Patrick Balfe

You did it. You’ve booked your flights, you’ve sorted the hotels, you’ve shared the spreadsheet with the group chat, you’re going to Japan. Just one more thing -- you’re going to need an eSIM while you’re there. You’ve got 7 days and a lot to pack in. “How much data do I need for 7 days in Japan?” you ask yourself. Let's find out. Note: We’ve made estimates based on the average itinerary of a first-time visitor. We’ve assumed Shibuya as the base, though it doesn’t really matter where you stay in Tokyo. Pro tip: If you’re here for a longer stay or just have different data needs, you can use SimLocal’s handy “Find my plan” tool to see what’s best for your particular trip. Use our discount code CHEAPO10 for 10% off at checkout. Day 1: Tokyo -- Shibuya, Harajuku, Meiji Jingu Shrine Navigation: 20MB Browsing: 5MB Data sharing: 170MB Social media: 5MB Total: 200MB Let’s assume you’re staying central. First things first -- you gotta see Hachiko. So you make your way to Shibuya Station. You grab a couple of snaps with the legendary goodboi and a video of Shibuya Scramble Crossing and post them to your Insta stories. After some shopping, it’s time for lunch in Harajuku. You find The Teisyoku Shop near Cat Street on Google; it’s 15 minutes away. You open Maps and lead the way. You scan the QR code, browse the menu, and place the orders. Your less-organized friends want to use your hotspot to upload some photos and browse social media. You’re not worried about sharing because you bought the unlimited plan from SimLocal. You finish lunch, make a quick detour through Takeshita Street, grab a gashapon at C-pla, and spend an hour at Meiji Jingu. Now it’s time to head back to Shibuya, grab some dinner, and get ready for the night out. Day 2: Tokyo -- Tsukiji, Ginza, Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station, Shimbashi Navigation: 15MB Browsing: 20MB Data sharing: 255MB Social media: 5MB Total: 295MB You head to Tsukiji; it’s 15 minutes by train, so you Google stuff to do nearby and share your hotspot with your less-organized friends (again). You get to Ginza Station and navigate the 15-minute walk to Tsukiji outer market. There, you grab a coffee, snack on some sushi from Tsukiji Maguroya Tokyo Honten, and browse the stalls and alleyways. Next, you navigate back into Ginza for a spot of window shopping on the way to the Imperial Palace. After checking out the palace, you explore Character Street in Tokyo Station, snap some photos, and upload them to Instagram. It’s nearly time for dinner, and you’re keen on mapo tofu, so you jump on the train to Shimbashi Station and walk to Mikaku Sangoten. The bowls are sizzling as the waiter brings them out, so you film a video and share it with the group chat on the way back to the hotel. Day 3: Kyoto -- Kiyomizu-dera, Gion Navigation: 25MB Browsing: 20MB Social media: 260MB Streaming: 2,000MB Translation: 1MB Total: 2,500MB You’re on the Shinkansen from Shinagawa Station. You booked seats on the right-hand side of the train so you can snap a video of Mt. Fuji and upload it to Insta. You’ve got 2 hours on the train and 10GB to burn each day on the unlimited data plan, so you catch up on some Netflix and TikTok while you’re enjoying your karaage bento. You drop off your bags, head to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and walk around for an hour. After the temple, you navigate to Nishiki Market for lunch. While you’re there, you Google Translate a few of the food and souvenir stalls. Next, you navigate to Nijo Castle, check it out, then get the bus to Shijo Keihan-mae and do the 8-minute walk into Gion. After exploring, you look up a local rooftop bar and discover In the Moon. You walk for 10 minutes, make it there just as it opens, and grab a video of the sun setting over Kyoto City. Special offer for Tokyo Cheapo readers: Digital nomad or heavy data user? SimLocal’s unlimited data plans offer 10GB of data per day. Use the code CHEAPO10 for 10% off at checkout. Day 4: Osaka -- Kuromon Ichiba, Dotonbori, Osaka Castle Navigation: 10MB Browsing: 5MB Data sharing: 25MB Social media: 2MB Translation: 1MB Uber: 7MB Total: 50MB You get the train to Namba Station and walk 8 minutes into Kuromon Market. You’re feeling adventurous, so you try some tako tamago and fresh oysters. At a kimono shop, you use Google Translate to communicate with the store owner. Next, you do the 15-minute walk into Dotonbori. You ask someone to get some pics of you and your friends in front of the Glico man and upload them to Instagram. You head to a takoyaki place by the river, and your friends (yeah, those ones) use your hotspot to video call their pet sitter back home. You grab an Uber to Osaka Castle, grab tickets online on the way, head to the top, and soak in the view of the city. The sun’s about to go down, so you walk