# eSIM for China mainland & Japan & South Korea

Viasimo's China mainland & Japan & South Korea eSIM starts at $3.79 for 1 GB over 7 days, running on local 5G networks where available. Plans last 3 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.

Canonical page: https://viasimo.com/destinations/china-mainland-japan-south-korea/

## China mainland & Japan & South Korea eSIM prices

| Plan | Data | Days | Price | Price per GB |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited, 3 days | Unlimited | 3 | $17.99 | - |
| Unlimited, 5 days | Unlimited | 5 | $27.99 | - |
| 1 GB, 7 days | 1 GB | 7 | $3.79 | $3.79 |
| Unlimited, 7 days | Unlimited | 7 | $37.99 | - |
| Unlimited, 10 days | Unlimited | 10 | $51.99 | - |
| Unlimited, 15 days | Unlimited | 15 | $77.00 | - |
| 3 GB, 30 days | 3 GB | 30 | $9.99 | $3.33 |
| 5 GB, 30 days | 5 GB | 30 | $12.99 | $2.60 |
| 10 GB, 30 days | 10 GB | 30 | $20.99 | $2.10 |
| 20 GB, 30 days | 20 GB | 30 | $34.99 | $1.75 |
| Unlimited, 30 days | Unlimited | 30 | $144.99 | - |
| Unlimited, 60 days | Unlimited | 60 | $284.99 | - |
| Unlimited, 90 days | Unlimited | 90 | $419.99 | - |
| Unlimited, 180 days | Unlimited | 180 | $839.99 | - |

## Which networks does the China mainland & Japan & South Korea eSIM use?

The host network is chosen automatically when you arrive.

## eSIM Details

- **Data**: 1 GB – 20 GB or unlimited
- **Validity**: 3–180 days
- **Speed**: 4G LTE / 5G
- **Hotspot / tethering**: Supported on most devices
- **Activation**: Starts when you first connect in your destination
- **Speed management**: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
- **Top-ups**: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
- **Text messages (SMS)**: Data only: use an app for verification codes
- **Connects via**: Hong Kong
- **Unused validity**: 180 days before it must be installed

## China mainland & Japan & South Korea: what to know before you land

Source: https://viasimo.com/destinations/china-mainland-japan-south-korea/#destination-guide · Researched October 2026 by Viasimo

This plan covers an East Asia loop such as Shanghai and Beijing, Tokyo and Kyoto, then Seoul, on one eSIM. All three countries have very strong mobile networks in cities and along their high-speed rail lines. The big differences are in the rules and apps: mainland China's Great Firewall, Korea's map restrictions and Japan's LINE culture.

### China mainland & Japan & South Korea: quick facts

| Fact | China mainland & Japan & South Korea |
| --- | --- |
| Emergency number | 110 (police) and 120 (ambulance) in China; 110 (police) and 119 (ambulance) in Japan; 112 (police) and 119 (ambulance) in South Korea |
| Main airports | Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG); Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK); Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND); Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT); Kansai International Airport (KIX); Incheon International Airport (ICN) |
| Plug types | Type A, B, C, F, I (220V in China and South Korea; 100V in Japan) |
| Currency | Chinese yuan (CNY), Japanese yen (JPY), South Korean won (KRW) |
| Apps worth having | Alipay, WeChat, Amap, LINE, Naver Map, Kakao T |

### Shanghai and Beijing with Alipay, Amap and a backup VPN

(China mainland & Japan & South Korea · https://viasimo.com/destinations/china-mainland-japan-south-korea/#guide-shanghai-and-beijing-with-alipay-amap-and-a-backup-vpn)

In mainland China the eSIM connects to China Unicom, which has strong 4G and 5G coverage across Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and the high-speed rail corridors. Expect brief drops in long tunnels, including on the Beijing to Shanghai line.

The bigger issue is access. Travel eSIMs normally send data abroad before it reaches the internet, so blocked services such as Google and WhatsApp usually work, according to both eSIMDB and Yesim. Results depend on the plan's routing, and some apps restrict Hong Kong IP addresses. Test messaging, email and maps on arrival, and have a VPN ready just in case.

