed you can all hang out as long as you want.
@@cakeswithfaces Thanks so much for your reply. We're back in England now and after nearly a week, still fighting the jetlag. We enjoyed Japan so much and we're already talking about returning next year!. We did loads, but missed so much! We had 5 nights in Shinjuku, took the Shinkansen to Osaka and spent 3 nights there, day tripping to Kyoto, back to Tokyo for 2 nights in Shibuya (will deffo stay there longer next time). We did Golden Gai a cpl of nights, loved it. We also did the GoKarting around Tokyo dressed as minions! we really wanted to be Mario, but I think Nintendo put stop to that :-) We managed to get a 'proper' SUICA card! and it was so convenient, lasts 10 years so it's good for next year! Keep doing the videos, they're great and will help us with our next trip to Japan, next year :-).
@@chimparse That sounds fantastic! I know the feeling of wanting to go back straight away...!
Very useful video, Amy! I imagine that you both use VPNs and I know that adds to data and battery usage. Perhaps you could do a vid on that topic?
Phil uses a VPN and I know he used it occasionally for work stuff on this trip with no problems! :-)
I'm with the Three network and I can unlock my general data plan, admittedly it's a bit expensive but the tethering is fine and we often carry around portable batteries or buy them whilst we are out. Useful video though thanks :)
We also just take a safe extension lead so we can use multiple English plugs.
Glad that works well! I use travel adapters with extra USB plugs too - especially with the cameras it always helps to be able to charge more at the same time.
The only place I struggled with signal on Pocket Wifi was in the deeper, most rural parts of bungoono.
We usually take pocket wifi because there's 2 of us, we're rarely apart from each other, and the extra portable charger and plug are very handy even for some personal devices :D (even though we bring our own) But I'd be very tempted to try an eSIM next time if we can get 2 with a large amount of data at a good price.
Same here - a pocket wifi's great for the two of us to share! I was impressed by the e-sim but will probably still stick with the pocket wifi in future. How was Bungoono - it looks gorgeous!
@@cakeswithfaces Bungoono was amazing! We rented little tree houses by the river, and since we had a car we got to see caves, waterfalls and go on forest walks. The roadside station had a weirdly delicious specialty: green pepper ice cream!
@@WildCatMiyuu That sounds wonderful! Green pepper ice cream sounds interesting... I'd give it a try!
I am not tech savy. I planned to ask my provider Tmobile to unlock. I fly on May 8, when do I have them unlock?
Once unlocked, I then get esim upon arriving Narita terminal 1. Is it possible to have the staff at the store to install esim for me?
Anything else i need to know or do?
You'll need an unlocked phone to use the e-sim, so I'd ask them to unlock it now, just in case of any problems.
As the e-sim is virtual, there isn't really a store where anyone can help you. There should be instructions from the e-sim provider (Japan Wireless provided step by step instructions, and a video walk-through).
If you're not tech savvy, I'd suggest a pocket wireless may be easier to set up. You just switch it on, then connect to it like you connect to any other wifi network.
Was very close to buying Sakura pocket wifi … its cheaper than ninja. Would you recommend i pay a bot extra for ninja? Also, how much is enough GB a day for google maps, facetime and video streaming at night? Cheers.
I haven't tried Ninja, but there have been some good review of them here in the comments. I wouldn't recommend Sakura - it was very slow and definitely the worst I've tried. It's difficult to say how many GB you'd need, but 1GB a day wasn't really enough for us (for one person) and we didn't do any facetime calls.
I will use Airalo eSIM soon in Japan and South Korea as they are offering a Asia plan
Thanks for the rec! It's good you can use one for both countries.
Good choice. Airalo works well.
Airalo may have connection issues in Japan! I had this plan on my very recent trip- worked great in Taiwan, but I couldn't get a signal at all in Japan (Tokyo and Kyoto) and had to switch to Ubigi. When I looked it up it seems like this is not uncommon (although airalo was recommended to me before my trip!)
I don't know if it's only in Japan but for Airalo to work you need to make sure that roaming is enabled on the esim configuration. That may have been your issue as getting no signal at all generally means that something on your phone isn't right. Did you contact their support? This is probably the first thing they would get you to check.
