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NTT Docomo Japan SIM card: we could not confirm a current visitor product

Docomo's tourist prepaid SIM, Japan Welcome SIM, appears only in 2017 and 2018 pages. Its current eSIM pages are for domestic customers.

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Is an NTT Docomo Japan SIM card a good choice for a visitor?

We cannot give a confident answer, and we would rather say so than guess. Docomo is a major Japanese network and many guides recommend it for rural and island coverage, but we could not verify that on Docomo's site, and we could not find a tourist product that is clearly on sale today.

What did Docomo sell to visitors?

Docomo's English press releases describe the Japan Welcome SIM, a prepaid data SIM for foreign visitors launched on 1 July 2017. Visitors applied online before leaving home and collected the card at Narita, Haneda or Kansai airports. The card was valid for 15 days, needed no APN settings on compatible phones, and the release set a minimum age of 20. A 2018 release added docomo Wi-Fi and lengthened validity to 20 days for a limited time. The plans then were mostly small data allowances, with a free option that traded video ads and a survey for access.

Those are 2017 and 2018 pages. We have not quoted any prices because we cannot tell what, if anything, is current. Docomo's releases point to separate Japan Welcome SIM sites for current terms, which we did not read.

Does Docomo have a visitor eSIM?

The Docomo eSIM pages we found describe eSIM for its own domestic contract customers, with activation online. They do not describe a tourist eSIM. We found no source saying one exists.

Docomo coverage

Third-party guides often say Docomo has the widest rural, mountain and island coverage in Japan. We could not confirm that on a Docomo page and did not find a coverage percentage there, so we are not repeating it as a fact. Docomo publishes a coverage map, which is the right check if you are leaving the Tokyo to Osaka corridor.

What to do instead

If you want a local data product, KDDI's povo Japan SIM is a documented visitor option, covered on our au by KDDI page, and SoftBank's Prepaid SIM for Travel is another. A travel eSIM bought before you fly is the other route. The Japan comparison page lines them up, and Rakuten Mobile is covered too.

For the wider picture see our Japan SIM and eSIM hub, the Japan SIM card comparison and our cheapest eSIM page. This page is desk research from the carriers' own public pages, not a test of any plan.

Common questions

Does NTT Docomo sell a Japan SIM card for tourists?

Docomo launched a prepaid data SIM for foreign visitors called Japan Welcome SIM in July 2017, but the pages we found are from 2017 and 2018. We could not confirm it is on sale now. Check Docomo's current visitor sites before you travel.

Does NTT Docomo have a tourist eSIM?

We found none. Docomo's eSIM pages describe eSIM for its own domestic contract customers, with online activation. No source we read says a visitor can buy a Docomo eSIM. Confirm with Docomo if you need one.

What was the Japan Welcome SIM?

A prepaid data SIM for foreign visitors launched by Docomo on 1 July 2017. It was valid 15 days, needed no APN settings on compatible phones, and could be collected at Narita, Haneda or Kansai. A 2018 update extended validity to 20 days for a limited time.

Is NTT Docomo coverage better than other Japanese carriers?

Many guides say so for rural and island areas, but we could not confirm that on Docomo's own pages and found no coverage percentage there. Use Docomo's coverage map for your route and treat rankings from third parties as unverified.

What are the alternatives to an NTT Docomo Japan SIM card?

KDDI's povo2.0 Japan SIM is a documented data-only visitor product, and SoftBank sells a Prepaid SIM for Travel. A travel eSIM bought before you fly is another option. See our cheapest eSIM page and the Japan comparison page.

Sources and further reading