Where and How to Buy Your Suica or Pasmo IC Card When Visiting Tokyo Japan in 2024
If you are planning on going to Japan soon, and are looking for the best travel tips to get you started, a quick look at many travel websites, blogs, and YouTube videos will reveal that you need to get a Suica or Pasmo card.
“What is a Suica (or Pasmo)?”
“Why do I need one?”
“There are so many different IC cards out there, Which one should I purchase?”
These are the questions mostly asked by tourists and visitors going to Tokyo, Japan. After all, traveling to Japan requires a certain level of research, planning and logistics, which could lead to confusion and frustration.
But no worry. You are in the right place! I personally love this stuff. And I am always excited to share my nuggets of wisdom, which were accumulated over many years of traveling to Japan.
An IC card is one of the most essential and convenient items to have when it comes to using Japan’s vast and complex public transportation system during your travel.
And if you have a Tokyo, Japan trip scheduled for spring 2024 or later, you are in luck. Why? Because you just narrowly missed the mess and headaches of IC card sale suspension caused by the recent chip supply shortage in Japan. Good for you!
So, let’s get down to business. We will touch on the IC card topic and what it does, look together at which Japanese airport you are flying into, which IC card is available in that area that you can purchase and use while in Japan, and address and answer questions you might have when it comes to these nifty little cards.
You will walk away feeling much better, and less confused and stressed about your Japan trip. Sounds good? Let’s go!
What Is a Suica Card (or Pasmo Card) ?
Suica (or Pasmo) is an IC card, or a Japanese prepaid transit card, which you can load up with yen, and use it to tap and pay for rides on trains, subways, buses, without purchasing a paper ticket for each ride.
It can also be used to buy snacks and drinks at stores or vending machines, and even to pay for goods and souvenirs in department stores and shops.
Essential Information on Suica and Pasmo IC Cards
I wrote several posts on Suica and Pasmo cards, as I know it could be a confusing topic to research for first-time visitors and travelers to Japan.
The thing about the Internet is that sometimes, you get all sorts of info, and it seems everyone gives you different opinions, and sometimes not in the clear and organized way. And you end up being more confused than you was, before you started your research.
Below are some of the articles I wrote about IC cards like Suica and Pasmo, with first-time Japan visitors in mind. These will provide you with easy-to-understand concepts, functions and practical usages, and all the how-tos of these IC cards :
Stress-Free Tokyo Travel with IC Cards : Everything You Need to Know
Suica vs Welcome Suica Card : Which One to Choose When Visiting Japan?
Which IC Card to Buy When Going to Japan : Pasmo or Pasmo Passport Card?
The Easiest Way to Get a Suica Card on Your Phone : Adding a Digital Suica (Mobile Suica) to Your Apple Wallet
iPhone Users
Do you have an iPhone? If you answer Yes, then you are going to love this : There is no need to run around to locate a ticket counter to buy a Suica card or Pasmo card, no need to stand in long lines, and no need to get cash to load your Suica or Pasmo card with yen.
Just open up Apple Wallet on your phone, click “Add a Transit Card”, choose “Suica”, and voila – You are now a proud owner of a digital Suica card!
Every time you need to pay for train, subway, or bus rides, or buy goods, just hover your phone over the IC card reader at the terminal or cashier area, and the fares are automatically deducted from your digital Suica card. Easy peasy, right?
And another beauty is that you can use your digital Suica card (mobile Suica) anywhere across Japan.
For step-by-step guide on how to add a digital Suica to your Apple Wallet, how to use it, how to reload the card with more yen, and get answers to any other questions you might have, see my simple and easy-to-understand posts below. You will so glad you did.
Android Phone Users
For Android phone users, unless your Android phone was originally purchased inside Japan, unfortunately, your phone is not yet compatible to use a digital Suica card.
But no worry, below are all available alternatives for your choosing :
What Was All the Commotions about Suica and Pasmo Card Sale Suspension Earlier ?
In case you were curious, Suica and Pasmo card sale suspension earlier (caused by the chip supply shortage in Japan as well as the rest of the world) was frantic and stressful for foreign visitors and tourists to Japan, to say the least.
Want to know what happened? Check out the whole thing here, as well as a suggested workaround, which is useful, if you even find yourself in an unfortunate situation at a ticket counter, where there is no Suica or Pasmo card left in stock.
Now that you have a good grasp of what a Suica or a Pasmo card is, let’s look together at which Japanese city you are flying into, and which IC card is available in that area, so that you can purchase one and use it for the duration of your Japan trip.
Which Airport You Land in Japan, and Which IC Card You Can Purchase in that Area
If at all possible, after landing in Japan and clearing customs and immigrations, it is strongly recommended to purchase your IC card at the airport.
