If you asked me what I should do when I get to Japan, I would tell you to get a rechargeable IC card like Suica, PASMO, Icoca etc. If you are chasing for credit card points, I would definitely recommend getting a Suica card from JR East and link the card with Apple Pay (iPhone 8 or up).
What is an IC card
A rechargeable IC smart card like Suica is like an electric wallet that you load money to purchase train tickets like the Oyster card in London or Octopus card in HongKong.
Like the Octopus card, the Japanese IC cards use a contactless technology called FeliCa, a version of NFC for mobile payments.
What Japanese IC cards stand out is the ability to be used as a wallet at convenience stores, select restaurants, department stores and major electronics stores. More IC card terminals are added to the network so the only thing you need is an IC card to travel in Japan, at least in major cities.
Where to get it, how to load money?
There are several blog posts on this so I won’t go detail on this. PASMO has a clear English instruction on how to get the card. There are dozens of IC cards issued by rail and bus companies but most likely you will end up getting one of the following IC cards:
Tokyo Area:
Osaka Area:
- Icoca (JR West)
- PiTaPa (Osaka Area Private Rail and subways)
Nagoya Area:
Fukuoka Area:
- SUGOKA (JR Kyushu)
- HAYAKAKEN (Fukuoka Subway)
- nimoca (Nishitetsu)
Hokkaido Area:
- Kitaca (JR Hokkaido)
The IC cards are interchangeable meaning if you purchase a Suica, which is issued by JR East, is accepted beyond the JR East area. So with your Suica, you are able to ride trains in Fukuoka, shop in Osaka and eat in Nagoya as long as an establishment accepts IC cards. Just as an example here is an instruction on how to use a Suica but other cards.
If you lose your card, ONLY “registered” card can be reissued.
One thing I would strongly suggest is to purchase an IC card with your name registered. The process takes less than 5 minutes and it can be done at a machine (only select cards) or a counter when you purchase a new card. This comes handy as if you lose your card, they can reissue at a manned counter with your ID.
Why do I recommend getting an IC card?
Convenience
It is readily accepted in many places. Next time you are purchasing a can of coke, all you need is to whip out your IC card like the locals.
Speed
With the FeliCa technology, transactions only take a split second so you don’t have to waste your time finding the right bill or coin for your transaction. This is especially useful for riding trains since you no longer have to purchase a train ticket per ride. All you need is to load the card with Japanese yen at a rechargeable machine, then tap the card at a gate and ride the train.
The Japanese Coins
Nothing annoys me more than carrying countless Japanese coins. The highest denomination for the Japanese coins is 500 yen, around 5 USD so your wallet or pants pocket will quickly fill with coins. With an IC card, the most you carry are a few bills to recharge the card.
For Point seekers (Apple Pay + Suica)
This is the best way to accumulate points and cash backs in Japan. Thanks to Apple, now Suica topped with Apple Pay, meaning that you will be able to load money to Suica using a credit card via Apple Pay. You will need a Suica and an iPhone 8 or up, or iWatch series 3 or up. I will post more on this so stay tuned.