Mobal vs Sakura Mobile: Which One Should You Actually Get?

If you’re moving to Japan, a Japanese mobile number can make everyday tasks much easier, from receiving SMS verification codes to taking calls from landlords and employers. However, a number alone does not guarantee access to every service: banking, payment apps and housing each have their own requirements.

Mobal and Sakura Mobile are two options worth comparing if you want English support and a phone plan without a Japanese bank account. Both offer a passport-based collection option in Japan, so you can get connected without a residence card through that route.

So which one? Here’s the answer first, then the reasoning underneath.

Want the cheapest sensible setup? → Mobal

Cheaper on day one, and the only one with small plans — including a voice-only line at ¥1,430. Over twenty pickup points nationwide, so getting connected after you land is quick wherever you arrive.

Want someone to call when it goes wrong? → Sakura Mobile

Phone support, live chat, and an office in Shinjuku you can walk into. Worth the extra if you’re nervous about setting up an eSIM in a country whose language you don’t read.

Student? Close to a tie — Sakura’s ¥1,100 discount cancels out Mobal’s cheaper start. Choose on support instead.

What both providers have in common

A lot of what gets written about these two is a comparison of things that don’t differ.

Both use the docomo network, but that does not establish that their real-world speeds are identical. We have not conducted a side-by-side speed test, so this comparison does not rank either provider as faster.

Both allow passport-based collection in Japan without a residence card or Japanese bank account, and neither requires an income or credit check. Delivery has different identification requirements, so “passport only” should not be read as applying to every order.

Both give you a real 070, 080 or 090 number — not a 050 internet number that Japanese services reject.

Both work entirely in English, from signup to billing to cancellation.

Collection in Japan is one option, not the only route. Mobal also offers overseas delivery after checking the required identification documents. For a physical SIM, you receive the SIM card; for a voice eSIM, you receive an access code by delivery rather than an instantly emailed eSIM profile.

For US delivery, Mobal’s support confirmed that a state-issued ID card or driver’s license is required. The ID must show your name, delivery address, photograph, date of birth and a valid expiration date. The name and address must match your order. A passport alone is not sufficient. Requirements for other countries must be checked separately.

Mobal’s support also confirmed that both its Voice+Data 5G physical SIM and eSIM can be activated through your Mobal account while you are still abroad. You do not need to be in Japan for activation. After activation and enabling international roaming, you can use calls and SMS outside Japan, but not mobile data. This confirmation applies specifically to the Voice+Data 5G products; it should not be assumed to cover every Mobal plan.

Sakura Mobile also distinguishes between collection and delivery: passport-based collection is available, while delivery requires address documentation. We have not confirmed its overseas delivery or pre-arrival activation process.

Compare the total cost, data allowance, support, identification and collection requirements, and cancellation rules. If you need the number before arriving in Japan, the delivery and activation process also becomes a deciding factor.

How much data do you actually need?

Less than you think, and this changes the answer.

Your phone bill is a fixed cost, month after month, and for a long stay that adds up faster than any one-off fee. So it’s worth being honest about what you’ll use.

Check your recent monthly mobile data usage before choosing a plan. Reliable Wi-Fi at home or school may reduce what you need, while video streaming, navigation and laptop tethering can increase it. Your first month may also look different if your home internet is not ready.

Mobal’s smaller plans are useful if you mainly need a Japanese number and use little mobile data. Choose a larger allowance if you expect to rely on your phone for internet access throughout the day.

The monthly plans

Data	Mobal	Sakura Mobile
Voice only, no data	¥1,430	—
1GB	¥1,650	—
5GB	¥3,190	¥3,278
10GB	¥3,630	—
15GB	¥3,795	¥3,828
30GB	¥4,378	¥4,378
40GB	—	¥5,478
50GB	¥5,280	—
60GB	—	¥7,678
80GB	—	¥9,878
100GB	¥6,490 — upgrade after the first month	¥12,078
200GB	¥9,900 — upgrade after the first month	—

Mobal’s 100GB and 200GB options are upgrades available after the first month, not starting plans. If you need more than 50GB immediately, Sakura’s larger starting plans may be more suitable. For later months, compare Mobal’s upgrade prices too.

