I visited Japan recently. From the rich eSIM offerings on the Internet, I tried Holafly and Moshi Moshi from Airalo (review here). In this blog post, I review my experience with Holafly Japan. What eSIM technology is in this article.
Disclaimer: Some links in this article contain affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase any service, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
All eSIM reviews are available here. I also tried other eSIM products in Japan. You can find more information in these articles:
Travel eSIMs for Japan
Read on to learn more about my experience with the Nomad Japan Travel eSIM. This article discusses eSIM technology and other companies in detail. In this article, you will find advice on choosing a suitable product for a trip abroad.
Holafly Discount Code
Use my link to get a discount on your first purchase!
What is Holafly Japan eSIM?
Holafly Japan is a data plan specifically designed for Japan. Compared to its competitors, Holafly offers unlimited data bundles. In addition, Holafly has an international plan “Asia” that can be used throughout Asia (South Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Laos).
As I planned to stay only in Japan, I decided to try the ” Japan ” data plan with unlimited data.
Price
Data plan Japan has 8 variations that have different validity periods from 5 days up to 90 days. They all have unlimited data, and no fair user policy (FUP) should be applied.
What phones support eSIM?
With this technology’s growing popularity, more and more phones and tablets are on the market that support it. When buying a phone, you should ask the seller if the phone supports eSIM. The Holafly team regularly updates the list of supported devices. The list is displayed by clicking on “Check it now”.
Apple | Samsung | Google Pixel | Huawei | Xiaomi |
---|---|---|---|---|
iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 ProMax | Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra | Pixel Fold | Huawei P40 | Xiaomi 13 Pro |
iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 ProMax | Galaxy S22 5G, S22+ 5G, S22 Ultra 5G | Pixel 7 Pro, 7a,7 | Huawei P40 Pro | Xiaomi 13 Lite |
iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 ProMax | Galaxy S21 5G, S21+ 5G, S21 Ultra 5G | Pixel 6 Pro, 6a, 6 | Huawei Mate 40 Pro | Xiaomi 13 |
iPhone 11, 11Pro, 11 Pro Max | Galaxy S20, S20+ | Pixel 5a, 5 | Xiaomi 12T Pro | |
iPhone XS, XS Max, XR | Galaxy Z Flip, Z Flip3 5G, Z Flip 4 | Pixel 4a, 4, 4 XL | ||
iPhone SE (2020, 2022) | Galaxy Z Fold, Z Fold 2, Z Fold 3, Z Fold 4 | Pixel 3 & 3 XL | ||
iPad Air (3rd, 4th a 5th gen) | Galaxy Note 20, 20 Ultra | |||
iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd a 3rd gen) | ||||
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th a 5th generations) | ||||
iPad (7th, 8th, 9th a 10th gen) | ||||
iPad Mini (5th a 6th gen) |
Mobile operators in Japan and connection type
Japan has four mobile operators – NTT Docomo, KDDI, Softbank and Rakuten Mobile. The Holafly Japan data plan can be used in the KDDI network only. Japan spreads across many islands, and each operator has different coverage.
Connection type
Currently, most operators offer 5G only for their customers. Holafly is not a mobile operator and thus does not have a mobile network. They use mobile networks from operators in the country where they provide their services. The plan technical information shows that the service will work in the 4G/LTE network.
Activation
The activation and validity period of the data plan starts as soon as the eSIM is connected to a supported network.
My experience with Holafly Japan
Network registration
I selected Holafly Japan eSIM in the phone settings and observed how fast it would register into the network. The eSIM had registered into the KDDI network within several seconds, and I could start browsing the Internet soon. My phone displayed the 5G icon. What a pleasant surprise!
A few minutes later, I received two text messages. One informed me that the eSIM has been activated. The second contained information on when the eSIM will be deactivated and whom to contact (email and phone number) in case of issues.
Coverage
During my vacation in Japan, I visited several cities – Tokyo, Yokohama, Sapporo, and Otoru. Thus I could test the service in different parts of Japan. I didn’t notice that I was without the service. Even the subway in Tokyo was covered well, and I could browse the Internet or watch my friend’s Instagram photos without interruption.
Speed
I didn’t test the connection speed, as I don’t find it important while using my phone. I didn’t plan to download a large amount of data. In addition, I didn’t spot any interruptions while watching videos on Youtube and other platforms, even if I was taking the metro.
Top-ups
All options for Holafly Japan have unlimited data, and there is no possibility to buy additional data. However, when the plan’s validity expires, you can buy a new one.
Conclusion
Unlimited data plans are an excellent option for those who use social media or streaming platforms often. On top of it, if you don’t trust public wifi, Holafly eSIM is the best choice for you. Throughout my trip, I didn’t have to depend on finding public wifi or limit my Internet usage and worry that I consumed too much data. My experience with Holafly Japan was positive. There were no problems during use.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
---|---|
Two options for Japan – home (Japan) and international (Asia) eSIM | Expensive if the data consumption is low |
Fast registration to the network | No plans for low data consumption (e.g. 1GB plan) |
5G support | |
Short and longer-term validity period of packages – from 5 to 90 days | |
Unlimited data plans |
Like it? Share it!