Prices in pounds · Three prices checked 6 November 2026
Three roaming in Japan vs a travel eSIM
In Japan, Three uses its Go Roam Around the World Extra prices. Here is what that costs for a long weekend, a week and a fortnight, next to a data-only travel eSIM for the same trip.
Photo: David Maunsell on Unsplash
Three vs eSIM in Japan: 3, 7 and 14 days
Three’s lowest published option in Japan for each trip length, next to a Graba SIM Japan plan with about 0.7 GB a day.
- 3 days
- 7 days
- 14 days
Three roamingGraba SIM eSIM
| Trip | Three | Graba SIM eSIM | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| A long weekend3 days | £17.503-day pass | £3.493GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £14.01 less |
| A week7 days | £42.007-day pass | £5.495GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £36.51 less |
| A fortnight14 days | £82.255-day pass + 3 × 3-day passes | £8.9910GB, 30 days | The eSIM is £73.26 less |
What’s included: Three: your UK calls, texts and up to 12 GB of your UK data. Graba SIM: data only, prepaid; your Three SIM stays in your phone for calls and texts. Graba SIM prices are live; Three prices checked 6 November 2026.
Sources: Three roaming (checked 6 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Graba SIM Japan plans: data, validity and total price
Each plan is a one-off price for one eSIM. It starts when it first connects in Japan, and hotspot use comes out of the same data.
Using your phone in Japan
- HND Tokyo Haneda
- NRT Tokyo Narita
- KIX Osaka Kansai
- NGO Nagoya Chubu
- FUK Fukuoka
- Tokyo
- Excellent signal across the city, including underground on the metro.
- Kyoto and Nara
- Good at temples and in the old streets, though very busy spots can slow down at peak times.
- The bullet train
- Signal holds well on the Shinkansen, with short drops in long tunnels.
- Hakone and Mount Fuji
- Good around stations and lake towns; hiking trails are patchier.
- Hokkaido ski resorts
- Niseko and Furano villages are well covered; the back country less so.
Networks our Japan plans use: NTT docomoRakuten MobileKDDI/auSoftBank
- Pocket Wi-Fi means collecting a device, keeping it charged and posting it back. An eSIM lives in your phone and works the moment you land.
- Plans give you data only, with no Japanese phone number. Most restaurants and attractions take bookings online or through an app.
Going further with Three
- South Korea (a combined trip with Seoul): Three charges £8 a day (Go Roam Around the World Extra).
- Hong Kong (a stopover in Hong Kong): Three charges £8 a day (Go Roam Around the World).
What you get for the money
Three Go Roam Around the World Extra
- £8 a day if you joined or upgraded on or after 18 December 2025; £7 a day if you joined between October 2021 and December 2025.
- Unlocks your UK calls, texts and up to 12 GB of your UK data a month.
- Three only charges on days you use your phone, but your Spend Cap has to be high enough to cover the daily charge or pass, or roaming can stop.
Graba SIM Japan eSIM
- 5 plan sizes for Japan, from 1GB, 7 days to 20GB, 30 days, each a one-off price.
- Runs on NTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile, KDDI/au in Japan, with 5G where the network offers it.
- Data only. Your Three SIM stays on for calls and texts, so bank codes still reach you in Japan.
Three in Japan: questions
How much does Three roaming cost in Japan?
£8 a day in Go Roam Around the World Extra (£7 on plans from 2021 to 2025), or £42 for a 7-day pass. Unlocks your UK calls, texts and up to 12 GB of your UK data. For a trip, that is 3 days: £17.50 (3-day pass); 7 days: £42.00 (7-day pass); 14 days: £82.25 (5-day pass + 3 × 3-day passes).
Is a travel eSIM cheaper than Three in Japan?
It depends on the trip. Comparing Three’s lowest published option with a Graba SIM plan of about 0.7 GB a day: 3 days, the eSIM is £14.01 less; 7 days, the eSIM is £36.51 less; 14 days, the eSIM is £73.26 less. Three’s price also includes your UK calls, texts and up to 12 GB of your UK data.
Is an eSIM better than pocket Wi-Fi in Japan?
For most people, yes. There is nothing to collect or return, no extra battery to carry, and it works for one person anywhere they go. Pocket Wi-Fi can suit a group that stays together and wants to share one connection.
Does the eSIM work on the bullet train?
Yes. Coverage is good on the main Shinkansen lines, with short drops in long tunnels. Download tickets and maps before you board as a backup.