# eSIM for Osaka

For Osaka, a Japan eSIM is the right choice, and it carries on working for Kyoto, Nara and Kobe, which are all close by. A typical stay is about four days, so pick a plan valid for at least that long. Install it at home, then switch it on after landing at Kansai Airport.

Plans for Japan cover the whole country, including Osaka.

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## For a 4-day visit
- 1 GB, 7 days, 1.38 USD
- 3 GB, 15 days, 3.34 USD (Suggested for 4 days)

## For a longer stay
- 5 GB, 30 days, 8.10 USD
- 10 GB, 30 days, 13.38 USD
- 20 GB, 30 days, 20.05 USD
- 50 GB, 30 days, 32.40 USD

## How much data for 4 days in Osaka
- Light (maps and messages): about 1 GB
- Normal (plus social media and browsing): about 2.5 GB
- Heavy (video and video calls): about 6 GB

An estimate from typical use, not a measurement.

## Arriving in Osaka
Most international visitors land at Kansai International Airport (KIX), on an island in Osaka Bay. The Nankai line runs to Namba in the south of the city, and JR West's Haruka limited express goes to Tennoji, Shin-Osaka and on to Kyoto. Airport buses serve major hotels and the Umeda area. Itami Airport, on the northern edge of the city, handles domestic flights. The bullet train from Tokyo arrives at Shin-Osaka, with the Osaka Station and Umeda district a short hop away.

The first hour is when a lot of decisions get made: which platform, which line, which exit for the hotel. Data on arrival lets you check all of that on a map. Scan the QR code from your confirmation email at home while you are on Wi-Fi, so the plan is already installed. After landing, switch the eSIM line on, turn on data roaming for it, and leave your home line's data switched off.

## Getting around
Osaka Metro runs the subway lines in the centre, including the Midosuji line that links Shin-Osaka, Umeda, Namba and Tennoji. JR West runs the Osaka Loop Line and the commuter trains, and private companies such as Hankyu, Hanshin and Keihan connect to Kobe and Kyoto. An ICOCA card, or a Suica or PASMO card from elsewhere in Japan, pays on nearly all of them. On an iPhone these cards can be added to Wallet over the internet.

Google Maps copes well with the mix of operators and tells you which exit to use at the bigger stations, where the underground passages around Umeda and Namba can be confusing. Osaka Metro also has its own app for its lines. For taxis, the GO app and Uber both work in the city, and cars can be hailed on the street.

## Where you'll use data
Visitors spend most of their time around Dotonbori and Namba for food and neon, Shinsekai for its street food and tower, Osaka Castle and its park, and Umeda for shops and the high-rise observation decks. The aquarium at Tempozan and Universal Studios Japan in the bay area are full-day outings, and the theme park sells entry and timed passes through its app, which needs data inside the gates.

Osaka is a handy base for day trips, all inside Japan so the same plan carries on. Kyoto is about half an hour by fast train, Nara and its deer park are a short ride away, Kobe is close on the west side, and Himeji Castle is a little farther along the same line. Koyasan, the temple mountain, takes a train and a cable car. Download an offline map before heading to Koyasan or any hike.

## Common questions

### Will the eSIM work as soon as I land at Kansai Airport?
Yes, if you installed it before the flight. Turn the eSIM line on and enable data roaming for it. If it does not connect straight away, switch airplane mode on and off once.

### How much data do I need for four days in Osaka?
About 2.5 GB for normal use, which is 0.6 GB a day rounded up to the next half gigabyte. That covers maps, train apps, messages and photos. If you stream video or call home on video often, think of 6 GB, at 1.5 GB a day.

### Can I pay for the subway with my phone?
An ICOCA, Suica or PASMO card added to Wallet on an iPhone works at the gates. On other phones you may need a physical card from a station machine. The tap does not use your data, but route apps do.

### Does the plan give me a Japanese phone number?
No. It is data only. Use WhatsApp, LINE or FaceTime for calls and messages. Keep your home line on, with its data off, if you expect SMS codes from a bank or a booking service.

### Will it still work if I go to Kyoto or Nara for the day?
Yes. A Japan plan covers the whole country, so Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Himeji and Koyasan are all part of the same plan. There is nothing to switch when you leave Osaka.

- [All Japan eSIM plans](https://simorago.com/en/esim/japan.md)
- [Full Japan guide](https://simorago.com/en/esim/japan/details.md)
- [eSIM for Kyoto](https://simorago.com/en/esim/japan/kyoto.md)
- [eSIM for Tokyo](https://simorago.com/en/esim/japan/tokyo.md)

Source: https://simorago.com/en/esim/japan/osaka