Source: https://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2023/20230602_ho01.pdf (in Japanese)
Regular Suica and PASMO card will be temporarily unavailable for purchase from June 8 onward due to chip shortage. This includes Monorail Suica and Rinkai Suica.
“Welcome Suica” and “PASMO PASSPORT”, designed for short term visitors, will continue to be available. Moreover, PASMO PASSPORT will have its 500 yen issuance fee waived. Mobile Suica will still continue to be available.
They will still be available for sale in Aomori, Morioka, and Akita area, because IC Card was just recently introduced there.
Named Suica and PASMO will still be available. I believe those can also be purchase at the machine, with you having to enter your name ~~in Katakana~~. Note that according to the rule, **named card can only be used by the person named on the card.**
**EDIT:** u/2_Scoop_Rice mentioned that you can use English name and foreign phone number to get Named Suica card.
**Can I still get ICOCA/SUGOKA/TOICA/Kitaca?**
As far as I know those should still be available, as there are no announcement by their respective company.
**Can I use Mobile Suica/PASMO?**
Yes if you have an iPhone. See https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/wiki/advice/transport/iccards/#wiki_what_is_this_.22mobile_suica.22_and_.22mobile_pasmo.22_i.27ve_been_hearing_about.3F_you_can_use_them_on_your_phone_now.3F.3F
**What is Welcome Suica/PASMO PASSPORT?**
Those are cards made for tourist, which will expire after 28 days and no refund can be made. Welcome Suica has no fee, while PASMO PASSPORT has 500 yen fee but it will be waived from June 8th.
Welcome Suica Information (including how to get one): https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/welcomesuica/welcomesuica.html
PASMO PASSPORT Information (including how to get one): https://www.pasmo.co.jp/visitors/en/
21 comments
So all we have to do is enter the name when buying Suica? Done!
I prefer having it on my phone/watch
Named cards also require a phone number, that’s the whole point or registering the card, if you lose it, it is possible to contact you if found.
Using Apple Wallet Pasmo was super easy
Thanks!
Do you know if it is going to affect the JR West limited ICOCA Cards?
So we can still get them as visitors?
I’ve heard some bad things about Suica/PASMO on mobile so I’m not keen on using that. I’d rather a card if available.
Edit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/13f4lst/i_only_have_visa_and_discover_cards_but_neither/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1
https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/122u5jj/trouble_loading_suica_card_with_apple_card_in/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1
If people say they work fine then whatever. It’s come up a few times in this and other subs. I also don’t use Apple Pay or anything like that as it is. So I’m not going to use a Suica on my phone if it can be avoided.
How do you get a suica then? My plan was to arrive in Haneda, walk to the suica machine next to the monorail and buy it from there and then ride the monorail. But it sounds like that is the one unavailable. This will be my first time in japan.
I’m in Japan right now. Just got my named Suica last week at Ueno Station.
You do not have to enter your name in katakana, I’m a baka American and all I had to do was select the English option, enter my name in English, and also enter my US phone number. My name is printed out in English on my card.
Am I able to get a named suica or a passport/welcome card at Narita? My plan is to take the Keisei skyaccess to my hostel
Can you get the welcome suitcase from the machines at the airport? Or would you need to visit the JR stand and wait in line?
What if I want to buy 72h subway ticket? Can I add it to my suica/pasmo?
I know I have you buy it outside of Japan, but how don’t do I need to activate it?
I’m traveling to Tokyo (1 night) -> Seoul first -> Osaka -> Tokyo and wanted to get my subway tickets lined up and used them when I’m back in Tokyo
How do they verify that a named card is being used by the owner?
How can I find my full Suica card # if I only have a mobile Suica? I need the full number to add it to the SmartEx app. Apple Wallet only shows the last 4 digits of the mobile Suica.
I was so surprised when I went to Narita and they didnt have it. Nobody believed me, but it makes sense now. I use the welcome suica and its perfectly fine
Can you use old ones from years ago? I’ve got one from 2017 and am curious if it would still work.
I will be in Japan for 36 days from June to July and have an Android phone. What is my best course of action?
I took my pasmo card back to the States. Will the card still be active and with my funds in the future? Or will be it be inactive and I have to buy new pasmo card?
Laughs in ICOCA
Looks like I won’t be needing my katakana chart after all! Thanks for the tip, baka American.
Just as a data point, both regular suica and named suica were available as of yesterday.
Use the mobile version. Way easy.