At 30GB, both charge the same monthly fee: ¥4,378. The difference in your total bill comes from setup fees, paid calls and SMS, and any optional services you use.

Of these two providers, only Mobal offers plans below 5GB. Sakura’s smallest Voice+Data plan is 5GB. Mobal offers 1GB for ¥1,650 and a voice-only plan for ¥1,430. The voice-only option gives you a Japanese number with calls and SMS, but no mobile data—you’ll need Wi-Fi or a separate data connection for internet access.

At 5GB and 15GB, Mobal’s monthly basic fee is lower by ¥88 and ¥33 respectively. Those differences are small, so consider support, calling charges and collection options alongside the monthly price.

You can change plans as your needs become clearer. Check your recent data usage when choosing your starting plan, and allow for extra use during your first month if your home internet is not ready. Mobal’s plan changes take effect on the first of a month. For Sakura, submit a change by the 25th for it to take effect on the first of the following month; requests after the 25th take effect a month later.

Day one

The fees are labelled differently but the cash out of your pocket is what matters.

	Mobal	Sakura Mobile
Activation fee	¥0	¥5,500
SIM or eSIM	¥4,950 (often ¥4,455 on sale)	¥0
SIM/eSIM and setup fees only	¥4,950 (¥4,455 on sale)	¥5,500

These figures exclude monthly service charges, paid delivery options, roaming and usage charges. Both providers prorate the first month’s basic fee from the service start date and charge the final month in full. A discounted setup price should only be included in your budget if the offer is available when you order.

Mobal’s standard SIM/eSIM and setup fees are ¥550 lower than Sakura’s. If Mobal’s 10% discount is available when you order, that difference increases to ¥1,045, before any Sakura student discount. This compares setup costs only; monthly fees and optional extras are separate.

Students: Sakura closes the gap

Sakura takes ¥1,100 off the activation fee for students, bringing day one down to ¥4,400 — slightly under Mobal’s sale price.

It isn’t advertised loudly. There’s an option at step 2 of the application; if you don’t see it, enter the code studentdiscount at the final step.

Mobal has no student discount. So if you’re enrolled somewhere, the day-one argument disappears and you should choose on support and data tier instead.

What does a 3-, 6- or 12-month stay cost?

For a like-for-like example, both providers charge ¥4,378 per month for 30GB. Using standard setup prices, the totals below include the SIM/eSIM and setup fees plus full monthly basic fees.

30GB plan	3 full months	6 full months	12 full months
Mobal	¥18,084	¥31,218	¥57,486
Sakura Mobile	¥18,634	¥31,768	¥58,036
Sakura Mobile with student setup discount	¥17,534	¥30,668	¥56,936

This example assumes service starts on the first day of a month and ends at the end of the final month, with cancellation arranged in time. It excludes calls, outgoing SMS, roaming, paid delivery and SIM return postage. Mobal’s promotional setup discount is not included.

At this data allowance, the difference comes from setup fees rather than monthly pricing. Your result will change if you choose a smaller plan, use paid calls regularly, or miss a cancellation deadline.

Where Sakura Mobile is genuinely better

Three places, and it’s worth being straight about them.

Calls and texts are cheaper. Not marginally — texting is six times cheaper.

	Mobal	Sakura Mobile
Domestic calls	¥44/min	¥33/min
Domestic SMS	¥33 each	¥5.5 per 160 characters
Incoming	Free	Free
International calls	¥65/min (0063 prefix)	from ¥33/min (Sakura Dial, 0077-502-010)

If you’ll be ringing landlords, clinics and city offices regularly, this adds up. For most people who use LINE for everything, it won’t.

Sakura offers phone support, live chat and an office in Shinjuku, while Mobal handles support by email and web ticket. If you prefer speaking to someone or getting help in person, Sakura’s support options may justify the extra cost. Check opening and support hours before planning a visit or relying on assistance at a particular time.

Their support reputation is earned. 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot across more than 1,100 reviews.

Where Mobal is genuinely better

Collecting it is easier. Mobal has over twenty collection points — Narita T1 and T2, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, Sapporo, Naha, plus Shibuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo Station, Yokohama, Kyoto, Osaka, Kanazawa, Hiroshima and more.

