If you live in Japan and love to travel — whether it’s a weekend trip to Kyoto or a longer journey through Hokkaido — you’ve probably noticed that travel costs add up fast. What many foreign residents overlook is that switching your mobile carrier can actually make your travel cheaper, thanks to Rakuten’s interconnected ecosystem of points.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how combining Rakuten Mobile with Rakuten Travel unlocks higher point multipliers on hotel bookings, and how you can use an employee referral to start off with a significant bonus — up to 14,000 points — before you even book your first trip.
Why the Rakuten Ecosystem Matters for Travelers
Rakuten isn’t just a shopping site. It’s a sprawling ecosystem that includes:
- Rakuten Ichiba (online shopping)
- Rakuten Travel (hotel and accommodation booking)
- Rakuten Card (credit card with point rewards)
- Rakuten Mobile (unlimited data SIM at ¥3,278/month, tax included)
Each service you hold within this ecosystem adds multipliers (倍率, baritsu) to the base point rate you earn when shopping or booking. This is tracked through a system called SPU (Super Point Up Program).
The base rate on Rakuten Travel is typically 1% in points, but active Rakuten Mobile subscribers can stack additional multipliers on top of that — potentially earning 2× or more on every hotel booking made through Rakuten Travel.
For a foreign resident spending ¥20,000–¥50,000 on domestic travel per quarter, this difference is not trivial. It can mean hundreds or even thousands of yen back in points that you can use toward future bookings, shopping, or mobile payments.
How Rakuten Travel Points Multipliers Work
Base SPU Rate for Rakuten Travel
When you book a hotel through Rakuten Travel, you earn points based on the accommodation cost. The standard earning rate is 1 point per ¥100 spent.
However, when you hold Rakuten Mobile as your main line, your SPU multiplier increases. As of 2026, Rakuten Mobile subscribers receive a boost to their SPU rate, meaning your Rakuten Travel bookings earn points at a higher multiplier than non-subscribers.
Stacking with Rakuten Card
If you also pay with a Rakuten Card, you get yet another multiplier layer. Combining Rakuten Mobile + Rakuten Card is one of the most popular strategies among budget-conscious travelers in Japan to maximize every yen spent on hotels and ryokan (traditional inns).
How to Check Your Current SPU Multiplier
Log in to your Rakuten account and visit the SPU page to see your current multiplier breakdown. Each service you actively use counts toward a higher overall multiplier — and Rakuten Mobile is one of the higher-value contributors.
Getting Started: The Smart Move Is the Employee Referral
Before you dive into booking hotels, it’s worth making sure you’re signing up for Rakuten Mobile the right way — because the entry bonus points you earn can go directly toward travel.
Employee Referral vs. Normal Campaign
Rakuten Mobile occasionally runs public campaigns, and as of 2026, the standard MNP (carrier switch) campaign offers 13,000 points. That’s already pretty generous.
But if you sign up via an employee referral link, you get:
- 14,000 points for MNP (switching from another carrier)
- 11,000 points for a brand new number (new signup)
That’s 1,000 bonus points more than the regular campaign for MNP — and the new signup option is exclusive to the employee referral route.
You can use the employee referral link here: 👉 https://r10.to/henTIE
Who Is Eligible?
The employee referral campaign is notably flexible compared to the standard public campaign:
- ✅ First-time Rakuten Mobile users (new signup)
- ✅ MNP transfers from another carrier (au, docomo, SoftBank, etc.)
- ✅ Re-contracts (if you previously cancelled Rakuten Mobile and are rejoining)
- ✅ 2nd or additional lines (for example, adding a data SIM for a family member or a second device)
The re-contract and additional line eligibility is exclusive to the employee referral — it’s not available through the regular friend referral program. So if you’ve been on Rakuten Mobile before and left, or if you want to add a second line for a tablet or secondary phone, this is your best entry point.
Application Rules to Know
There are a few important procedural details to be aware of:
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Login timing: You need to access the referral URL and log in to your Rakuten account before or within 7 days of submitting your application. Missing this window means the referral won’t be tracked.
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Call requirement (from March 2, 2026 onward): If you apply on or after March 2, 2026, you must make at least one call of 10 seconds or more using the Rakuten Link app to qualify for the points. Data-only SIMs are not eligible for this campaign. This is easy to do — just make a short call to a friend or family member after activation.
