Japan Trip 2026

IC Cards — Suica, ICOCA, Pasmo

Rechargeable contactless transit cards used for trains, subways, buses, and most convenience stores across Japan. Get one at HND on arrival — it covers everything from Tokyo to Osaka.

Which Card to Get

CardIssued byWhere to buyWorks everywhere?
SuicaJR EastHND airport machines, any JR stationYes
ICOCAJR WestOsaka/Kyoto JR stationsYes
PasmoTokyo MetroTokyo station machinesYes

All three are interoperable. A Suica bought at HND works on Osaka Metro, Kyoto buses, and convenience stores nationwide. Get Suica at the airport — no need to buy ICOCA separately in Osaka.

Getting Your Suica at HND

Find a JR East ticket machine in the arrivals hall — look for the green Suica penguin logo.

  1. Select “Buy Suica” (English available on all machines)
  2. Choose amount to load — ¥5,000 recommended for first few days
  3. ¥500 deposit is built into the card (refundable on departure)
  4. Pay by credit card or cash

Alternative — add to Google Pay or Apple Pay:

  • At the machine, select “Mobile Suica”
  • Follow prompts to link to your phone’s wallet
  • Tap phone at any gate instead of carrying the physical card
  • Easier to reload on the go via the app

Loading More Balance

  • At any train station ticket machine: insert card, select “Charge” (チャージ), add ¥1,000–10,000
  • At any convenience store (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) — hand card to cashier and say “charge” or “チャージ” with the cash amount
  • Via the Suica app (if added to Google/Apple Pay)

How much to load: ¥5,000 covers roughly 3–4 days of transit for one person. Top up when balance drops below ¥1,000 — the machine beeps if you tap with insufficient balance.

Where It Works

Transit:

  • All JR lines (local and rapid)
  • Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway
  • Osaka Metro (all lines)
  • Nankai Line (to Kishinosato-Tamade from Namba)
  • Kyoto city buses
  • Most city buses nationwide

Shopping (tap to pay):

  • 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson
  • Most vending machines
  • Many department store food halls
  • Some taxis

Does NOT work for:

  • Shinkansen (use SmartEX QR — see SmartEX QR Boarding)
  • Some rural local trains with old equipment

At the Gate

  • Tap the card (or phone) flat against the yellow reader — you don’t need to hold it, just touch and go
  • Gates open in under a second
  • If the gate beeps and stays closed: insufficient balance. Step aside, reload at the machine nearby, try again.

Transferring from IC to Shinkansen at Shinagawa: Exit the Keikyu line by tapping your Suica at the Keikyu exit. Then walk to the Shinkansen concourse and use your SmartEX QR at the Shinkansen gate. These are two separate gate systems.

Osaka-Specific Notes

The Nankai Line (to your Kishinosato-Tamade base) accepts Suica. Tap in at Namba Nankai station the same way as any other line. No separate ticket needed.

Some Kyoto city bus routes charge a flat fare — tap on and off, or pay the flat fare in cash if the driver indicates.

On Departure (April 20)

Suica cards can be returned at any JR station machine for a ¥500 deposit refund minus a ¥220 processing fee — net ¥280 back. Or: keep the card. It never expires and any remaining balance stays loaded for future trips. If you have ¥1,000+ left, keeping it is probably the better call.

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