Payment is the other big change. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you leave and link your foreign card; Travel Weekly Asia reported both now accept international Visa and Mastercard. With Alipay you can also book DiDi taxis, buy metro tickets with QR codes in many cities, and pay at street food stalls.

For directions, Google Maps has poor data in China. Apple Maps works well on iPhone, and Amap is the most detailed option overall, with an English interface.

### Japan's rail network, LINE and earthquake alerts

(China mainland & Japan & South Korea · https://viasimo.com/destinations/china-mainland-japan-south-korea/#guide-japan-s-rail-network-line-and-earthquake-alerts)

In Japan the eSIM uses KDDI's au network. Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Sapporo all have dense coverage, and the Shinkansen lines are well covered, including inside the tunnels on the Tokaido line between Tokyo and Osaka, where the rail operators have installed mobile coverage.

Google Maps works very well for train connections, platform numbers and walking directions. LINE is the main messaging app, and many small restaurants and ryokan send booking confirmations through it, so it is worth installing. For earthquakes and tsunamis, the Japan Tourism Agency's Safety tips app sends alerts in English.

Mountain areas such as the Japanese Alps around Kamikochi and the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails have weaker coverage between villages, so download maps before you walk. If you are taking an overnight ferry, for example from Osaka to Kyushu or to Busan, expect to lose signal at sea once you are away from the coast.

### Seoul, Busan and Jeju with Naver Map and Kakao T

(China mainland & Japan & South Korea · https://viasimo.com/destinations/china-mainland-japan-south-korea/#guide-seoul-busan-and-jeju-with-naver-map-and-kakao-t)

In South Korea the eSIM uses SK Telecom, the country's largest operator. Coverage is excellent in Seoul, Busan, Gyeongju and on the KTX high-speed lines, and Jeju Island is well covered in towns and along the coast.

The main practical difference is maps. The Korea Herald reported in August 2026 that Google Maps in Korea still offered places and public transit routes but no turn-by-turn walking or driving directions, even after the government approved Google's map data export in February 2026. Use Naver Map or KakaoMap instead; both have English menus and accurate subway, bus and walking routes.

Kakao T is the main taxi app. KakaoTalk is the default messaging app for Koreans and many guesthouses. If you hike in Seoraksan or Jirisan national parks, coverage is good near trailheads but patchier deep in the valleys. Ferries from Incheon to Chinese ports like Qingdao and Weihai, or from Busan to Fukuoka, lose signal once out at sea.

### Sources for the China mainland & Japan & South Korea guide

- [Travel eSIM in China: VPN and the Great Firewall (eSIMDB)](https://esimdb.com/blog/travel-esim-china-vpn-great-firewall/)
- [Does eSIM work in China in 2026? (Yesim)](https://blog.yesim.tech/?p=41202)
- [Google confirms plans for turn-by-turn navigation in Korea (Korea Herald)](https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10851560)
- [WeChat Pay and Alipay to accept global credit cards (Travel Weekly Asia)](https://www.travelweekly-asia.com/Travel-News/Travel-Technology/WeChat-Pay-and-Alipay-to-accept-global-credit-cards)
- [Visa policy of mainland China (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_mainland_China)

## Thirteen days across East Asia: Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, Busan, Kyoto and Tokyo

Multi-country route · 13 days · Source: https://viasimo.com/destinations/china-mainland-japan-south-korea/#itinerary

A one-way East Asia route that suits a first visit to all three countries: Shanghai and Beijing linked by high-speed rail, a short flight to Seoul, the KTX to Busan, then a flight to Osaka for Kyoto and the shinkansen to Tokyo.

**When to go:** April to May and mid-September to November are the most comfortable in all three countries; avoid China's Golden Week in early October and Japan's Golden Week in late April to early May, when trains and sights are at their busiest.

### Day 1 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: Shanghai: the Bund and Yu Garden

- **Base:** Shanghai
- **Plan:** Walk the Bund in the morning for the colonial-era waterfront and the view across the Huangpu River to Lujiazui. Head along East Nanjing Road, then south to Yu Garden and the old City God Temple area. In the evening, return to the Bund to see the Pudong skyline lit up.
- **Mobile signal:** Strong 5G on China Unicom. Check WhatsApp, Google and email straight away on arrival and keep a VPN installed as a backup.

