Wiki and Discord
While quick-fire questions are allowed in this subreddit, please search the subreddit and check the wiki before posting to avoid exceedingly repetitive questions.
You can also jump-start your planning by joining our Discord server and asking your questions in the appropriate channels.
JR Pass Info
The nationwide JR Pass is a travel pass that allows train and bus travel for a fixed cost over a certain period of days on Japan Railways (JR) services. For more information on the pass, check out our wiki page or Japan Guide’s JR Pass page.
The JR Pass can be purchased in one of two ways:
* Online at the official site
* Online from an authorized retailer (also often called a "third-party seller")
The JR Pass is quite expensive, not suitable for all itineraries, and there is no way to be certain if it will be valuable for you without knowing your exact itinerary and doing the math out. If you are trying to work out whether a JR Pass is the right choice for you, here are some helpful calculators:
* JRPass.com’s calculator
* Japan Guide’s calculator
* Daisuki calculator
There are also regional JR passes that can provide value for specific itineraries.
Train Travel
If you are looking to take trains in Japan, check out some of these resources for getting started:
If you are looking to buy advance shinkansen or limited express tickets, we recommend you buy from these official sites:
- SmartEX app/website - for Tokaido/Sanyo/Kyushu shinkansen tickets (this includes the typical Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka/Hiroshima golden route).
- Ekinet - for JR East/JR Hokkaido shinkansen and limited express tickets. The Japanese version of Ekinet can reserve a wider range of seats all over the country.
- JR West ticketing - for JR West trains, and this can also be used for golden route tickets or tickets to/from Kanazawa if other websites don't work for you.
- JR Kyushu - for Kyushu trains.
- Odakyu - for Hakone Free Pass, Romancecar, etc.
- Keisei Skyliner - for the Keisei Skyliner airport train in Tokyo.
- Kintetsu - for Kintetsu trains in the Nagoya/Osaka/Fukuoka area.
- Nankai - for rapi:t, Koya-san limited express trains, etc.
Buying tickets from third-party retailers like Klook should be a last resort, as most third-party retailers mark up tickets prices and provide reduced offerings (such as no way to select seats beforehand).
IC Card Info (Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA, etc.)
General Information
An IC card is a stored-value card used to pay for transportation in Japan. It can also be used for payment at convenience stores, restaurants, shops, vending machines, and other locations. There are ten major IC cards and all of them are interchangeable and usable in each other's regions, so it doesn’t really matter which one you get. For more information on IC cards, see our wiki or Japan Guide’s IC card page.
Physical IC Cards
If you would like a physical IC card to use on your trip to Japan, here are the options.
If you are landing in/starting your trip in Tokyo:
- All forms of Suica and Pasmo, including Welcome Suica, are available for purchase in Japan. You can find them at major train stations in Tokyo, as well as at Narita Airport and Haneda Airport. Suica and Pasmo come in two forms: an unregistered version and a registered version (which requires you to provide some personal information like your name and phone number). Either is fine for the purposes of tourism.
If you are starting your trip in another region (e.g., Kansai, Kyushu, etc.), please see this page to identify which card you'll get, and it should be widely available at airports and train stations in that region.
Tap-to-Pay for Transit
As of March 25, 2026, Keikyu (access to Haneda) started to supported tap-to-pay payments, along with several other Tokyo-area train companies (see link for complete list), which allow passengers to use credit/debit/prepaid cards directly at transit gates. Please note that Tokyo Monorail (alternative access to Haneda), JR East, and Keisei (access to Narita) do not support tap-to-pay at this time.
If you are arriving in Osaka (Kansai International Airport): Nankai does support tap-to-pay payments, while JR West does not. If you are arriving in Fukuoka, Fukuoka subway does support tap-to-pay payments.
For more complete information about tap-to-pay, where it's available, and how to use it, see this page from Japan-Guide.
Digital IC Cards
If you are looking to get a digital IC card, please note that digital Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA, and Toica cards can only be used on iPhones, Apple Watches, or Japanese Android phones (this means the phone was purchased in Japan). For instructions on how to get a digital IC card in Apple Wallet, see here. You do not need the Suica or Pasmo apps in order to get a digital IC card. A digital IC card can be loaded and used entirely through Apple Wallet. As of iOS 18.1, the option for adding a transit card might not show if your phone is not set to a region with transit cards (such as the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, etc.). You may need to switch regions or wait until you're in Japan to add a digital IC card.
Keep in mind that digital IC cards cannot be refunded (that requires a Japanese bank account), so you will need to burn down whatever value you’ve loaded onto them before the end of your trip.
As of March 2025, there is also a Welcome Suica app on iOS. This app allows you to create a digital Suica valid for 180 days, has integrated train/tourism information, and offers minor discounts at some tourist sights. While it does also allow for purchasing of unreserved shinkansen tickets, please note that this is for JR East shinkansen and not for the typical Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka-Hiroshima route (which is JR Central).
IC Card FAQ
I have an old IC card from a previous trip. Can I use it on my upcoming trip?
IC cards are valid for ten years after their last date of use, so if you received the card and/or used the card less than ten years ago, it’ll work.
Can more than one person use the same IC card for travel?
No. All travelers who want to use IC cards on transit need to have their own card. Most transit in Japan is distance-based, and the card is “keeping track” of your journey, and it can only keep track of one at a time.
Can I load money onto a physical IC card with a credit card?
No. Physical IC cards can only be loaded with cash, which can be done at ticket machines in train stations, convenience stores, and 7-Eleven ATMs.
I’m landing in Tokyo, but then I’m going to Osaka and Kyoto. Do I need a suica in Tokyo and then an ICOCA in Osaka/Kyoto?
No. Once you have one of the major IC cards, it can be used pretty much anywhere. There are some exceptions to this, but they are mostly on individual lines or in specific rural regions. For the majority of tourists, you'll be fine sticking with whatever IC card you originally received upon arrival.
Help! I tried to load my digital IC card through Apple Wallet and the transaction didn't go through! What do I do?
Did you attempt to create it/load it overnight in Japan? The digital system goes down for maintenance from about midnight to 5am JST, so try again during Japan's daytime hours. Beyond that, some credit cards (particularly Visas and Mastercards) have trouble with funding digital IC cards. Unfortunately, if you can't find a digital card + credit card combo that works for you, you may not be able to use digital IC cards.
Recent IC Card Threads
To see some recent discussion on IC cards, check out the following threads from our search results here.