In brief
Renting a pocket WiFi in Japan for 15 days cost €42 to €89 at 4 rental companies we checked on 3 November 2026, before options. A 10 GB eSIM costs €8.60 and goes on your phone before you fly, with no box to collect or return. Pocket WiFi still makes sense for a group that stays together, or for a phone without eSIM.
Key points
- Pocket WiFi is a rented box: you collect it, charge it every evening, then hand it back.
- An eSIM goes on your phone at home before you fly, and connects by itself when you land.
- For a group that stays together, or a phone without eSIM, the box still earns its place.
- An eSIM’s hotspot often replaces the box, as long as the offer allows it.
Renting a pocket WiFi used to be the obvious way for visitors to stay online in Japan. Since then, many phones have started to support eSIM, which needs no extra device at all. Here are the real prices of 4 rental companies, a table to compare the two, and the situations where the box is still the better choice.
How much is pocket WiFi in Japan? 4 rental companies checked
| Company | Plan | 15 days | Pick-up and return |
|---|---|---|---|
| H.I.S. | Basic Plan, unlimited | ¥7,500, or €42.35 | Delivered to your hotel, return envelope included; no airport pick-up |
| GAC | Unlimited Plan | ¥11,430, or €64.54 | Free airport pick-up, prepaid return envelope |
| Sakura Mobile | Unlimited data | ¥12,078, or €68.20 | Delivery (airport, hotel, post office) and return included |
| JAL ABC | 4G router, booked online | ¥15,750, or €88.93 | Pick-up and return at the airport counter |
Prices checked on 3 November 2026 on each company’s site, tax included, converted at the European Central Bank rate of 2 November 2026 (€1 = ¥177.10). Options aren’t counted: loss and damage insurance adds ¥500 to ¥4,500 for 15 days depending on the company (€3 to €25), and at Sakura Mobile, insurance and a power bank are ticked by default (€96.15 with both). All four plans are unlimited, with a fair use policy that can slow you down if you use a very large amount.
An eSIM, by contrast, comes with a set amount of data: the 10 GB plan costs €8.60, 20 GB costs €14.60 and 50 GB costs €28.90, with nothing to collect or return. Prices are in euros; if you pay with a UK card, your bank converts them into pounds. A box can be shared, though: split between four people who stay together, its price is divided by four. Other eSIM brands’ prices are in our Japan eSIM comparison.
eSIM or pocket WiFi: which suits your trip?
| Your trip | Simplest option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Solo, with a compatible phone | An eSIM | Nothing to collect or return, and only one battery to think about. |
| As a couple | An eSIM each, or one eSIM shared as a hotspot | You both stay online, even if you go your own ways for the day. |
| A family that stays together, with tablets | A pocket WiFi, or an eSIM shared as a hotspot | One device connects everyone. |
| Friends who often split up | An eSIM each | Nobody depends on someone else’s box. |
| A phone without eSIM | A pocket WiFi, or a SIM card if your phone is unlocked | The box works with any device that has WiFi. |
| Working trip with a laptop | An eSIM with hotspot, or a pocket WiFi | Both connect a laptop; the eSIM means one less device to carry. |
eSIM vs pocket WiFi at a glance
| Criterion | Pocket WiFi | eSIM |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | €42 to €89 for 15 days at 4 companies, before options (checked on 3 November 2026) | €8.60 for 10 GB, €14.60 for 20 GB: Japan eSIM plans |
| Data | Unlimited, with a fair use policy | A set amount, which you can top up |
| Before you go | Book online and choose where to collect it | Buy and install it at home, over WiFi |
| When you land | Collect the box from an airport counter, or at your hotel | Get online as soon as you land |
| Battery | Usually about a day, depending on the model: one more device to charge every evening | Your phone’s battery, which drains faster when you share data |
| Sharing with others | Several devices at once, but the group has to stay together | Everyone has their own connection, plus a hotspot if the offer allows it |
| Coverage | The Japanese network the rental company uses | The Japanese network the eSIM uses (NTT docomo for Mobile Companion) |
| Returning it | At a counter or by post, at the end of your stay | Nothing to return |
| Loss or damage | Charged by the rental company, unless you take out insurance | Nothing to lose except your phone |
| Compatible devices | Any device with WiFi | A phone that supports eSIM and is unlocked |
| Your UK SIM | Stays in your phone | Stays in your phone for calls and texts |
How pocket WiFi rental works in Japan
Renting a pocket WiFi follows the same pattern every time, from booking to handing the box back.
Book online
A few days before you fly, choose your dates, the options and where to collect it. Rental companies often offer insurance against loss or damage.
Collect the box
From a counter at the airport when you land, or delivered to your first hotel, as Japan’s national tourism organisation points out. Check the counter’s opening hours if you land late.
Use it
Switch the box on and connect your devices with the WiFi password printed on it. Keep it charged and in your bag: without it, you’re offline.
Charge it
The battery usually lasts about a day, depending on the model and how hard you use it. Charge it every night, and carry a power bank for long days out.
