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Rakuten Mobile 5G Coverage: Where It Works & What to Expect

Rakuten Mobile's 5G network is expanding fast across Japan. Learn where Sub-6 5G works best, what speeds to expect, and when your device falls back to 4G LTE.

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Rakuten Mobile 5G coverage areas across Japan showing Sub-6 expansion in major cities

Last verified: February 25, 2026 (JST)

Rakuten Mobile's 5G network has expanded dramatically over the past two years, moving from a limited urban footprint to meaningful coverage across all major Japanese cities. If you're on a 5G-capable phone and wondering whether you'll actually use it on Rakuten's network, the answer is increasingly yes—depending on where you live and travel.

Quick Answer: Rakuten Mobile's 5G uses Sub-6 mid-band frequencies (3.4–3.8 GHz) and is concentrated in major urban areas, including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Sapporo. 5G isn't available in partner area (au roaming) zones—you'll get 4G LTE there. Check your specific address at network.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/area/.

Related guides: Rakuten Mobile Coverage Guide | Coverage Map: How to Check Your Address | Partner Area & au Roaming Explained

Get up to 13,000 points when you sign up → https://www.japanmobileguide.com/referral

Where Does Rakuten Mobile 5G Work?

Rakuten's 5G is Sub-6 mid-band—frequencies in the 3.4–3.8 GHz range. This is the workhorse of 5G deployments worldwide: faster and lower-latency than 4G, with better range and building penetration than millimetre-wave (mmWave) 5G, which is limited to small outdoor hotspots.

Coverage is densest in major metropolitan areas first. The Kanto region (Greater Tokyo) expanded Sub-6 5G coverage by 110% compared to January 2024 levels, according to a November 2024 announcement that significantly exceeded Rakuten's original 60% target. The July 2025 expansion push covered Kyushu/Okinawa, Shikoku, and Chugoku regions: Okinawa prefecture expanded its 5G footprint by approximately 100%, and Yamaguchi prefecture in western Honshu grew coverage by 40%.

In practical terms: if you live or work in a major city's central or residential districts, you're likely within Rakuten's 5G footprint. Travel between major cities along Shinkansen corridors, and 5G coverage tracks those routes. Rural towns, mountain areas, and less-populated islands will still get 4G LTE—and Rakuten's 4G is solid nationwide at 99.9% population coverage.

What Speeds Can You Expect on Rakuten 5G?

Sub-6 mid-band 5G typically delivers download speeds in the range of 200–800 Mbps under good conditions, with theoretical peaks above 1 Gbps. Real-world speeds vary based on how many users are sharing the cell, distance from the tower, and whether you're indoors.

For reference: streaming 4K video requires roughly 25 Mbps, and a 1 GB app download at 300 Mbps takes about 27 seconds. On 4G LTE, the same download takes 1–3 minutes depending on signal quality. The practical difference is most noticeable for large file transfers, video calls, and cloud storage syncing.

Latency improves significantly on 5G, which benefits video calls and real-time apps. Rakuten's network, built entirely on a cloud-native architecture, has performance characteristics that differ from legacy carrier infrastructure.

When Does Your Phone Fall Back to 4G?

Your phone will use 4G LTE rather than 5G in these situations:

  • Partner area (au roaming): 5G is only available on Rakuten's own network. Anywhere you're roaming on KDDI's infrastructure, you'll get 4G LTE regardless of your device.
  • Outside 5G coverage: Your phone connects to whichever Rakuten band has the strongest signal—5G where available, 4G where not.
  • Device settings: Some phones have a setting to limit connections to 4G to conserve battery. Check Settings → Mobile Data → Network Mode on Android, or Settings → Mobile Service → Voice & Data on iPhone.
  • Inside buildings: Walls and floors attenuate 5G signal more than 4G. You may have 5G outdoors but 4G once you walk inside.

The fallback from 5G to 4G is automatic and seamless—you won't notice a call dropping or a page failing to load. The difference shows in speed and latency tests, not in basic connectivity.

Does 5G Drain Battery Faster?

Yes, slightly. Sub-6 5G uses more power than 4G LTE, particularly when the modem is actively searching for 5G signal in areas with partial coverage. Flagship smartphones handle this efficiently with optimized modem chips, and the difference in daily battery life is typically less than 10–15% compared to 4G-only mode.

If you're in an area with patchy 5G and noticing faster battery drain, switching your phone to 4G-only mode for that trip is a reasonable workaround.

Checking 5G Coverage at Your Address

The official coverage map shows both 4G and 5G layers separately. Toggle the 5G layer on and look for blue shading at your specific address. The map is updated regularly as new 5G base stations go live—as of January 31, 2026, Rakuten added stations across 104 municipalities in 40 prefectures.

For 5G specifically, the map shows theoretical availability based on tower placement. Real-world 5G reception inside buildings depends on the building type and your floor level.

Are You Using Rakuten Mobile?

Rakuten Mobile's Saikyo Plan costs ¥1,078 for under 3GB, ¥2,178 for 3–20GB, or ¥3,278 for unlimited data. The unlimited tier gives you access to Rakuten's full 5G network without a separate add-on charge. English support is available at 0800-805-0805. New users who sign up with a referral earn up to 13,000 Rakuten Points.

Get up to 13,000 points when you sign up → https://www.japanmobileguide.com/referral

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Rakuten Mobile have mmWave 5G? Rakuten's 5G deployment focuses on Sub-6 mid-band frequencies. Some high-density outdoor locations (major station areas in Tokyo) have millimetre-wave hotspots, but the practical 5G coverage most users experience is Sub-6.

Do I need a special plan to use 5G? No. All Rakuten Saikyo Plan tiers include 5G access at no additional charge. Your phone needs to support Rakuten's 5G bands—check compatibility at network.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/en/product/byod/.

Is 5G available on the Shinkansen? 5G coverage exists along major Shinkansen corridors, particularly the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka. Coverage in tunnels varies—you may drop to 4G or partner area in longer mountain tunnels.

Why does my 5G phone show 4G in a covered area? If you're in a mapped 5G zone and showing 4G, check whether you're in a partner area (which only provides 4G), whether your phone's network mode is set to 4G-only, or whether you're inside a building with reduced 5G penetration.

Quick Reference

Aspect Details
5G technology Sub-6 mid-band (3.4–3.8 GHz)
Coverage check network.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/area/
Strongest 5G Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo
In partner area 4G LTE only — no 5G
Typical speeds 200–800 Mbps (real-world, Sub-6)
Device check /en/product/byod/

Sources

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