Narita Airport SIM Card: Where to Buy One and What to Do After a Late Landing
You land at Narita, your phone has no data, and you need a train route and your hotel address. A Narita Airport SIM card is not hard to find during the day. The airport lists SIM vending machines in all three terminals and phone and Wi-Fi counters on several floors. The harder case is a late arrival, when most counters have closed.
In short:
- Narita lists SIM vending machines in Terminals 1, 2, and 3, plus counters that mostly open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- After 9:00 p.m., look for the JAL ABC counters on 1F in Terminals 1 and 2. The airport lists them until 1 hour after the last international arrival.
- FreeWiFi-NARITA covers every terminal and the terminal shuttle buses, so you are not fully offline when you land.
- If your phone supports eSIM, you can set it up at home and skip all of this. Our Japan plans start at $4 for 1 GB and 7 days (price on October 30, 2026).
Japan eSIM from $4Install at home, connect when you land.See plans
Moosetrip sells eSIMs, so keep that in mind as you read. We have not tested these shops or networks ourselves. Everything below comes from the airport and operator pages listed at the end.
Where to buy a SIM card at Narita, terminal by terminal
This table comes from the airport's own list, checked on October 30, 2026. That page shows no update date, and it may hold more entries than we show here. Treat the table as a starting point.
| Terminal and floor | Listed on the airport page | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| T1 North Wing, 1F | JAL ABC | 6:30 a.m. to 1 hour after last international arrival |
| T1 North Wing, 4F | XCom Global, J WiFi & Mobile, JAL ABC | 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| T1 South Wing, 1F | JAL ABC | 6:30 a.m. to 1 hour after last international arrival |
| T1 South Wing, 1F | GPA SIM vending machine | Not listed |
| T1 South Wing, 4F | J WiFi & Mobile, Telecomsquare, JAL ABC | 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| T1 Central, 1F | AnyFone Japan, XCom Global, J WiFi & Mobile, SoftBank Global Rental, Telecomsquare | 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| T1 Central, 1F | GPA SIM vending machine | Not listed |
| T1 Central, 4F | Rakuten Mobile | 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| T2, B1F | XCom Global, Telecomsquare | 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| T2, 1F | AnyFone Japan, J WiFi & Mobile, SoftBank Global Rental | 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| T2, 1F | JAL ABC | 6:30 a.m. to 1 hour after last international arrival |
| T2, 1F | 2 GPA SIM vending machines | Not listed |
| T2, 2F | 4 GPA SIM vending machines, labeled "before customs" | Not listed |
| T2, 3F | J WiFi & Mobile, Telecomsquare, JAL ABC | 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. |
| T3, 1F | J WiFi & Mobile | 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (smart pickup 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.) |
| T3, 1F | GPA SIM vending machine | Not listed |
Two things to know before you walk over:
- The list mixes rental and sales. The airport groups phone rental, Wi-Fi rental, and SIM sales on one page. Only the GPA vending machines are clearly described as selling SIM cards. Ask a staffed counter what it sells before you line up.
- All of these sit before departure passport control. If you are flying out and need data, buy before you pass through.
Vending machines or staffed counters
Vending machines suit you if you only need data and feel fine setting up the SIM yourself. The airport does not list their hours, so do not assume they run all night.
Staffed counters suit you if you want help with setup or need to rent a pocket Wi-Fi device or a phone. They are also the place to ask about voice calls or a Japanese number.
Terminal 2 has the most machines on the list: 2 on 1F and 4 on 2F. The 2F machines are labeled "before customs," which suggests you reach them before the arrivals lobby. If you plan to use one, look for it on your way through.
The Keisei SIM at FamilyMart
Keisei, the railway that runs the Skyliner, offers a prepaid SIM for foreign tourists. Its full name is "keisei skyliner SIM Japan Travel SIM special edition powered by IIJmio." Keisei lists these sales points at Narita:
- SKYLINER & KEISEI INFORMATION CENTER, Terminal 1
- FamilyMart Narita Airport Terminal 1 Store
- FamilyMart Narita Airport Terminal 2・3 Station Store
Keisei does not list floors, hours, prices, or data sizes on that page. For reference, IIJmio's travel SIM site shows two kinds of plans: unlimited data for 10, 15, or 31 days on 5G/4G, and seven sizes from 3 GB to 55 GB for 30 days on 4G LTE, with the option to add data. Keisei does not say which of these its edition matches, so read the package before you pay.
What you need to buy a SIM card in Japan as a tourist
The airport, Keisei, and IIJmio pages we read do not list the documents you need. So check three things yourself:
- Your passport. Keep it in your hand, not in your checked bag, in case the seller asks for it.