Sakura’s network is smaller, and there’s a catch worth knowing: voice plans can’t be collected at every airport they list. They have no counter at Narita Terminal 3 or Kansai Terminal 2, and some locations handle data products only. If you’re landing somewhere other than the main Tokyo airports, check before you order.

Small plans exist. Covered above, but it’s the practical difference for most readers.

It’s cheaper to start. ¥4,950 against ¥5,500.

Mobal gives its profits to charity. Doesn’t affect your signal, but some people like knowing.

Getting out again

Neither has a minimum term or a cancellation fee, and neither prorates your final month. The difference is the deadline.

Sakura runs on the 25th. Submit your termination form through My Page by the 25th and your contract ends that month. Submit on the 26th and it runs to the end of the following month, billed in full. Missing it by one day costs a whole extra month.

Mobal lets you select a cancellation month in your account. We have not confirmed its exact submission deadline, so check the available end date before leaving cancellation until the end of the month.

Sakura’s physical Voice+Data SIM must be returned at your own postage cost. Neither provider’s eSIM requires a physical return. Mobal’s physical SIM return requirement has not been confirmed in our research; follow the instructions provided when cancelling.

Keeping your number after you leave

Keeping a number reserved and receiving SMS abroad are two different needs.

Sakura’s suspension option costs ¥220 per month for eligible Voice+Data SIM/eSIM customers paying by credit card. It applies in whole calendar months, and calls, SMS and data are unavailable while suspended.

Mobal’s Vacation Plan costs ¥900 per month for eligible Voice+Data SIM/eSIM services purchased from 2021 onwards, starting from the first of the following month. Do not assume that this option includes the overseas SMS access you need; confirm the applicable service conditions before switching.

If you need to receive Japanese SMS abroad, both providers offer international roaming on their Voice+Data SIM/eSIM services. Mobal’s Voice+Data 5G roaming costs ¥5,995 each time it is enabled, with incoming SMS free while roaming; monthly plan charges still apply. Sakura also supports overseas calls and SMS—ask about the rates for your destination. Neither provides overseas mobile data through these voice-plan roaming services.

Choose suspension if you only need to preserve the number. If you need verification codes while abroad, compare an active plan with roaming instead. Receiving SMS does not guarantee that a bank, ticket site or other service will allow you to complete its procedures from overseas.

So which one

Choose Mobal if you want a small monthly plan, prefer PayPal, or find its collection locations more convenient. Its 100GB and 200GB upgrades are also worth considering if you need more data after the first month.

Choose Sakura Mobile if phone support, live chat or an office visit matters to you, you make frequent domestic calls, or you need a starting plan above 50GB.

If you’re a student, compare Sakura’s discounted setup fee with the monthly cost of the plan you actually need. A lower setup fee does not necessarily mean a lower total cost over your stay.

If you need your Japanese number before arriving, check the identification, delivery and activation requirements before ordering. If you need SMS during a later trip abroad, compare active roaming services rather than suspension prices.

Common questions

Can I bring my existing Japanese number to Mobal?

No. Mobal does not accept incoming number transfers. Transferring a number out is a separate question, and we have not confirmed Mobal’s current port-out conditions.

Sakura supports porting out through its dedicated MNP process, with a ¥1,100 fee per line. If you want to keep your number, do not submit the ordinary cancellation form: that deletes the number.

How do I pay?

Mobal takes international credit and debit cards, and PayPal. Sakura takes international cards, and Smart Pit for paying cash at convenience stores — that route involves a refundable deposit held against your final months.

Can I use tethering?

Yes on both, on any plan with data. Not on Mobal’s voice-only tier, since there’s no data to share.

What if I’m under 18?

Mobal requires voice-service account holders to be at least 18. If the intended user is a minor, ask the provider about permitted arrangements before ordering. We have not confirmed Sakura’s requirements or whether a guardian-held account can be used in your situation.

Which is faster?

Both use docomo, but we have not tested them side by side. There is no verified speed winner in this comparison.

Can I change plans later?

Yes, on both. Start smaller than you think and move up if you need to.