Mobile data in Kyoto: from Kansai airport to Nara and Osaka
Kyoto has no airport and more visitors than its buses can carry, so much of the planning happens on the phone: which train from Kansai, which line skips the packed bus, which temple to reach first.
At a glance
- Does an eSIM work in Japan?
- Yes. It connects to NTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile, KDDI/au, SoftBank (5G).
- Price
- From 4,79 € (3 GB, 15 days).
- For a one-week trip
- 5 GB for 30 days: 7,49 €.
- Does an EU phone plan work there?
- No: Japan is outside EU roaming, so even a plan from an EU country charges it as abroad.
- When does the plan start?
- When your phone first connects to a network in Japan. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
Getting in: the Haruka from Kansai, the Shinkansen from Tokyo
From Kansai International, the JR Haruka limited express runs to Kyoto Station in roughly 75 to 80 minutes, and airport limousine buses make the same trip by road. From Tokyo, the Tokaido Shinkansen reaches Kyoto in a little over two hours, so many visitors arrive with the eSIM already running since Tokyo.
Kyoto Station is big and split by the tracks: the Shinkansen side faces south and the main bus terminal is on the north side. Pin your hotel on the map before you step off the train. If you land at Kansai, switch on the eSIM line and its data roaming in the arrivals hall, before you look for the platform; the plan starts with that first connection in Japan.
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For one to two weeks of maps, messaging and the odd video.
Buy up to 180 days before you fly: the plan only starts when the eSIM connects at your destination.
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Will it work on my phone?
On iPhone: Settings → General → About, and scroll to EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Every iPhone from the XS (2018) onwards does.
On Android: Settings → About phone → Status, and look for EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Most Galaxy S20, Pixel 3 and later do.
It also has to be carrier-unlocked. If you bought it outright or your contract is over, it almost certainly is.
Not sure about your model? Ask us before you pay and we will tell you — a person answers within 24 hours.
How it works
- 1Choose and payCard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account.
- 2Install it at homeThe QR arrives by email. Scan it on wifi in a minute.
- 3Connect when you landTurn on data roaming for the eSIM and you are online.
Buses, subway and the city's own route planner
Many of the big temples sit away from the two subway lines, the Karasuma and the Tozai, so visitors crowd onto the city buses. Kyoto's own advice is to ride a train or the subway as close as you can and use the bus only for the last stretch. The JR Nara Line, for example, stops at Inari, right by Fushimi Inari, and at Tofukuji.
To plan those combinations, the city points visitors to KYOTO Transit Planner, formerly called Arukumachi KYOTO: a free app that searches routes across Kyoto's buses and railways, in English. IC cards such as ICOCA, or the Suica you used in Tokyo, pay on the buses and trains with a tap, no signal needed.
Nara, Osaka and the line west, all on one pack
Nara is about 35 minutes away by Kintetsu express, whose Nara station is a short walk from Nara Park, or about 45 minutes on a JR Nara Line rapid. Osaka is around 30 minutes by JR special rapid, while the Hankyu and Keihan lines leave from the centre of Kyoto. Himeji and Hiroshima are further west along the Shinkansen line.
All of it is Japan, so the eSIM keeps working and there is nothing to change. Officials encourage early visits to Fushimi Inari and the Arashiyama bamboo grove to spread the crowds, and the walk up through the torii gates of Fushimi Inari keeps the map and camera busy, so start with a full battery or a power bank.
Which pack for Kyoto
Kyoto on its own, three or four days of temples, maps and photos, fits the 3 GB pack, which lasts 15 days. Kyoto as one stop on a Japan route, with Tokyo before it and Osaka or Hiroshima after, is a 5 GB trip on a 30-day pack. Take 10 GB if you film a lot in the gardens or share the connection with someone travelling with you.
One eSIM covers the whole of Japan, so size it for the full trip rather than for Kyoto alone. If you run low, top up the same eSIM without reinstalling. The data calculator works it out from your days, and the Tokyo guide covers the start of the usual route.
Should I switch on the eSIM at Kansai airport or in Kyoto?
At Kansai, as soon as you land. You will want the Haruka times, the platform and your hotel location before you board, and the plan only starts with that first connection.
Does the eSIM work on day trips to Nara and Osaka?
Yes. Both are in Japan, so the same eSIM and pack keep working, and nothing needs changing when you cross from Kyoto into Nara or Osaka prefecture.
Which app helps with Kyoto buses?
KYOTO Transit Planner, the free route planner the city recommends. It searches buses and railways together, which helps you swap a crowded bus for a train.
Can I use my Tokyo Suica in Kyoto?
Yes. Suica and the local ICOCA card work on Kyoto's trains and buses, and tapping at the gate or on the bus does not use data.
Get your eSIM before you fly: the QR arrives by email in minutes and the plan only starts when you connect at your destination.
See eSIMs for Japan