Return it
At the end of your trip, drop it off at the airport counter or post it back in the prepaid envelope provided. A late return or a forgotten cable can be charged.
Options worth checking
- Insurance: without it, a lost router costs ¥25,000 to ¥40,000 at the companies we checked (€141 to €226).
- Spare battery: offered as an option, and useful if you spend all day out and about.
- Options ticked by default: check your basket before you pay, as some are added automatically.
- Collection and return: a counter that’s open when your flight lands, and the option to return the box at another airport if you fly home from elsewhere.
When pocket WiFi makes sense
The box hasn’t had its day yet. In these cases, it’s still a good choice:
- A group that stays together: a family or friends who do everything together share one box and one rental.
- A phone without eSIM: if your phone doesn’t support eSIM, or is locked to your UK network, a pocket WiFi works with any device that has WiFi.
- Lots of devices: a laptop, the children’s tablets, an e-reader. The box connects them all without draining your phone’s battery.
It has its limits, though. As soon as the group splits up, whoever isn’t carrying the box loses the connection. And it’s one more thing to carry, charge and remember not to leave behind on a train.
When an eSIM is simpler
Travelling solo or as a couple, with compatible phones, an eSIM ticks more boxes:
- Nothing to collect: no counter to find after a long-haul flight, and no opening hours to worry about.
- Nothing to return: no detour to the airport counter and no envelope to post on your last day.
- Your own connection: everyone can head off on their own without losing the internet.
- Less to carry: no extra box or charger, and only one battery to keep an eye on.
With Mobile Companion, you install your eSIM at home over WiFi in 1 minute: the QR code arrives straight after you buy. When you land, turn off aeroplane mode and it connects by itself to the NTT docomo network, in 5G where the network and your phone support it. It’s a Japanese line with a real Japanese IP address, and there’s no setting to switch on. Your plan starts at your first connection in Japan, so you can buy it days before you fly.
Your UK SIM stays in your phone for calls and texts. And if you have a question on the way, a real person answers on WhatsApp, 24/7, in English or French.
Ready to go?
Online as soon as you land
Your eSIM on NTT docomo’s 5G network, installed in 1 minute before you fly. From €1.20.
See the plansSharing your eSIM’s data as a hotspot
A hotspot turns your phone into a small pocket WiFi: a travel companion, a tablet or a laptop connects to your data. Not every offer allows it. With Mobile Companion, it’s allowed.
On iPhone
Go to Settings, then Personal Hotspot, and turn on Allow Others to Join. The WiFi password is shown on the same screen.
On Android
Open Settings, then Network & internet or Connections, depending on the brand, and turn on the hotspot. That’s also where you choose the network name and password.
Keep the sharing phone close to the other devices, and turn the hotspot off when you no longer need it: it keeps draining the battery.
What about a SIM card?
If your phone is unlocked but doesn’t support eSIM, and you’re travelling alone, there’s a third way: the SIM card option. You buy a Japanese SIM card online, at the airport or in an electronics shop, and swap it for your UK SIM.
There’s no box to return, but your UK SIM comes out of your phone. Until you put it back, you won’t receive texts on your UK number, including your bank’s security codes. Keep your UK SIM somewhere safe for the trip home.
What about UK roaming?
You can also keep using your UK plan in Japan. Depending on your network and your plan, Japan may be included, charged by the day or charged for what you use, so the cost varies a lot from one traveller to the next. Check your network’s roaming page for Japan before you go.
If you use an eSIM or a pocket WiFi instead, turn off data roaming on your UK SIM to avoid unexpected charges. Your UK SIM can stay on to receive texts, although depending on your plan your network may charge for some services abroad, such as calls you receive.
And if you’re now comparing Japan eSIMs with each other, here are Japan eSIM prices compared, with the date of each price.
Frequently asked questions
Is an eSIM or pocket WiFi better in Japan?
An eSIM suits most solo travellers and couples with compatible phones: nothing to collect or return, and 10 GB for €8.60. Pocket WiFi suits groups who share one connection and stay together, or travellers whose phone doesn’t support eSIM.
How much is pocket WiFi in Japan for 2 weeks?
For 15 days, ¥7,500 to ¥15,750, or €42 to €89, at H.I.S., GAC, Sakura Mobile and JAL ABC (prices checked on their sites on 3 November 2026, before options). Loss and damage insurance adds €3 to €25 depending on the company.
Can two people use one pocket WiFi?
Yes. A pocket WiFi connects several devices at once, as long as everyone stays within range of it. Once you split up, whoever isn’t carrying it has no connection.
Does pocket WiFi work everywhere in Japan?
It uses the Japanese mobile network, just like an eSIM, so coverage depends on the operator the box runs on. It’s very good in cities and more patchy in the mountains or on small islands.
Pocket WiFi or a hotspot from my eSIM?
A hotspot saves you an extra device, as long as your offer allows it, which Mobile Companion does. Pocket WiFi is more practical for connecting lots of devices all day long.
