Suica & PASMO Explained: Japan's IC Card Culture for Getting Around

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One card, almost every train, bus, and convenience store in Japan — here's how to pick the right one.

The Main IC Card Options

Suica (Tokyo/JR East), PASMO (Tokyo/metro and private railways), and ICOCA (Osaka/JR West) are the three main brands, all interoperable nationwide across trains, buses, and convenience stores.

What to Get as a Tourist

The physical Welcome Suica card (no deposit, valid 28 days) is available at Narita and Haneda airports, alongside Tourist PASMO (launched May 20, 2026). The Welcome Suica Mobile app now also supports Shinkansen reservations. Note: card balance generally can't buy Shinkansen tickets.

What To Know

Knowing exactly which IC card option to get — and that card balance won't cover Shinkansen tickets — solves one of the most common points of confusion for first-time visitors trying to navigate Japan's transit system.

IC cards working across trains, buses, and convenience stores nationwide reflects how deeply integrated Japan's cashless small-payment infrastructure has become, well beyond just public transit.

What Fans Are Saying

• "Wish I'd known about Welcome Suica before my first trip."
• "Good to know IC cards don't cover Shinkansen tickets."
• "The mobile app supporting Shinkansen reservations now is a nice upgrade."

Original Japanese

• 「初めての旅行前にWelcome Suicaを知っておきたかったです」
• 「ICカードで新幹線が買えないと知れて助かりました」
• 「モバイルアプリで新幹線予約ができるのは便利になりましたね」

Easy Japanese

SuicaとPASMOは、電車やお店で使える便利なICカードです。訪日者向けの特別なカードもあります。