@@kc3302 it worked perfectly in Taiwan, but once I landed in Tokyo there was nothing (flew direct from Taiwan)- I would get little flashes of the network it was trying to connect to (an australian network, for some reason), but no internet. Tried resetting everything and fiddling with the settings, but no luck. Once I switched to a different esim on a different network, everything was fine. Didn't contact support, but looked up "why doesn't my airalo work in Tokyo" and found other people who experienced the same issue.
This might seem like a dumb person question, but fellow UK person here - if you have a bolt on from [whichever provider] for data, would you just not be able to use that rather than a pocket wifi? I mean, I imagine a pocket wifi or esim might have slightly better speeds but in theory, you should be able to pop over with a travel data plan just as well...as I understand?
Yes, if you get a bolt on for international data, you wouldn't need a pocket wifi or e-sim. On my plan it's quite pricey, but you might have a better phone plan than me!
@@cakeswithfaces Yes, I think many of these are about £5 a day - for a longer trip, probably much better to go with your handy dandy pocket wifi or e-sim advice!
e-sim bet and it's not even close. Even as early as last year, e-sims were still not good enough value compared to a physical sim, but the cost gap has closed to near parity.
The convenience of setting up your e-sim ahead of time so that you can be connected as soon as you land and quick access to your home mobile for 2FA Authentication when required by your bank are benefits far too great to ignore.
The Pocket Wifi relies on another device, meaning another battery to charge/maintain, plus the cost/hassle of collecting and dropping off the hire unit.
Going over in June and will get out e-sim's just before leaving :)
Have a great trip!
I'm a bit confused. When I was in Japan in 2017 I just got a travelsim from Yodabashi Kamera. It costs around 2500 Yen tops and it was super reliable. Since my phone is not esim ready, I think that's a good option? But somehow I never see people talking about them. Always only the super expensive ones you pick up at the airport?
I think e-sims have just become more popular than physical sim cards, maybe because you can order it before you go and set it up virtually, and you don't have to remove the sim card from your phone. Sounds like it's a good option for you though!
The difference between an esim and a physical sim is one is physical, the other isn’t (the esim takes a little more setting up). Beyond that, whatever anyone says about one applies to the other as well
If you go on regular trips is worth looking at buying a pocket wifi. I have the glocalme and paid for itself after 2 trips. Just need to buy the tariff you want and top up.
Ah I hadn't thought about buying one. So it's like a pay as you go phone, that you top up?
@@cakeswithfaces yes, you choose your location and how long and how much data you want and is the same as the pocketwifi.
If you have 2 people and multiple devices its more cost effective, but really saves money on multiple trips when you aren't renting one.
I got the GlocalMe UPP, didn;t need the screen version and manage top ups via phone
I am Japanese living abroad and I always rent pocket wifi and mostly worked fine. However it didn’t work at all at Tokyo Disney so was my international roaming. It worked fine in middle of Tokyo Shibuya etc but not in Disney where so many people congregate in one place so I am thinking what to do next time when I will be in Japan this year.
That's interesting, as Shibuya is also extremely crowded at times. Maybe not as many people browsing their phones as people standing in queues at Disney. Someone else here in the comments said they had problems with location services in the Disney app with an e-sim.
We are going for trip form UK to Tokyo in August for 21 day for family of 6 . 3 adult and 3 child what do think it best for us pocket wife or esim . ( pocket WiFi it said unlimited. Will it be get slower when we using alot of Internet ? )
If you'll be going around together, I'd recommend a pocket WiFi as you can all connect to one device, and the data is unlimited. I only have experience of using it between two people, but the speed's always been excellent.
I have watched a lot of your videos in preparation of our trip to Japan. Thanks for the great content. My question to you or anyone: I have a pocket wifi booked and my companion will have esim, can my companion Hotspot from my pocket wifi to save on data? Thank again.
You can both connect to the pocket WiFi and share it. Multiple devices can connect to a pocket WiFi, so you'll only really need the e-sim when you're not together.
That's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks, and keep up the great work you do.
Hi ! Do the different pocket wifi rental companies use different networks? I believe the top 3 in Japan are Docomo, Softbank, & AU. Which one is stronger in rural remote areas, and would I need to rent the wifi router from? Thanks for the vids!!
It doesn't really say on your phone which network it's using, because it just looks like you're connected to wifi, like your wifi at home. I had excellent signal everywhere with the pocket wifi from Japan Wireless, and I never had any problems with the wifi from japan-rail-pass.co.uk either. The Sakura Mobile wifi had signal everywhere, but it was slow in general, so I wouldn't recommend that one.
