Phone signal on the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage and the Kumano Kodo
Most of the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi is covered by docomo and au, with a known gap between markers 43 and 55. On Shikoku's 1,200 km, docomo reaches furthest. What to prepare offline.
Japan's two great walking pilgrimages are very different in length and very similar in one thing: most of the way you will have signal, and the few gaps are in the mountains, where you most want a map.
Our Japan eSIM connects to docomo, au, SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile, so on both routes it can use whichever network reaches you, and docomo and au are the ones reported to reach furthest.
Kumano Kodo, Nakahechi route
From Takijiri-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha is about 38 km, usually walked in two or three days. A local guide reports that most of the route is covered by docomo and au, with a stretch without signal roughly between trail markers 43 and 55. The Wakayama World Heritage Center publishes signal maps of the route, in Japanese.
Shikoku 88 Temple pilgrimage
The full circuit is about 1,200 km through four prefectures, and around 150,000 people make it each year, most of them by car or bus. Foreign walkers are growing: more than 1,500 were counted at one survey point in 2023, a five-year high.
On foot, the gaps are in the mountain sections between temples. A Japanese SIM provider's survey found docomo signal at 63% of mountain huts, au at 35% and SoftBank at 14%, which is why a multi-network eSIM helps here.
Wi-Fi and SIM cards in Japan
Tourists cannot buy voice SIM cards in Japan, only data SIMs, pocket Wi-Fi or an eSIM. Convenience stores such as Lawson, and chains like Starbucks, offer free Wi-Fi in towns along both routes.
Before you walk
- Download offline maps of the whole route, and the temple list for Shikoku.
- Save your accommodation addresses in Japanese as screenshots: many are family-run minshuku.
- Carry a power bank for long mountain days.
- Check the weather each morning while you have signal, especially for the mountain passes.
Quick answers
Is there signal on the Kumano Kodo?
On most of the Nakahechi route, yes, on docomo and au. There is a known gap between roughly markers 43 and 55.
Which network is best on the Shikoku pilgrimage?
docomo reaches the most remote places, followed by au. Our eSIM can use both.
Can I buy a SIM card in Japan as a tourist?
Only a data SIM, pocket Wi-Fi or an eSIM. Voice SIM cards are not sold to short-term visitors.
Sources: Shikoku Henro official site, Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau, Komorian (14 May 2023), KSB (2023), Sakura Mobile, Henro.org (October 2022). Checked 21 September 2026.