### Day 2 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: Shanghai: the Former French Concession and Pudong

- **Base:** Shanghai
- **Plan:** Spend the morning at the Shanghai Museum's ancient bronzes and ceramics, then walk the plane-tree lanes of the Former French Concession and the Tianzifang alleys. In the late afternoon, take the metro to Lujiazui and go up the Shanghai Tower for the view from one of the world's tallest observation decks.
- **Mobile signal:** Excellent across the city and on the metro. Use Amap or Apple Maps rather than Google Maps for accurate directions.

### Day 3 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: High-speed train to Beijing

- **Base:** Beijing
- **Getting there:** High-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Beijing South, about 4.5 to 5.5 hours.
- **Plan:** Take a morning high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Beijing South, booking through the 12306 app or a ticket agent with your passport. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Heaven and its park, where locals play cards and practise tai chi, then walk the Qianmen pedestrian street.
- **Mobile signal:** Good 4G and 5G along the high-speed line, with short drops in tunnels and cuttings.

### Day 4 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: Beijing: Tiananmen and the Forbidden City

- **Base:** Beijing
- **Plan:** Book Forbidden City tickets several days ahead with your passport. Cross Tiananmen Square, go through the Meridian Gate and walk the length of the palace to the Imperial Garden. Climb Jingshan Park's hill opposite the north gate for the view over the roofs, then explore the Shichahai hutongs and lakes.
- **Mobile signal:** Strong coverage, though security checkpoints at Tiananmen can involve long queues, so keep your passport and booking ready offline.

### Day 5 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: The Great Wall at Mutianyu

- **Base:** Beijing
- **Getting there:** About 1.5 to 2 hours by road each way.
- **Plan:** Take a tour bus or private car to Mutianyu, a restored section with watchtowers along a forested ridge. Ride the cable car or chairlift up, walk the wall in either direction, and take the toboggan down if you like. Back in Beijing, visit the Lama Temple in the late afternoon if time allows.
- **Mobile signal:** Generally good at the Mutianyu entrance and on most of the wall; weaker on the far, steeper sections.

### Day 6 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: Fly to Seoul: Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon

- **Base:** Seoul
- **Getting there:** Flight Beijing to Seoul, about 2 hours.
- **Plan:** Fly from Beijing to Seoul Incheon and take the AREX express into the city. In the afternoon, visit Gyeongbokgung Palace in time for the changing of the guard, see the National Folk Museum inside its grounds, then walk up through Bukchon Hanok Village and the cafés of Samcheong-dong. In the evening, try bindaetteok and other stall food at Gwangjang Market.
- **Mobile signal:** Your phone switches to SK Telecom on landing. Very strong 5G across Seoul. Google Maps lacks walking directions in Korea, so use Naver Map or KakaoMap.

### Day 7 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: Seoul: Changdeokgung, Insadong and Namsan

- **Base:** Seoul
- **Plan:** Join a timed tour of Changdeokgung's Secret Garden, then browse Insadong's galleries and tea houses. In the afternoon, visit the National Museum of Korea, and finish with the cable car up Namsan to N Seoul Tower for the night view.
- **Mobile signal:** Excellent across the city, including the subway and the cable car up Namsan.

### Day 8 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: KTX to Busan: Gamcheon and Jagalchi

- **Base:** Busan
- **Getting there:** KTX from Seoul Station to Busan, about 2.5 hours.
- **Plan:** Take the KTX to Busan. Visit Gamcheon Culture Village's painted hillside houses, then go down to Jagalchi Fish Market and the Nampo-dong streets. In the evening, walk Gwangalli Beach for the view of the lit-up Gwangan Bridge.
- **Mobile signal:** Strong 5G on the KTX and across Busan.