@@cakeswithfaces We’ll be going in June so I’ll try Japan Wireless. Thank you so much for the helpful answer and video!!
@@kingreese808 Have a great trip! I love how warm it is there in June!
@@cakeswithfaces Thanks! We’ll be staying up North in Aomori, kinda rural area so I’ll update the router usage here we get when we come back!
@@kingreese808 I was impressed how there was signal everywhere around Kyushu, even in some remote areas in Nagasaki prefecture, so hopefully you should be ok!
I used pocket WiFi as I took multiple devices. It was well used and needed to be connected to power bank non stop though
Sounds like you made good use of it! :-) They are good for multiple devices.
I used Sakura Mobile! It was pretty good!
Glad it worked out better for you - I found it slooow! Even loading images was slow.
We've done two SIM/ESIM (one each) every time we've visited Japan. We haven't found the data limits an issue - and you can often get 2 SIM with a decent data allowance for the same price as one pocket wifi. 40GB between the two of us for two weeks has always been plenty, and I think we've done less than that too.
It works great for us, and means we can be in two different places (or unexpectedly separated) and still able to get in contact or navigate/translate. Means we don't have to have the 'now if I get off the train and you don't, you wait there and I'll come to you' plan in place.
Yes that is a great benefit of esims/sims if you're not going to be together all the time! Thanks for sharing your experiences!
I just came back from Japan and used a rental pocket WiFi. It only used a 2G network and did not work well. I’m wondering if the location I got it had out of date equipment and other places have more updated models.
What company?
@@karenalvarez7545Sakura Mobile
That's not great - I wasn't impressed with Sakura Mobile either tbh.
Pocket Wifis normally don’t use mobile networks as it is a WiMax technology, Unless it was a mobile based Pocket Wifi.
Just finishing up my trip, I would have loved to save a bunch of money and use and e-sim, but unfortunately I need to keep my normal number active for work meaning I had to pay for the full fat international plan from my provider each week. If you can avoid or forward your number somehow I would highly recommend it
you can keep two lines active on iphones if you use esim (either physical + esim or two esims). so you could keep your work phone active for calls, and have all data via a cheap esim.
If it's for work it has to be done! 😅 Maybe you can at least put it on your business expenses...?
We are going for 10 days at end of October. Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. Mum and teenage son. Hotels have free WiFi. Shinkansen? Mainly will use it for Google maps, google translate, looking up places, restaurants etc. Booking activities? Watching TH-cam and possibly movie? My son uses snapchat. Myself Facebook. Which do you think would be better for us? Pocket WiFi or esim?
If you'll be together all the time, I'd recommend a pocket WiFi as it has unlimited data and you can share it. If you'll be doing things separately at any point, get an e-sim each so you'll both have internet and can message each other.
@cakeswithfaces thanks 😊.
If we did have an esim each how much data would we need? Would it be more expensive having an esim each as opposed to pocket WiFi between us?
@@melgordon2490 It's tricky to say how much data - but I didn't feel the 10Gb plan was enough for 1 person for 2 weeks, so I'd get at least 2Gb a day. For 2 people, it may be cheaper to get an e-sim each. Personally I prefer sharing a pocket wifi and knowing you've got unlimited data, so you don't have to worry about it!
@cakeswithfaces I think pocket WiFi might be the go then as we will be together at all times. Only thing I would be worried about is if for some reason we accidentally got separated then couldn't contact each other? How much is pocket WiFi usually?
@@melgordon2490 You'd be best to agree a place to meet if you get lost. Here are the prices from Japan Wireless - it depends how long you're going for: www.japan-wireless.com/en/rates
Do not get an esim if going to Disney. The location services with the park app don't work properly. Get a normal SIM.
Interesting, thanks for mentioning that! I'm hoping to go back to Tokyo Disney next time, when Fantasy Springs is open!
I used a pocket wifi on my last trip (it worked great) and will probably use an e-sim next time since I travel solo. One less thing to carry and keep charged.
Yes, I think an e-sim's a good option for a solo trip, and pocket wife's good if you're sharing with other people.