- Your phone. It needs a physical SIM tray for a plastic SIM, and it must not be locked to your carrier. If it has no tray, a plastic SIM will not help you. Check your phone here.
- Your plan needs. Ask if the SIM includes voice calls or SMS. The IIJmio home page does not mention either.
Japan SIM card price: what we could confirm
We did not find a current Narita SIM price on a primary source, so we are not quoting one. The airport list has no prices. Keisei's page has none. IIJmio's home page lists plans without prices. Prices copied from old blog posts may be wrong, so read the machine screen or the counter sign.
To compare fairly, look at three numbers: total price with tax, GB included, and number of days. Then compare with what you actually use. As a generous rule of thumb, 1 GB is about 5 hours of maps and taxi apps, or 1.5 hours of video calls.
Here are our Japan eSIM prices on October 30, 2026:
| Data | Days | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 | $4.00 |
| 3 GB | 30 | $7.50 |
| 5 GB | 30 | $10.50 |
| 10 GB | 30 | $17.00 |
| 20 GB | 30 | $28.00 |
The networks in our Japan catalog are NTT docomo, Rakuten Mobile, KDDI/au, and SoftBank. More details are on the Japan page.
Free Wi-Fi at Narita
The airport runs a free network called FreeWiFi-NARITA. It covers every terminal and the terminal shuttle buses. To connect:
- Turn on Wi-Fi in Settings.
- Pick FreeWiFi-NARITA.
- Agree to the terms on the screen that opens.
The airport notes that speed depends on location and crowds, and it recommends a VPN if you want a secure connection. So skip banking apps on this network. The airport page we read gives no time limit. It is fine for messages, a hotel check, or a route, but it ends when you leave the airport.
Landing at night: what to do
A late arrival is the case that needs a plan, because most counters on the list close at 9:00 p.m.
- Connect to FreeWiFi-NARITA first. Message your hotel and save your route.
- In Terminal 1 or 2, go to 1F and find JAL ABC. It is the one listing that runs until 1 hour after the last international arrival. Ask what it sells.
- Try a vending machine. The airport lists machines on 1F in all three terminals, but it publishes no hours for them.
- In Terminal 3, plan ahead. The T3 listing shows J WiFi & Mobile until 9:00 p.m. and a vending machine with no hours. There is no late JAL ABC listing there.
- Save offline before you leave Wi-Fi. Download your map area and screenshot your hotel address in Japanese.
The cleanest fix for a night landing is to arrive with data already set up. That is where an eSIM helps most.
When an eSIM at home is simpler, and when it is not
An eSIM is simpler if your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to a carrier, and you want data the moment you land. You install it at home over Wi-Fi with a QR code. Your days start with your first connection in Japan, not when you install it. Your regular number stays on as a second line. You can also add data to the same eSIM later.
An airport SIM or rental may fit you better if:
- Your phone does not support eSIM, or it is locked to your carrier.
- You need a Japanese phone number. Our eSIMs are data only, with no number.
- You want unlimited data. We do not sell an unlimited plan, and IIJmio lists one.
- Several people want to share one connection. Ask a counter about pocket Wi-Fi rental.
You may not need either one if your US plan already includes data in Japan. Ask your carrier about the daily cost and speed before you buy anything.
Questions
Can I buy a SIM card at Narita late at night?
Maybe. In Terminals 1 and 2, JAL ABC on 1F is listed until 1 hour after the last international arrival. Ask whether that counter sells SIM cards. Vending machines have no published hours.
Is there a SIM card vending machine in Terminal 3?
Yes. The airport lists one GPA SIM vending machine on 1F of Terminal 3.
Is FreeWiFi-NARITA enough for my trip?
No. It works in the terminals and on terminal shuttle buses. You will need your own data once you leave.
Do tourist SIM cards in Japan come with a phone number?
The pages we read for the Keisei and IIJmio SIMs do not mention voice service. Ask before you buy. Our eSIMs are data only.
Should I buy a SIM at Narita or set up an eSIM before I fly?
If your phone supports eSIM and you land late, set it up at home. If your phone has no eSIM support, or you need a Japanese number, use the airport options and arrive during counter hours if you can.
Sources
- Cellular Phone, Wi-Fi Rental, SIM Card Sales Locations, Narita International Airport, checked 2026-10-30
- Wi-Fi / Power outlet spaces, Narita International Airport, checked 2026-10-30
- keisei skyliner SIM, Keisei Electric Railway, checked 2026-10-30
- Japan Travel SIM plans, IIJmio, checked 2026-10-30