Japan trip, one phone: pocket Wi-Fi is a battery you pick up and return. An eSIM is a plan on the phone.

If the phone has an EID (*#06#), install on hotel Wi-Fi the night before. A QR in the NRT/KIX corridor with no data is the usual failure.

Copied 29 Aug 2026 from official pages: Airalo 7-day 5GB $10, unlimited $27 (3GB/24h then 1 Mbps). Ubigi 10GB/7d $14. Holafly 7-day $27.50, hotspot 1GB/day.

Dated notes: https://before-you-land.tiiny.site/japan/pocket-wifi/

Disclosure: Airalo URL is Travelpayouts affiliate. https://tp.media/r?campaign_id=541&marker=771402&p=8310&rs=567948&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.airalo.com%2Fjapan-esim