### Day 9 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: Busan's coast, then fly to Osaka

- **Base:** Osaka
- **Getting there:** Flight Busan to Osaka, about 1.5 hours.
- **Plan:** Take a bus or taxi to Haedong Yonggungsa, the seaside temple built on the rocks, then walk along the coast to Haeundae Beach and the Dongbaekseom island path. Fly from Busan Gimhae to Osaka Kansai in the afternoon, take the Nankai line into Namba, and spend the evening in Dotonbori's neon-lit canal streets.
- **Mobile signal:** Your phone switches to KDDI's au network in Japan; give it a few minutes after landing. Full coverage in central Osaka.

### Day 10 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: Kyoto: Fushimi Inari and Higashiyama

- **Base:** Kyoto
- **Getting there:** JR or Keihan train from Osaka to Kyoto, about 30 to 50 minutes.
- **Plan:** Take the train to Kyoto and go straight to Fushimi Inari, walking up through the torii-lined paths as far as the Yotsutsuji viewpoint. In the afternoon, visit Kiyomizu-dera and its wooden terrace, then walk down the old stone lanes of Ninenzaka and Sannenzaka to Yasaka Shrine, ending in Gion's teahouse streets at dusk.
- **Mobile signal:** Good across Kyoto, including the lower slopes of Fushimi Inari.

### Day 11 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: Kyoto: Arashiyama and the Golden Pavilion

- **Base:** Kyoto
- **Plan:** Be at the Arashiyama bamboo grove early, then visit Tenryu-ji's garden and walk across Togetsukyo Bridge. Take the bus to Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, and the Ryoan-ji rock garden nearby. Spend the evening at Nishiki Market or along Pontocho.
- **Mobile signal:** Strong coverage throughout the city and on its buses.

### Day 12 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: Shinkansen to Tokyo: Shibuya and Shinjuku

- **Base:** Tokyo
- **Getting there:** Nozomi shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo, about 2 hours 15 minutes.
- **Plan:** Take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Tokyo, looking out for Mount Fuji on the right-hand side on a clear day. In the afternoon, walk through Meiji Jingu's forest, down Harajuku and Omotesando to the Shibuya scramble crossing. End in Shinjuku's Omoide Yokocho.
- **Mobile signal:** Good on the shinkansen with brief drops in tunnels; excellent across Tokyo.

### Day 13 in China mainland & Japan & South Korea: Tokyo: Asakusa, Ueno and the bay

- **Base:** Tokyo
- **Plan:** Visit Senso-ji in Asakusa early, then walk Ueno Park and the Tokyo National Museum. In the afternoon, take the Yurikamome line across the Rainbow Bridge to Odaiba, or go to teamLab Planets in Toyosu if you have booked it. Allow time for the train to Narita or Haneda.
- **Mobile signal:** Excellent across the city, the Tokyo Metro and the airport rail links.

### Staying connected on this China mainland & Japan & South Korea route

- Test WhatsApp, Google and your banking apps as soon as you land in Shanghai, and keep a VPN installed in case a service blocks the roaming route.
- Install Naver Map or KakaoMap before flying to Seoul, and use Amap or Apple Maps in mainland China; Google Maps works well only in Japan.
- Check whether your passport qualifies for visa-free entry or China's 240-hour transit before booking; leaving China for Korea fits the transit pattern.

### Sources for the China mainland & Japan & South Korea itinerary

- [GOV.UK: Foreign travel advice, China](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china)
- [UNESCO: The Great Wall](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/438/)
- [Korea Tourism Organization: VisitKorea](https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/)
- [Japan National Tourism Organization](https://www.japan.travel/en/)
- [Wikivoyage: Busan](https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Busan)

## About this eSIM

### Three countries, three very different internets

On signal alone, this is one of the easiest regions in the world to travel with a phone. Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul and Busan all have dense 5G, and the high-speed rail lines between major cities are well covered apart from tunnels. The plan connects to China Unicom on the mainland, KDDI's au network in Japan and SK Telecom in South Korea.

What changes at each border is which apps work and which you need. In mainland China, Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and most Western news sites are blocked on local connections. In South Korea, Google Maps still cannot give turn-by-turn walking or driving directions. In Japan, almost everything works, but many restaurants, guesthouses and local services communicate through LINE rather than WhatsApp or email.

