One of the first decisions you should make in the early stages of your life in Japan is choosing a mobile carrier. In Japan, there are four main mobile carriers, namely docomo, Softbank, au, and Rakuten Mobile. In addition to these, there are several MNOs and MVNOs that exist, resulting in a total of over 30 providers. For those of you who are not familiar with the term, “MNO” stands for Mobile Network Operator, which refers to the party that provides the network. On the other hand, the party that borrows the network, is called an “MVNO,” which stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operator. MVNOs are commonly known as “budget SIM” or “low-cost SIM,” and are referred to as “Kakuyasu SIM / 格安SIM” in Japanese.
This article centers on MNOs and serves as your introductory guide to docomo and au, along with au’s subsidiary brand, UQ mobile, and its online brand, povo. For Rakuten, please check the article below.
In addition, please be aware that the prices listed below represent the base fees, which may be subject to change based on ongoing campaigns or the discount options you choose to apply.
Table of Contents
docomo
docomo has mainly 3 plans, namely eximo, irumo, and ahamo. NTT docomo revamped its pricing plans significantly on July 1, 2023.
- “eximo” : The “eximo” plan stands as docomo’s high-end offering, boasting unlimited data and robust support both in-store and online.
- “irumo”: On the flip side, “irumo” caters to users seeking cost-effective solutions with lower data capacities. Despite its affordability, irumo allows for offline transactions—a distinctive feature. For eximo and irumo, there are some discount options such as family discounts. If the option suits you, you might be able to reduce the monthly fee.
- “ahamo”: “ahamo” offers simplicity with two easy-to-understand plans, setting itself apart by providing generous data limits, such as up to 20GB for 2,700 yen (excluding tax). However, unlike the other two options, ahamo is exclusively supported online.
*The following prices do not include tax.
*For guidance at docomo shops for both eximo and irumo , there might be a fee ranging from 1,100 yen (tax included) to 2,200 yen (tax included), with some exceptions.
*Please refer to each web page, eximo, irumo, and ahamo for detailed pricing. (Please note that web page is available in Japanese only, so please use your browser’s translation feature.)
| Plan | eximo | ahamo | irumo |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Basic Plan |
~1GB, 4,150yen 1~3GB, 5,150yen From 3GB, 6,650yen |
20GB 2,700yen 100GB 4,500yen |
3GB, 1,970yen 6GB, 2,570yen 9GB 3,070yen |
|
Support |
Offline / Online |
Online |
Offline / Online |
au
Secondly, au has mainly 3 types of plans.
- “使い放題 MAX / (Tsukaitai-Houdai MAX, meaning unlimited MAX Plan)” : This plan allows you to use data without worrying about limits. (Please note that features like tethering are capped at a total of 30GB and may be subject to traffic control during congested times.) The standard cost is 6,580 yen, but with options like family discounts, you can lower your monthly expenses. Additionally, 使い放題MAX provides bundled plans with services like Amazon Prime and Netflix.
- “スマホミニプラン / (Sumaho-Mini Plan, meaning Smartphone Mini Plan)”: It’s a four-tiered variable plan where you pay based on the amount of data you use. This means you only pay for what you use, providing the benefit of minimizing waste. This plan can be discounted with family discounts, etc., to reduce the monthly fee as well.
- “スマホスタートプラン / (Sumaho-Start Plan, meaning Smartphone Start Plan). This plan is available for anyone who switches from other carriers’ non smart phone, as well as for individuals aged 22 or younger who are contracting a smartphone for the first time. It offers up to 20GB of data usage.
*The following prices do not include tax.
*Please refer to the official page for further details. (Please note that web page is available in Japanese only, so please use your browser’s translation feature.)
| Plan | 使い放題MAX | スマホミニプラン | スマホスタートプラン |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Basic Plan |
6,580yen |
~1GB 3,150yen ~2GB 4,150yen ~3GB 5,150yen ~4GB 5,650yen |
~20GB 2,480yen for the first year (3,916yen from second year) |
|
Support |
Offline / Online |
Offline / Online |
Offline / Online |
UQ mobile
There are three basic plans for UQ mobile.
- “トクトクプラン / (Tokutoku Plan)” is divided into two steps based on your monthly data usage: up to 1GB or over 1GB to 15GB. A distinctive feature is that if your monthly data usage is less than 1GB, you’ll receive a discount of 1,188 yen (tax included) from the regular price. Additionally, significant discounts can be obtained by applying for family discounts or bundling with your home internet.
- “コミコミプラン / (Comicomi Plan)” offers a data allowance of 20GB. It also includes unlimited domestic calls of up to 10 minutes each, available 24/7. Any remaining data can be carried over to the next month, ensuring efficient and waste-free usage.
- “ミニミニプラン / (Minimini Plan)”, allows for up to 4GB of data usage per month, making it ideal for individuals who use the internet sparingly or rely on a Wi-Fi environment. Like コミコミプラン, any remaining data can be carried over to the next month, ensuring efficient and waste-free usage. Like other plans, discounts such as family discounts can lower the monthly fee.
*The following prices do not include tax.
*Please refer to the official page for further details. (Please note that web page is available in Japanese only, so please use your browser’s translation feature.)
| Plan | トクトクプラン | コミコミプラン | ミニミニプラン |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Basic Plan |
~15GB 3,158yen |
~20GB 2,980yen |
~4GB 2,150yen |
|
Support |
Offline / Online |
Offline / Online |
Offline / Online |
povo
povo is an online plan offered by au, characterized by its basic fee of 0 yen. For instance, you can purchase unlimited data usage for 24 hours at 330 yen (Tax included) or add 3GB for 990 yen (Tax included). A distinctive feature is the ability to buy data according to your preferred capacity for the month or day. It seems to be popular when some people who own two smartphones use povo as their second line of service.
*Please refer to the official page for further details. (Please note that web page is available in Japanese only, so please use your browser’s translation feature.)
Key Takeaways
docomo
- Offers three plans: eximo, irumo, and ahamo.
- eximo: High-end plan with unlimited data and support.
- irumo: Cost-effective, allows offline transactions.
- ahamo: Online-only, offers high data limits.
au
- Three plans: Tsukai-Houdai MAX, Sumaho-Mini Plan, Sumaho-Start Plan.
- 使い放題 MAX / Tsukai-Houdai MAX: Unlimited plan, option to bundle with Amazon Prime etc.
- スマホミニプラン / Sumaho-Mini Plan: four-tiered variable plan where you pay based on the amount of data you use.
- スマホスタートプラン / Sumaho-Start Plan: Plan for anyone who switches from other carriers’ non smart phone, as well as for individuals aged 22 or younger.
UQ mobile
- Three plans: Tokutoku, Comicomi, Minimini.
- Discounts for low data usage in トクトク /Tokutoku.
- コミコミ / Comicomi offers 20GB and unlimited calls.
- ミニミニ / Minimini for light internet users.
povo
- Online plan with basic fee of 0 yen.
- Add options such as 24-hour unlimited data to tailor your plan.
- Popular as a second line for dual smartphone users.