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Point delivery: Points are not delivered all at once. They are paid in 3 installments, starting 4 months after the month you first logged in via the referral URL. So if you sign up in June, expect the first batch around October.
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Point type: The awarded points are limited-period points, not regular Rakuten points. This means they have a shorter expiration window than standard points. Make sure to use them promptly — Rakuten Travel hotel bookings are a great way to spend them before they expire.
For a full breakdown of the employee referral campaign terms, check out our dedicated article: Rakuten Mobile Employee Referral Campaign: Get Up to 14,000 Points — Complete Guide for Foreign Residents in Japan [2026 Guide]
Practical Travel Savings: Putting the Points to Work
Let’s talk concrete numbers so you can see how this plays out in real life.
Scenario: Weekend Trip to Osaka
- Hotel cost on Rakuten Travel: ¥15,000
- Base point rate (1%): 150 points
- With Rakuten Mobile SPU boost: ~300–450 points
- Paid with Rakuten Card: additional points on top
Over several trips per year, the difference between a regular booking and an SPU-optimized booking compounds meaningfully.
Using Your 14,000 Referral Points for Travel
The 14,000 limited-period points you receive from the employee referral can be applied toward Rakuten Travel bookings — but only if you act within the expiration window.
Here’s a realistic usage plan:
| Points Installment | Approximate Timing | Suggested Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1st batch (~4,700 pts) | Month 4 after signup | Domestic hotel booking |
| 2nd batch (~4,700 pts) | Month 5 | Short trip accommodation |
| 3rd batch (~4,600 pts) | Month 6 | Remaining hotel or shopping |
Since these are limited-period points, don’t sit on them. Book that ryokan in Hakone or the guesthouse in Fukuoka you’ve been eyeing.
Monthly Cost Breakdown: Is It Worth It?
For foreign residents who are currently paying ¥5,000–¥8,000/month with major carriers, switching to Rakuten Mobile can make a significant difference.
Rakuten Mobile plan:
- ¥3,278/month (tax included)
- Unlimited data on the Rakuten network
- No contract lock-in
Annual cost: approximately ¥39,336/year
If you were previously paying ¥6,000/month, that’s a saving of roughly ¥32,000/year in phone bills alone — before you factor in the travel points.
If you’re thinking about cutting costs further by eliminating your home internet, that’s another angle worth exploring: Cancel Your Home Internet & Go Smartphone-Only with Rakuten Mobile [2026 Guide]
Tips for Foreign Residents Specifically
Foreign residents in Japan sometimes run into friction with Japanese telecom services, but Rakuten Mobile is generally considered one of the more foreigner-friendly options. A few tips:
Documents Needed
- A valid residence card (在留カード, zairyu card)
- A Japanese phone number or email address for verification
- A Rakuten account (free to create with a foreign name — use your name as it appears on your residence card)
Using Rakuten Travel in English
Rakuten Travel’s main interface is in Japanese, but the booking flow is manageable even with limited Japanese if you use browser translation tools. Filters for English-friendly accommodations (外国人OK) can also be helpful.
Rakuten Link App for Calls
Remember: if you sign up on or after March 2, 2026, you need to make a call of 10 seconds or more through the Rakuten Link app to unlock your referral points. Download the app right after activating your SIM, call a friend (or even dial a customer service line), and you’re done.
Summary: The Best Way to Start
Here’s the simplified action plan:
- Click the employee referral link: https://r10.to/henTIE
- Log in to your Rakuten account (or create one if you don’t have one)
- Apply for Rakuten Mobile — MNP for 14,000 pts, new signup for 11,000 pts
- Make a 10-second+ call via Rakuten Link after activation
- Start booking hotels on Rakuten Travel with your SPU boost active
- Spend your limited-period points on travel before they expire
The combination of lower monthly bills, travel point multipliers via SPU, and a solid entry bonus makes Rakuten Mobile a practical choice for foreign residents who travel within Japan regularly.
Final Thoughts
Switching carriers might feel like a chore, but in this case, it comes with tangible travel rewards attached. The 14,000-point employee referral bonus (for MNP) is a meaningful head start, and the ongoing SPU multiplier on Rakuten Travel bookings means the benefits keep coming long after the initial signup.
If you’re a foreign resident who wants to travel smarter — and spend less on your phone bill in the process — the employee referral route is the most rewarding way to get started.
Ready to make the switch? Use the referral link below to ensure you get the maximum bonus: 👉 https://r10.to/henTIE