Hi, looking for help and advice, I'm travelling Japan in a camper for 6 weeks. My work is on the Internet, which allows me to travel for long periods of time. The issue I am having is the 2gig a day fare usage limit. This seems to be on all travel data sim cards. This is totally messing up my trip, as I am constantly hitting the limit and having to find WiFi spots. Has anyone found a solution to please
Most pocket wifis give you unlimited data, although they probably have fair usage limits. Or, I haven't tried it myself but I've seen this longer term wifi option recommended: www.therealjapan.com/mobal-wifi-review/
Is the an easy way to get a temporary Japan number?
I guess on the eSIM we should set it as a metered data connection…..
If you get a sim that includes voice calling, that would give you a Japanese phone number. I've heard of them with physical sim cards, I'm not sure if there are e-sims that include it.
Afaik, Mobal are the only ones doing proper Japanese phone number, available in physical and esim. Not the cheapest option and generally have a 7Gb per calendar month data limit (yes, personal experience, used it last time I was in Japan and have also just booked another for my next trip). Depends if you really need a Japanese phone number if it’s worth it, I only get them as I road trip solo and emergencies can happen that way.
@@motojojo_ thank you. I will take a look
hi
am confused. with pocket wi-fi do you also get a SIM card with the device or does your phone need to already have a sim before you purchase the wi fi
If you get a pocket wifi, you connect to it just like you connect to your home wifi, or any other wifi network. You don't need to do anything with the sim card.
If you get an e-sim, it's like adding a virtual sim card to your phone, for data in Japan.
@@cakeswithfaces thanks for the reply . to clarify, so, if I use a pocket wifi I will need to buy an e-sim or a SIM card from Japan for my phone
@@daveboardman8026 No, you don't need both. If you get a pocket wifi, that's all you need (with the regular sim that you use in your phone all the time).
You can use either pocket wifi or e-sim, you don't need both. :-)
Amy the pocket WiFi Japan has always looked more better and useful to me but which one do you think is? Again I’d rather go with the pocket WiFi 🇯🇵🇯🇵🇯🇵
I still prefer the pocket wifi, that's what we'll be getting next time I think!
@@cakeswithfaces same here and thanks always super helpful with your opinions and best advices especially when traveling to Japan 🤝🤝🤝
I have watched the set up of the eSIM.. i am worried that I wont be able to turn off my UK physical SIM... is it that easy the just to click off the "primary" SIM?
Yes, that's all you have to do! They provided step by step instructions of what to do in your settings, for Apple and Android.
Nornal sim card! I tried the Sakura unlimited data sim card. I think it was around 6000 yen for 2 weeks. Worked well everywhere even on top of mount Fuji!
That's good to know, thank you! It's good you got unlimited data.
@@cakeswithfaces just checked now, they increased the price to ~7000 yen +_+. Thanks for your great content by the way!
I have a pocket Wi Fi and when i visit Asia anywhere i get an AIS tourist SIM card or a local phone company sim card. Usually the cost is less than $20 US and i get large GB limit. Works great for me. I do buy a one day data package that gets me going until i get to a phone store.
Thanks for the recommendation!
@@cakeswithfaces the AIS 8 day tourist card is only $11 US and comes with 25 GB of 4/5 G speed. I use a GlocalMe Numen Air 5 G Wi Fi unit and in Thailand i have gotten up to 250 mbs speed. As you are in Japan get the AID Sim2Fly which is a great deal
Which portable chargers do you like/recommend?
I got this one: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BYNYBTYK/ref=pe_27063361_485629781_TE_item
Not complaints, it's pretty small and lightweight.
(Japan Wireless provide a portable charger if you rent a pocket wifi).
@@cakeswithfaces awesome! Appreciate you and your videos :)
@@brittanycollier4635 Thanks so much! 🥰
Did they send pocket wifi to your uk home address? :) did it take long to arrive?
You can choose to either pick it up from the airport when you arrive in Japan, or have it sent to your hotel in Japan. You tell them your arrival date and in my experience, it's always been there waiting for me.
@@cakeswithfaces thank you! Have you always opted to pick it up at the airport? :)
@@smyth339 Usually I pick it up at the airport (so I can use Google Maps to get to the hotel!), but this time (in the video) I had it sent to the hotel and it was waiting for me at check-in.
But what about a physical SIM? any info on that?
I haven't tried one myself; it's similar to an e-sim but it seems more common for physical sims to have unlimited data. And of course, you have to be careful not to lose your original SIM card!
As a solo traveller I always go SIM.
