The short answer

Get the first major nationwide-compatible IC card that is convenient where you arrive. Suica, PASMO and ICOCA charge the same underlying transit fare on participating systems and work across much of Japan; the meaningful differences are where you buy or refund them, whether they expire, and whether you use a physical or mobile card.

Travelers often spend far too long trying to choose the “best” IC card. The names reflect different issuers and home regions, not three competing fare plans. A Suica bought in Tokyo can tap through participating gates in Osaka; an ICOCA bought in Kansai can pay on participating Tokyo trains. You do not need a fresh card in every city.

The quick comparison

Card Natural place to get it Deposit and validity Refund basics Best for
Regular Suica JR East area, including Tokyo ¥500 deposit; invalid after 10 years without use JR East handles its cards; ¥220 may be deducted from stored value A reusable physical card from Tokyo
Welcome Suica Selected JR East travel centers and airport machines No deposit; physical card valid 28 days No normal refund of unused value Short trips starting around Tokyo
Regular PASMO Participating private railway/subway machines and counters around Tokyo ¥500 deposit Return through a PASMO operator under its rules A regular Tokyo-area alternative to Suica
TOURIST PASMO Keikyu at Haneda or Keisei at Narita No deposit; valid 28 days Stored value is not refunded Visitors buying at a Tokyo airport
Regular ICOCA JR West area, including Kansai ¥500 deposit; commonly sold with initial value JR West handles refunds; ¥220 may be deducted from stored value Trips starting at KIX, Osaka or Kyoto

Availability can change by machine and station. The table tells you which product to look for; it is not a promise that every ticket machine sells every card.

What an IC card does—and does not do

An IC card is prepaid stored value. Tap in, ride, tap out, and the system deducts the applicable fare. It is exceptionally useful for urban JR trains, subways, private railways and buses that display the nationwide IC symbol. It also works as electronic money at many convenience stores, vending machines, lockers and other participating merchants.

It is not an unlimited travel pass. It does not discount every ride simply because you tapped. It also does not, by itself, buy the extra ticket required for most Shinkansen, limited-express, Green Car or reserved-seat travel. Our Shinkansen ticket guide covers those bookings, while the JR Pass comparison explains when a rail pass is a different kind of product.

Think of the IC card as the everyday wallet for small transport charges, not the solution to every journey in Japan.

Suica or PASMO in Tokyo?

For an ordinary visitor, choose whichever is easier to obtain. Both are accepted across the shared Tokyo-area network and the nationwide mutual-use system. Neither makes Tokyo Metro cheaper than the other; neither is a secret pass for airport expresses.

The most relevant Tokyo visitor products in July 2026 are Welcome Suica and the newer TOURIST PASMO:

  • Welcome Suica: valid for 28 days including purchase day, no deposit, no normal balance refund. JR East lists sales at selected travel service centers, airport vending machines and other named locations. Keep the reference paper showing its validity information.
  • TOURIST PASMO: launched in 2026 for international visitors, valid for 28 days, no deposit and no balance refund. Official sales are at specific Keikyu locations at Haneda and Keisei information centers at Narita. Haneda offers ¥1,000–¥10,000 purchase amounts; Narita currently lists ¥2,000.
  • Regular Suica or PASMO: better if you want a long-lived physical card and are comfortable paying the refundable ¥500 deposit. Refund it through the issuing region or keep it for a future trip.

Do not confuse TOURIST PASMO with PASMO PASSPORT. Sales and handling for PASMO PASSPORT ended in 2024; articles telling you to buy it are stale.

ICOCA in Osaka, Kyoto and western Japan

ICOCA is the obvious physical-card choice when Kansai is your arrival point. JR West sells ordinary ICOCA through relevant machines and offices in its area. Its official guide says the card can be used on railways, buses and at shops displaying the IC or ICOCA marks across Japan.

A standard purchase includes a ¥500 deposit. JR West also lists a ¥2,000 visitor-design ICOCA at Kansai-airport Station, including the deposit; its artwork does not change the fares.

ICOCA does not become useless when you reach Tokyo. Keep tapping the same card wherever the nationwide mutual-use mark appears.

The nationwide coverage rule people miss

“Works nationwide” does not mean you can make every imaginable journey as one continuous IC-card trip. The systems have separate IC usage areas. JR East explicitly says Welcome Suica cannot be used for continuous travel between areas; a trip must begin and end within the applicable area. You cannot tap in around Tokyo and stay inside the gates all the way to Sendai merely because both places accept Suica.

This matters most on long regional journeys and rural lines. Use a paper or digital long-distance ticket when the route crosses IC boundaries, includes a non-participating operator, or requires a limited-express product. If uncertain, show the station staff your destination before tapping in.

