Japan · the click
Tokyo opens up when the gate says yes.
You land, and the air smells of rain on metal. A station attendant has already given the same directions many times today. The IC card is nothing glamorous. It is the tap that turns Tokyo into a set of neighborhoods you can reach, rather than a game you are losing.
A card, not a fantasy
Everyone pictures unlimited train travel. Within one city, that freedom is a card you tap. Suica, PASMO, and the visitor versions the machines sell this year all work, and JR lines inside Tokyo accept them. A nationwide pass is a different product; see japanrailpass.net if your trip grows.
Convenience stores accept it, and so do some vending machines. The egg sandwich is part of how the city runs; read convenience-store dinner. We will not tell you how much to load. Top up when asked.
Buy the card before you ask for opinions. The city is already commuting.
Issuers update their pages. Read the JR East, PASMO and Welcome Suica rules the week you fly. This page is a guide, not a timetable or a fare table.
Decide
Do I need Suica or PASMO?
Either. Both open the same gates in Tokyo and work in convenience stores. Use whichever machine is in front of you. Visitor versions, such as Welcome Suica, are offered in some years, with rules that change. We will not invent a deposit, a stored-value amount, or which card the window is selling this month. The issuer’s page has the details.
Does a JR Pass replace the IC card?
No. A nationwide pass covers long train journeys between cities. It does not make the metro free. A Tokyo-only week needs an IC card and your feet. Check the official prices only if your trip adds a second city. JR Pass 2026 · when to skip the pass.
Phone wallet or plastic?
Use a plastic card if your phone and the card issuer still do not work together, and the phone wallet if it already works on your device. Don’t try to fix this on a platform at rush hour. Buy the card first and gather opinions later. Top it up when the gate tells you to.
Can I use it outside Tokyo?
Many cities accept the same card. Some still require their own. We will not print a nationwide compatibility chart that will soon be out of date. If a gate rejects your card, the local issuer will have the answer.
How to use it
Tap in, then enjoy the city
The first machine
Buy your card at the airport or at the first proper station you reach. If the issuer offers a visitor card this year, follow its instructions, and bring your passport in case it is requested. We will not guess which ticket windows open on a Sunday.
One loop
The Yamanote Line introduces the neighborhoods. After that, learn one metro line by using it. A connection that looks simple on a map can mean ten humid minutes underground.
Do the pass math later
If tomorrow is the train to Kyoto, check the official table. If tomorrow is the beach at Kamakura, your IC card will do.
Then go
Keep your voice low on trains and your phone close. Let people off before you board. Tokyo Metro publishes its own platform etiquette; follow it. The hard part is not the ticket machine. It is becoming an obstacle in a corridor with a large suitcase. Send the big bag ahead.