over to Blue Birds Rooftop Terrace just outside, grab some cocktails, and a photo of the illuminated castle. Day 5: Tokyo -- Shinjuku Navigation: 20MB Browsing: 15MB Data sharing: 15MB Social media: 2MB Streaming: 2,000MB Video calling: 75MB Total: 2,127MB You return to Tokyo on the Shinkansen. You figured you’d treat yourself, so you booked Green Car tickets so you could order snacks from your seat. After a couple of hours of Netflix and snacks, you get back to the hotel and head into Shinjuku for sightseeing. Your friend wants to see the Godzilla head light up, so you navigate 10 minutes from the station. They use your hotspot (can’t even comment at this point) to upload the video to their stories, and you head to Taito Station to play some games. For dinner, you walk to Tenfu Hinabe Shanzu for Chinese Hot Pot and intense Showa-era vibes. While you’re there, you research some of the best bars to check out nearby. You finish dinner and walk 10 minutes into Golden Gai. You and your friends video call that one friend back home while you’re at the bar before heading back to the hotel for the night. Day 6: Tokyo -- Shimokitazawa, Shibuya Navigation: 25MB Browsing: 25MB Data sharing: 170MB Social media: 30MB Translation: 1MB Total: 251MB You take the express train to Shimokitazawa for second-hand shopping. On the way, you search for good coffee and find Bear Pond. You shop at Flamingo, 2nd Street, and Trefac, then search for ramen and head to Mintei for lunch, translating the menu. Your friends browse social media while you Google other things to do, then you explore Reload, Tefu Lounge, and Bonus Track before returning to the hotel to drop off your day’s haul. You’ve booked the Narukiyo izakaya for dinner. You navigate there from the hotel, upload a video of the provocative decor, and feast on the omakase course. You decide to close out your last night at Karaoke Kan in Shibuya for some Lost in Translation vibes. You can never remember the name of that song you want to sing, so you search the lyrics. Later, you upload a video of your friends singing Wonderwall on the way back to the hotel. Day 7: Tokyo -- Sensoji Temple, Kappabashi Navigation: 15MB Data sharing: 300MB Social media: 300MB Video calling: 50MB Total: 665MB The last day has arrived, and you’re slightly hungover. Nothing a convenience-store tamago sando and coffee won't fix. You’re headed to Sensoji in Asakusa; it’s a 35-minute train ride on the Ginza Line, and you’re sharing your data with your less-organized friends while you browse social media. You use the SimLocal app to check your data usage when you arrive; lucky you got the unlimited plan. You get to the temple, throw in some of your 5-yen coins, and quietly pray for your hangover to subside. You get a video call from your dad, who reminds you to pick him up a Japanese knife, so you make the 10-minute walk to Kappabashi to explore Kitchen Tools Street. You did your duty, got some last-minute souvenirs, and even picked up a plastic food-making kit from Ganso Shokuhin Sample. Alas, it’s time to head back to the hotel and prepare for the trip home. Total eSIM data usage for a 7-day trip in Japan Ok, so how much data did you use all up? Let's break down what 7 days of eSIM data usage looks like on a trip to Japan. This is based on estimates for average to high daily data usage, but individual needs may differ if you're a particularly heavy or light data user. Navigation: ~130MB Browsing: ~90MB Data sharing: ~1,190MB Social media: ~604MB Streaming: ~4,000MB Video calling: ~125MB Translation: ~3MB Uber: ~7MB Total: ~6,149MB Data for different trip lengths Planning a shorter stay in Japan? Or maybe a slightly longer one? Here are our estimated data requirements for 3- and 10-day trips around Japan. How much data is needed for a 3-day trip in Japan? If you're planning a 3-day trip, we would set aside around 2,500MB or 2.5GB. This is based on mid to high-level use such as streaming, video calls, navigation, browsing, tethering, and social media. How much data is needed for a 10-day trip in Japan? Around 8,500MB or 8.5GB is a good amount for 10-days of medium-high level data usage. This will allow for things like music and video streaming during longer train rides, sharing data with friends and family, navigation, web browsing, social media and more. While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change.

Patrick Balfe

How Much Data Do You Need for Your Trip to Japan?

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The Best Unlimited Data eSIMs for Japan — Tested and Compared

Patrick Balfe

How Much Data Do You Need for Your Trip to Japan?

We Asked: What’s Your Biggest Fear on a Trip to Japan?

12 Must-See Fall Music Festivals

The Best Unlimited Data eSIMs for Japan — Tested and Compared

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