Also remember that “nationwide” coverage is not universal coverage. Some local buses, small railways and rural stations remain cash or ticket based. Keep a modest amount of yen even after loading an IC card.

Physical card or phone?

Apple Wallet supports Suica, PASMO and ICOCA on compatible devices. A mobile card shows its balance and can be linked to SmartEX for ticketless Shinkansen boarding.

There are still reasons to choose plastic:

  • Your phone or payment card may fail during setup.
  • A child needs a child-fare card issued through the appropriate process.
  • You prefer not to make transport dependent on battery and device access.
  • Your device is not supported by the relevant Japanese transit-wallet service.
  • You want a simple shared troubleshooting path at station machines.

Never have two people tap with one card. Each passenger needs their own IC card or ticket because the gate records an open journey for that card.

If mobile setup works before the trip, excellent. If it does not, stop wrestling with it and buy a physical card after arrival.

How much should you load?

Start smaller than you think. ¥2,000–¥3,000 of usable value is a comfortable opening balance for many visitors, then top up as needed. Tourist cards bought at a fixed price already include that amount as usable value; regular cards subtract the deposit from the purchase amount.

Most physical-card top-ups at rail machines are cash based. JR East’s regular Suica guidance and JR West’s physical ICOCA guide both describe cash top-ups, with a maximum stored balance of ¥20,000. TOURIST PASMO also permits cash top-up at machines and participating convenience stores. Mobile cards can follow different wallet-payment rules.

Avoid loading ¥10,000 on the final morning. Visitor-card balances are generally nonrefundable, and regular-card refunds may be limited to the issuing operator’s region and charge a handling fee against stored value. Use a remaining balance at a convenience store, airport shop or vending machine displaying the appropriate IC mark.

How refunds actually work

Refund rules belong to the issuer, even though the card works elsewhere.

  • A JR East-issued Suica must be returned through JR East. The official formula returns the ¥500 deposit and remaining balance after a ¥220 handling fee against the balance; if the balance is below the fee, you still receive the deposit.
  • ICOCA is refunded through eligible JR West offices. JR West similarly lists a ¥220 commission against remaining value, plus return of the ¥500 deposit.
  • Welcome Suica and TOURIST PASMO do not provide normal refunds of unused stored value.
  • PASMO refunds are processed through participating PASMO operators under current rules.

Using an IC card without getting stuck

Tap the same card or device at entry and exit. Do not enter with Suica and try to leave using ICOCA. Keep cards separated from a wallet full of other contactless cards so the reader detects the intended one.

If the gate closes, do not keep hammering the reader. Common causes are insufficient balance, an incomplete earlier trip, crossing an unsupported boundary or scanning multiple cards. Move to the side and show the card to staff; they can read the journey record and tell you what adjustment is needed.

On buses, watch what local passengers do. Some systems require tapping only when boarding; others require a tap when boarding and leaving. The card works as the payment method, but the bus’s fare procedure still applies.

The simplest recommendation by arrival

Where you start Low-friction choice
Haneda Mobile IC if already working; otherwise TOURIST PASMO or available Suica/PASMO product
Narita Mobile IC, Welcome Suica or TOURIST PASMO depending on your rail route and sales point
Kansai International Airport ICOCA or a supported mobile card
Osaka/Kyoto by domestic connection ICOCA from a JR West sales point, or keep any compatible card you already own
Returning with an old card Test and top up the old card before buying another

The winning card is the one you can obtain easily, keep funded, and remember to tap. For the bigger transport picture—including when to use tickets, flights or buses—see Getting Around Japan.

FAQ

Can I use Suica in Kyoto and Osaka?

Yes, on participating railways, buses and merchants displaying the compatible nationwide IC mark. It does not cover every operator or permit every long continuous trip across IC regions, so check the route when leaving the urban network.

Is ICOCA better than Suica for Kansai?

ICOCA is easier to buy and refund in the JR West area, which makes it the natural Kansai choice. For everyday taps on compatible transport, it does not charge a special cheaper Kansai fare than Suica.

Can two people share one IC card?

Not for the same journey. Each traveler needs a separate card or ticket because tapping in opens an individual trip record that must be closed at the exit gate.

Can I ride the Shinkansen with only an IC card?

Not by simply loading money and tapping. You need a Shinkansen booking or ticket; supported services such as SmartEX can assign that booking to a registered IC card for ticketless boarding.

Should I refund my card before flying home?

Only if the issuing operator is convenient and the amount makes the process worthwhile. Tourist cards do not normally refund stored value. With a regular card, spending down the balance or keeping it for another trip is often easier.

Official sources

Keep planning

About Kevin

I built Japan Answered around the questions travelers keep asking — then check the details against primary sources and real trips. Every guide shows when it was last reviewed, so you can see how fresh the answer is.

Prices, schedules and closures change. If you spot something stale, email us and we’ll check it.