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Rakuten Mobile review

Updated September 28, 2026 · NomadCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Rakuten Mobile is a budget carrier for Japan trips that want a real network and a physical device, with plans priced from ¥880. Coverage reaches 107 countries through Rakuten and partner operators, so the small high-speed roaming allowance, not the country count, is the limit.

Key facts

Best for
A Japan stay with heavy data use, bought and activated at Narita.
Price from
¥880↗
Countries covered
107↗
Unlimited data
Yes↗
Hotspot sharing
Yes↗
Reference plan prices
Japan: 880 JPY/mo up to 3 GB, 1,880 JPY/mo up to 20 GB, 2,880 JPY/mo unlimited (Rakuten Saikyo Plan, family discount applied); global (roaming): 2 GB/mo included in the plan price, then 500 JPY/1 GB extra↗
5G
Yes↗
Fair use policy
Overseas: 2 GB/month at high speed included in plan, then max 128 kbps, extra 500 JPY/1 GB; domestic unlimited tier may be speed-capped when congested; service may be restricted or suspended after heavy or prolonged use abroad↗
Networks
Rakuten, Partner operators (JAPAN roaming and overseas roaming)↗
Top-ups
Yes↗
Seller type
Carrier↗
10 GB in Japan
¥1,880↗
Legal entity
Rakuten Mobile, Inc.↗
Headquarters
Japan↗
Founded
2018↗
Support channels
Chat, Phone, Help-centre↗
Region
Global
Features
Unlimited data, 5G, Hotspot, Carrier plan
Pricing model
Budget
Official website
network.mobile.rakuten.co.jp

Pocket Wi-Fi

Data allowance
Unlimited (giga unlimited) on the mobile plan; 2GB free per month overseas, then max 128 kbps (500 JPY per extra 1GB)↗
Devices connected
24↗
Pickup and delivery
Device is sold, not rented: in-store purchase at Rakuten Mobile shops including the Narita International Airport counter with same-day activation, or online order with delivery; no return after travel↗

Facts checked September 26, 2026, 7 sources

Apps and profiles

Get the app
App Store

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Hotspot sharing is included and the pocket WiFi device serves 24 connected devices, so one line can carry a group.
  • The entry tier is ¥880 and the mid domestic tier is ¥1,880.
  • The device is bought outright, in a Rakuten Mobile shop or at the Narita International Airport counter with same-day activation, or delivered after an online order.

Cons

  • Overseas, the included high-speed data is a small monthly allowance, then speeds are cut hard and extra data is charged per gigabyte.
  • Roaming reach of 107 countries runs through partner operators, and the domestic unlimited tier can be slowed when the network is busy.
  • The entry tier at ¥880 carries the smallest allowance, so a trip that roams first means topping up the plan.
Rakuten Mobile

Ready to try Rakuten Mobile?

Scored 9.0 / 10 by NomadCue.

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Who it suits

  • Long stays in Japan with heavy use, where an unlimited tier costs less than extra data.
  • Travellers landing at Narita who want a device activated the same day and a line they can tether from.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Readers whose first filter is the country count: Zwitchy covers 200 countries against 107 here.
  • Anyone after a data-only plan bought online: eSIMGo.is starts at $0.99 and arrives as a download rather than a device.

Coverage and networks

Rakuten Mobile runs on its own network in Japan and relies on partner operators for Japan roaming and trips abroad, reaching 107 countries. 5G is available. The service is sold as a global option rather than a plan limited to a single market, though the connection in each country depends on the partner used there.

Who runs it

The service runs from Rakuten Mobile, Inc., based in Japan and founded in 2018. It is a carrier rather than a reseller, so plans and devices come from the operator itself. Support runs on chat, phone and help centre, which matters when a line needs a top-up while travelling.

How Rakuten Mobile compares

Where Rakuten Mobile is available

Available
Japan

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What does a Rakuten Mobile plan cost each month?+

Plans start at ¥880 for the smallest monthly allowance, and the mid domestic tier sits at ¥1,880. The unlimited tier costs more again, with the family discount applied. Abroad, a high-speed allowance comes with the plan price and further data is sold per gigabyte.

Is the data really unlimited?+

In Japan, the top tier is unlimited data, though the carrier can slow it when the network is congested. The entry tier is ¥880. Long or heavy use abroad falls under the fair use policy, which can restrict or suspend the service.

How many countries can the plan roam in?+

Rakuten Mobile reaches 107 countries on Rakuten and partner operators (JAPAN roaming and overseas roaming), covering Japan roaming as well as trips abroad. The count shows where the service can roam, not where it runs its own network, and the connection in each market depends on the partner used there.

What happens when the high-speed data runs out abroad?+

Once the small high-speed overseas allowance is used up, speeds are cut hard and extra data is sold per gigabyte. Heavy use abroad falls under the fair use policy, which allows the service to be restricted or suspended, so a global plan is treated differently outside Japan.

Can I buy and activate the device at the airport?+

Rakuten Mobile is a carrier, so the device is sold rather than rented. You can buy in a Rakuten Mobile shop, including the Narita International Airport counter with same-day activation, or order online for delivery, with top-ups available once you are travelling.

Can I share the connection with other devices?+

Hotspot sharing is supported, and the pocket WiFi device can serve 24 connected devices at once. That makes it workable as the main line for a family or a small group travelling together, rather than a backup SIM for a single phone.

Can I top up while travelling and get help?+

Top-ups are available, which matters because the overseas high-speed allowance is small. Support runs on chat, phone and help centre, so a failed payment or a locked line can be handled by phone, in chat or through the help centre rather than by post.

Who is this plan built for?+

It is priced as a budget carrier plan, so it suits a long stay in Japan with heavy use, or a Japan trip with a short overseas leg. Travellers who need data only on arrival will find a data-only plan a closer fit.

Sources

Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Price per GB from.

Rakuten Mobile

Rakuten Mobile

A Japan stay with heavy data use, bought and activated at Narita.

9.0/10See alternatives