Been to Japan many times and can get away with a small amount of data
I think that's what I'd do too if I was travelling solo, and didn't have an iPad or any other devices to connect. :-)
Although, they are convenient, not all eSIMS have shareable data capability. There are telecom companies that offer eSIMs with shareable data but they’re really expensive especially if you’re a heavy user. That’s why I always opt for a pocket wifi when I go to Japan since it has unlimited data and it’s more economical.
Yes, if you want to share, the pocket wifi does seem like the better option. It's what we'll be using next time I think.
Went in January this year, did the e-sim, and it worked the best for us as a couple! We went with the e-sims for two main reasons: we both had unlocked phones and a previous experience when we went in 2016.
In 2016, the airbnb we stayed at actually provided us a pocket wifi! However, connection was spotty and we had a HUGE scare where we thought we lost it (we accidentally packed it in our luggage on our last day). We had to charge it daily, and I was always scared that if we did separate, we have no way to communicate.
Next time I go, we're definitely doing e-sim again! And for the battery issue, we made sure to connect to the hotel wifi and carried a portable battery.
Thanks for sharing your experiences! I once stayed in a hotel that provided an actual mobile phone with internet access for you to use. Although you don't know about the security, etc, so I didn't use it!
I'm intrigued. How much did your UK provider hit you for the txts you received before you disabled their SIM? I recently got hit $10AUD each time by my Australian provider for receiving a couple of txts in both Singapore and Hanoi before I disabled their SIM. Hardly breaking the bank, but a tad annoying.
Yes that is annoying! There may be a better way to set it up without opening it up to international texts if you know what you're doing...! Luckily Phil had an add-on for international service on his phone (so he could get auth codes, etc, for work) so he didn't get charged that time.
I’m in Japan at the moment and I use a pocket wifi from Japan Wireless. Are the always with unlimited data?
They have been unlimited in my experience, but they might not all be the same so check the terms of the one you got! :-)
Because of how I travel, I get a SIM every time and get really stingy with apps needing data (either limiting access to wifi or just turning data off until I need it). Tried going without data, solely relying on hotel/public wifi… didn’t go well, would not recommend 😂
Haha, yes it can be difficult without internet! It's definitely worth it to help you out when you get stuck, and save time making trips to places that might be closed already.
What are the odds. Was considering what to get when I go to Japan in May!
Haha, hope it helps you decide! :-)
What happens if you order an e-sim and realize halfway through your trip that you're going to need more data? Can you just top it up?
It depends on the rules from the company you got it from. Some you can top up, and with others you need to buy an additional plan. That's why I prefer unlimited data.
I'm a bit of a techno idiot, so I'm going for the pocket WiFi so I can connect phone and small laptop without having to learn how to tether them.
I've found 3gb per day for £2.55 per day. Seems reasonable. Hotel WiFi in the evenings for next day planning.
Sounds like a good plan! Have a great trip!
You can get many esims with unlimited plans now just like for pocket wifi. I never use pocket wifi now as esims are just much more convenient.
Thanks for the tip - always worth checking the data limit with e-sims to make sure it's good for you!
I used japan wireless. And I didn’t have any issue. I would used it again
Glad it worked well for you too!
Pocket WiFi I used ninja WiFi in September and I was very good we will be use it again in October
Thanks for sharing your review! I've heard of Ninja but not used them; it's good to know they offer good service.
I always use a pocket wifi with unlimited data, it's a bit pricier but worth it!
It's good to know you can browse as much as you want with no limits.
Thanks for this Amy. The information has been very valuable 🫶
Thanks! You can't be without internet!! 😝
@@cakeswithfaces So true 😂
Some telcos will block sharing of mobile data via hotspots. Thats why u couldnt share esim data. Unfortunately they almost never state this in their package information and u can only find out the hard way. If u have more than 1 device, it might be safer to go with pocket wifi. These days all ‘unlimited’ packages have a fair use limit. It will throttle the speed severly once u go past the limit. Therefore dont go video streaming on these ‘unlimited’ packages, especially if u have a whole family sharing it.
Yes, tbh for the two of us I'd get a pocket wifi next time. It was strange as Japan Wireless say you can use hotspots, and we often hotspot at home, but in practice these things don't always work out!
The Airbnb we went to in Osaka included a pocket WiFi
That's a great deal, very helpful!
And what about SIM card? My phone doesn’t has eSIM
Yes you can get physical sim cards too! There are companies that will send them to you abroad, or you can get them in Japan.