Moving between the three is almost always by air, so there are no land borders to worry about. When you land at Pudong, Haneda or Incheon, give the phone a minute to drop the previous country's network; if nothing appears after a few minutes, switch airplane mode on and off once.

### How data behaves in mainland China

Travel eSIMs in mainland China work by roaming on local towers, and their traffic normally exits the country through a gateway abroad, often Hong Kong or Singapore. eSIMDB and Yesim both explain that this is why Google, WhatsApp and Instagram usually load on a roaming eSIM without a VPN, while hotel wifi and local Chinese SIMs are filtered. Behaviour depends on where a plan's traffic exits, and some services, including some AI tools, block Hong Kong IP addresses anyway.

The practical advice is to test your key apps as soon as you land and to have a VPN installed before you arrive as a backup, because downloading one in China is difficult. Hotel wifi will be censored, so use the eSIM for anything that needs a blocked service.

### What you'll use data for in each country

In China, mobile payments are the norm, and many smaller shops and restaurants no longer handle cash easily. Alipay and WeChat Pay both let visitors link a foreign Visa or Mastercard, as reported by Travel Weekly Asia. DiDi works for taxis and can be reached inside Alipay. Apple Maps or Amap give far more accurate directions than Google Maps.

In Japan, Google Maps works very well for trains, buses and walking, and train tickets for the Shinkansen can be booked online. LINE is useful for restaurant reservations and messages from guesthouses. JNTO's Safety tips app sends earthquake and tsunami alerts in English.

In South Korea, Naver Map and KakaoMap are essential for walking and public transport directions. Kakao T is the taxi app, and KakaoTalk is how most Koreans message.

### Before you fly

Set up Alipay at home and link your card before you leave, because the verification text goes to your normal phone number. Install a VPN and test it, download Naver Map or KakaoMap, and install LINE if you are going to Japan.

If you are flying Japan to China to Korea, or the other way round, check whether your nationality qualifies for China's 240-hour visa-free transit, which allows a stay of up to ten days when you arrive from one country and leave for a different one. Keep your onward ticket saved offline to show at immigration.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does an eSIM work in China mainland & Japan & South Korea?

Yes. Your China mainland & Japan & South Korea eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. Coverage runs on 4G LTE and 5G where the network has rolled it out, and falls back to 4G elsewhere.

### Do I get 5G in China mainland & Japan & South Korea?

Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on The local networks we use in China mainland & Japan & South Korea, and your eSIM uses it automatically on a 5G-capable phone, dropping back to 4G LTE outside covered areas. No country is covered everywhere, so 5G availability varies by location.

### Will WhatsApp and Google work in China on this eSIM?

Usually, yes. Travel eSIMs in mainland China roam on local towers but route data abroad, so services blocked on Chinese wifi and local SIMs typically load without a VPN. It depends on where a plan's traffic exits, and some services block Hong Kong IP addresses. Test your key apps on arrival and keep a VPN installed as a backup.

### Does Google Maps work in South Korea in 2026?

Only partly. As of August 2026, Google Maps in Korea showed places and public transit routes but still had no turn-by-turn walking or driving directions, although the government approved a map data export in February 2026. Most visitors use Naver Map or KakaoMap, which both have English menus and accurate subway and walking directions.

### Can I use China's 240-hour visa-free transit on a Japan, China and Korea trip?

Possibly. The 240-hour transit lets eligible nationalities stay up to ten days if they arrive from one country and leave for a different one through designated ports, so Tokyo to Shanghai to Seoul fits that pattern, while Tokyo to Shanghai and back does not. Eligibility depends on your passport, so check the current rules before booking.

### Do I need LINE for travelling in Japan?

It is not required, but it helps. LINE is the main messaging app in Japan, and many smaller restaurants, ryokan and local tour operators use it for bookings and messages. Installing it and setting it up before you arrive is easier, because the account is verified by a text to your normal number, which stays active in your phone alongside the eSIM.

### How much data do I need for 7 days in China mainland & Japan & South Korea?

For 7 days in China mainland & Japan & South Korea, Viasimo sells 1 GB for $3.79 and unlimited data for $37.99. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.

## Information and verification

- **Prices and plans**: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in. Verified October 17, 2026.