You land in Tokyo, clear immigration, and the first thing you need is a working connection for maps, train routes and messages. Narita and Haneda both have SIM counters, rental desks and vending machines, but they are spread across terminals and floors, and most counters close well before the last flights arrive. This guide lists what is where, with opening hours taken from each airport's official facility pages.
Last checked: 8 November 2026. Shops and hours change, so confirm on the airport's official page (linked at the end) before you rely on a specific counter.
The short version
- Counters are landside. At Narita, the airport states that phone rental, Wi-Fi rental and SIM sales counters are only in the areas before departure passport control, which means arriving passengers reach them after customs.
- Narita counters mostly close at 21:00. The exception is JAL ABC on the 1F arrival floors of Terminals 1 and 2, open from 06:30 until one hour after the last international arrival.
- Haneda counters stay open later, most of them until 22:00 to 23:00.
- Late arrival? Your options are a SIM vending machine, the free airport Wi-Fi, or an eSIM you installed before the flight.
Narita Airport (NRT)
Narita has three terminals. Terminals 1 and 2 serve most international flights; Terminal 3 is the low-cost carrier terminal. In Terminals 1 and 2, the 1F floors are the arrival lobbies and the upper floors (3F/4F) are the departure lobbies.
Terminal 1
| Location | Shop | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| North Wing 1F | JAL ABC | 06:30 to 1 hour after the last international arrival |
| North Wing 4F | XCom Global, J WiFi & Mobile, JAL ABC | 07:00 to 21:00 |
| South Wing 1F | JAL ABC | 06:30 to 1 hour after the last international arrival |
| South Wing 1F | GPA SIM card vending machine | Not listed |
| South Wing 4F | J WiFi & Mobile, Telecom Square, JAL ABC | 07:00 to 21:00 |
| Central Building 1F | AnyFone JAPAN, XCom Global, J WiFi & Mobile, SoftBank Global Rental, Telecom Square | 07:00 to 21:00 |
| Central Building 1F | GPA SIM card vending machine | Not listed |
| Central Building 4F | Rakuten Mobile | 08:00 to 20:00 |
Terminal 2
| Location | Shop | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Main Building B1F | XCom Global, Telecom Square | 07:00 to 21:00 |
| Main Building 1F | AnyFone JAPAN, J WiFi & Mobile, SoftBank Global Rental | 07:00 to 21:00 |
| Main Building 1F | JAL ABC | 06:30 to 1 hour after the last international arrival |
| Main Building 1F | GPA SIM card vending machines (2) | Not listed |
| Main Building 2F, before customs | GPA SIM card vending machines (4) | Not listed |
| Main Building 3F | J WiFi & Mobile, Telecom Square, JAL ABC | 07:00 to 21:00 |
Terminal 2 is the only place on Narita's list with SIM vending machines before customs, so you can buy a card while you wait for your bags.
Terminal 3
| Location | Shop | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Main Building 1F | J WiFi & Mobile | 07:00 to 21:00 (smart pickup 06:00 to 20:30) |
| Main Building 1F | GPA SIM card vending machine | Not listed |
Haneda Airport (HND)
Most international flights arrive at Terminal 3. Terminal 2 also has an international section, and Terminal 1 is domestic only.
Terminal 3 (international)
| Location | Shop | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 2F Arrival Lobby | Mobile Center (Telecom Square) | 06:30 to 23:00 |
| 2F Arrival Lobby | AnyFone JAPAN counter | 06:00 to 23:00 |
| 3F Departure Lobby | Mobile Center (Telecom Square) | 06:30 to 23:00 |
| 3F Departure Lobby | XCom Global | 06:30 to 22:30 |
JAL ABC also lists a counter in the Terminal 3 arrival lobby that sells prepaid SIM cards, and several Wi-Fi rental brands use Terminal 3 as a pickup point for online bookings.
Terminal 2
| Location | Shop | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 2F International Arrival Lobby | J WiFi & Mobile / GLOBAL WiFi | 05:45 to 23:00 |
| 3F Departure Lobby (international) | Mobile Center (Telecom Square) | 07:00 to 22:00 |
| B1F Terminal Lobby (north) | AnyFone JAPAN vending machine | 05:00 to 24:00 |
Terminal 1 (domestic)
| Location | Shop | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| B1F Market Place (north) | AnyFone JAPAN vending machine | 05:00 to 24:00 |
| 2F Departure Lobby (north) | WiFiBOX | 05:00 to 24:00 |
Haneda's official page notes that prepaid SIMs for use in Japan can be bought from a vending machine in Terminal 1.
Free airport Wi-Fi
Both airports have free Wi-Fi with no password, which is enough to open a booking email or find a counter.
- Narita: network name
FreeWiFi-NARITA, available in all terminals and on the terminal shuttle buses. - Haneda: network name
HANEDA-FREE-WIFI, available in Terminals 1, 2 and 3.
The airports recommend a VPN if you need a secure connection on these networks.
Counter, vending machine or eSIM?
| Airport counter | Vending machine | eSIM set up before you fly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works for late arrivals | Narita: mostly until 21:00. Haneda: until about 23:00 | Narita: hours not listed. Haneda T1/T2: 05:00 to 24:00 | Yes |
| Staff help | Yes | No | No (online support only) |
| Phone must be unlocked | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Phone must support eSIM | No | No | Yes |
| Queue on arrival | Possible at peak times | Possible | None |
A few practical points:
- Check that your phone is unlocked before the trip. A carrier-locked phone will not accept a Japanese SIM or eSIM.
- If you use an eSIM, install it at home while you have stable Wi-Fi, then switch the eSIM line on and enable data roaming for it after landing. Keep your home SIM switched on if you need SMS codes from your bank.
- Arriving after 21:00 at Narita narrows your options to JAL ABC on the 1F arrival floors, a vending machine, or a connection you sorted out before departure.
Not sure which network a SIM or eSIM runs on? See Japan's mobile carriers compared.
If you would rather skip the counter, shibaSIM sells Japan eSIM plans that you install before you leave and switch on when you land.
Sources
- Narita International Airport, Cellular Phone, Wi-Fi Rental, SIM Card Sales Locations (checked 8 November 2026)
- Narita International Airport, Wi-Fi / Power outlet spaces
- Haneda Airport, Cellular phone, Wi-Fi rental and SIM (checked 8 November 2026)
- Haneda Airport, Wireless LAN
- Japan Airlines, Portable Wi-Fi and mobile SIM card rental
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