Suica & Pasmo IC Card Guide for Tourists in Japan (2026)

Last fact-checked: 2026-08-27

Quick Summary

What it is: A rechargeable prepaid IC card for trains, subways, buses, and purchases at convenience stores and vending machines — comparable to Hong Kong's Octopus or Korea's T-money
Suica vs Pasmo: Suica is issued by JR East, Pasmo covers Tokyo Metro and private railways — both work identically on the same network and at the same stores, so the choice mostly comes down to which is easier to get where you land
2026 update: The Welcome Suica Mobile app (iPhone only) is now the most convenient option for many visitors — no deposit, 180-day validity, and foreign Visa/Mastercard top-up support

Physical Card Options

Welcome Suica — sold at Narita and Haneda airports and JR East Travel Service Centers; no deposit, valid 28 days, load 1,000-10,000 yen; not refundable
Tourist Pasmo — available at Keikyu and Keisei airport machines, similar terms to Welcome Suica
Regular Suica or Pasmo — available again as of 2026 after a 2023 chip shortage; requires a 500 yen refundable deposit, but the card and balance are valid for 10 years, making it worth it for repeat visitors or longer stays

Mobile Options (iPhone)

Add a standard Suica or Pasmo directly to Apple Wallet (iPhone 8 or later) — note the standard Suica app typically requires a Japanese credit card for in-app top-up
Welcome Suica Mobile is built specifically for foreign visitors and accepts foreign Visa/Mastercard through Apple Pay — no deposit, 180-day validity, and as of spring 2026 it also supports Shinkansen seat reservations directly in the app
Requires iPhone XR or later running iOS 17.2+; if traveling from South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, or Vietnam, you can set it up before departure
Android users: standard NFC does not support Japanese IC card apps (a Japan-market Osaifu-Keitai phone is required) — get a physical card at the airport instead

Practical Tips

Load at least 3,000-5,000 yen on arrival so you are not caught short mid-trip; top-up machines at every station accept cash, and convenience stores like 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson can top up your card too
The maximum balance on any IC card, physical or mobile, is capped at 20,000 yen
If arriving in Osaka rather than Tokyo, get an ICOCA card instead at the Kansai Airport JR West counter — it works on the same nationwide network

Since you will likely be checking train times and station maps constantly during your trip, having an Airalo eSIM for Japan ready before you land saves the hassle of finding wifi at the station.

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