Sakura Mobile review: eSIM, phone number and pocket WiFi

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Is Sakura Mobile a good choice for Japan?

Sakura Mobile sells a tourist eSIM with a real Japanese phone number, which most travel eSIMs do not offer, alongside data eSIMs, SIM cards and pocket WiFi, with everything in English. That breadth is its strength. Its data-only eSIMs are priced above fixed-data alternatives for ordinary use, and the voice eSIM needs an in-person ID check after you land.

Sakura Mobile is a Tokyo-based provider that says it has served more than 500,000 customers since 2014. Its travel plans cover stays of up to 90 days; separate monthly plans serve residents. This review covers the travel plans, using the prices and terms on its own site.

Sakura Mobile travel prices

eSIM and SIM prices are yen including tax, as quoted for 7- and 14-day usage periods; the pocket WiFi rental page does not say whether its prices include tax. Sakura Mobile charges in yen; other currencies on its site are for reference. Confirm the current price and terms on Sakura Mobile’s site before buying. Checked Nov 9, 2026 · Source for Sakura Mobile

Sakura Mobile prices by the number of days you choose, and charges in yen. The figures above include tax and were quoted for 7- and 14-day usage periods; other lengths are available from 1 to 90 days. Banners on its site advertised 10% off when buying two or more eSIMs or two or more routers when we checked, applied automatically at checkout.

The three eSIM types

Sakura Mobile’s travel eSIM comes in three versions, and the differences matter more than the names suggest:

• 3GB/day data eSIM (docomo). Up to 3GB a day at high speed, after which speed drops to 200 Kbps until the next day. Hotspot is available. Data-only.
• Unlimited data eSIM (au). High-speed data with no daily limit, which Sakura Mobile recommends. Hotspot is capped per plan: 6GB on the 7-day plan and 13GB on the 14-day plan. Data-only.
• Voice + data eSIM (au). A Japanese phone number with calls and SMS, up to 3GB a day at high speed, and domestic calls included up to 120 minutes on the 7-day plan or 240 minutes on the 14-day plan.

The unlimited eSIM’s period starts when you arrive in Japan, and you can install it before departure. Sakura Mobile also says its eSIM cannot be activated before you arrive, so test it after landing rather than at home.

The Japanese phone number and its ID check

The voice eSIM is the reason many travelers look at Sakura Mobile. Japanese law requires in-person ID verification for a plan with a phone number, so the voice eSIM is not delivered by email. You collect it at a select airport counter or Sakura Mobile’s Shinjuku office, show ID, and the usage period starts after that check. Plan your arrival time around counter hours if you need the number on day one.

If you only need data, you do not need the voice version. Our Japanese phone number guide explains when a local number is worth paying for and the workarounds that cover most trips.

SIM cards and pocket WiFi

Sakura Mobile’s physical travel SIM comes in the same 3GB/day (docomo) and unlimited (au) versions, from ¥3,850 including tax. It is collected or delivered like a router. If your SIM or eSIM turns out to be incompatible with your phone, Sakura Mobile says you can upgrade to a pocket WiFi.

Its pocket WiFi rental runs on docomo’s 4G network with unlimited data, up to 15 connections and a 20-hour battery. In our check a 7-day rental cost ¥9,900 and a 14-day rental ¥18,300. Pickup is listed at Narita, Haneda, Kansai and Fukuoka airports, hotels, residences, local post offices nationwide and its Shinjuku office. You can change the shipping address or date up to 3 days before pickup.

Returns go in the prepaid envelope, posted in any Japan Post mailbox by midnight on your return date. Rental extensions can be ordered online. Our pocket WiFi guide compares this rental with Japan Wireless and Mobal.

A security notice to be aware of

Sakura Mobile’s homepage links to a notice, published on 31 July 2026, that its system was accessed by an unauthorized third party and that some Travel Plan customer information may have been leaked. It says 44,399 Travel Plan customers were affected: those who ordered between 4 November 2025 and 27 July 2026, and those who ordered earlier for a service start on or after 4 November 2025. Affected customers were to be contacted by email. Read the official notice if you ordered in that window.

Pros and trade-offs

Reasons to choose Sakura Mobile

• A tourist eSIM with a real Japanese number, calls and SMS.
• eSIM, SIM, pocket WiFi and English support from one company.
• Named networks on every plan: docomo or au.
• Post office pickup for rentals, useful for apartment stays.

Reasons to pause

• Data-only eSIMs cost more than fixed-data eSIMs for ordinary use.
• The voice eSIM requires collecting it and an ID check in Japan.
• The unlimited eSIM caps hotspot use, and the 3GB/day plans slow to 200 Kbps after the daily allowance.
• A 2026 data breach affected Travel Plan customers.

Who Sakura Mobile suits

Sakura Mobile suits travelers who need a Japanese phone number for bookings or SMS verification, families who want a router and an eSIM from one English-speaking company, and anyone who values in-person help in Tokyo. For a short sightseeing trip with ordinary data use and no need for a local number, a fixed-data eSIM is usually cheaper. Compare options in our Japan eSIM comparison, or read the Mobal review for another voice eSIM.

Alternatives to consider

• Mobal offers another Japanese-number option, with monthly billing rather than a fixed travel voice package.
• Japan Wireless is a useful comparison for airport pickup, router rental and return terms.
• Ubigi is worth comparing for a data-only eSIM if a local number and in-person collection are unnecessary.

Same 10GB / 30 days from Wanderly, the provider we own: $8.99. See the Wanderly plan →Wanderly: Checked Nov 5, 2026 · Source

Check the phone-number guide before paying for voice service, and compare rental logistics in the eSIM and pocket WiFi guide.

Sakura Mobile FAQ