Currently, with the chip supply shortage still somewhat going on, the airport is the best place for you to pick up IC cards, as several types of cards are currently available for purchase there.
Once you leave the airport, you can still purchase an IC card, however, there are fewer choices, and you might have to travel to specific train stations or subway stations to buy an IC card.
So it is your best bet to obtain an IC card at the airport, where many options and higher card supply are available.
If You Fly Into Narita International Airport in Japan
If you land in Narita Airport, you will have many options of IC cards to pick from.
Each type of cards can be purchased at a specific area in the airport. So after you make your choice, head there to buy your card.
Below, I have listed all different types of IC cards available at Narita International Airport, and where to go to get them. Enjoy!
If you are not sure where to go, don’t worry.
Head to the “Information Desk” or “Visitor Service Center” booth right inside the Arrivals area of Narita International Airport. You will see them right away, in front of you, when exiting the Customs and Immigration area.
The staff here will be able to help point you into the correct direction and booth to get your card.
1 . Buy a Suica Card
Just a few months ago, the wildly popular Suica card was still out of stock due to the chip supply shortage in Japan and all over the world.
This has caused so much stress and panic for visitors going to Japan, who had to scramble to find alternatives to replace this awesome card.
However, around March 2024, Japan has slowly brought these cards back in stock and for sale. Hurray! So if you are going to Tokyo, Japan starting spring 2024 or later, you are good to go!
Where to Buy Your Suica Card
Head to the JR Ticket Office or JR East Travel Service Center in the Arrivals area of Narita International Airport. It is located downstairs, in the Train Station area of the airport, and there will be huge overhead signs letting you know where to go to get to the Train Station area.
Follow the signs, and take an escalator or elevator down 1 level. Look for sign for the JR Ticket Office, get in the queue, and when it’s your turn, the staff will help you with your Suica card purchase.
2 . Buy a Pasmo Card
Pasmo is another popular IC card next to Suica, which can be purchased in the Tokyo area of Japan.
This card have the exact same functions and usages as Suica, and can also be used all over Japan, not just in Tokyo.
Similar to Suica, Pasmo card was also hit with the chip supply shortage, and card sale was suspended as well.
Where to Buy Your Pasmo Card
Unlike Suica, Pasmo sale suspension has not yet been lifted, so the chance that you might find this card sold in the airport and subway stations in Tokyo is rare at this time.
But don’t worry. Its close cousin, the cute Pasmo Passport IC card, is widely available for sale in Narita airport (and in major subway stations, such as Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, etc.), and you can pick one up easily. I will address it below in its own section.
3 . Buy a Welcome Suica Card
Welcome Suica is essentially the same as a Suica card, but created for foreign tourists visiting Japan only.
There are only a few differences between a Suica and a Welcome Suica. None of which is significant for most visitors.
If you are curious, check out my comparison article between a Suica card and Welcome Suica card here : Suica vs Welcome Suica Card : Which One to Choose When Visiting Japan?
You might be required to show your passport to the staff before buying this card, in order to prove that you are a foreign visitor to Japan, as the Welcome Suica card is currently only sold to tourists and visitors to Japan.
Where to Buy Your Welcome Suica Card
Head to the JR Ticket Office or JR East Travel Service Center in the Arrivals area of Narita International Airport. It is located downstairs, in the Train Station area of the airport, and there will be huge overhead signs letting you know where to go to get to the Train Station area.
Follow the signs, and take an escalator or elevator down 1 level. Look for sign for the JR Ticket Office, get in the queue, and when it’s your turn, the staff will help you with your Welcome Suica card purchase.
You can also skip the line altogether, and get a Welcome Suica card at the Welcome Suica machines nearby.
These machines accept cash (yen), debit cards, and credit cards as well. However, there has been issue with some foreign (non-Japanese) Visa card acceptance.
So if you plan to buy through the machine, it is best to use a non-Visa card, such as MasterCard or AmericanExpress.
4 . Buy a Pasmo Passport Card
The adorable Pasmo Passport IC card is widely available for sale in Narita airport and Haneda airport.
It is also available in major subway stations, such as Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Ueno-okachimachi, Ikebukuro, Ginza, Meiji-jingumae, Shimbashi, Otemachi, Iidabashi, Shinagawa, Yokohama.
Note
Tokyo Metro has announced that they will discontinue the Pasmo Passport after August 2024. So if you are going to Japan before August 2024, you will be able to get one just fine.
For those going after August 2024, don’t worry, as this seems to be good news – Pasmo Passport sale suspension most likely means the normal Pasmo card will be available for sale again. And if not, there’s plenty of Suica card to buy at that time.
Where to Buy Your Pasmo Passport Card
After exiting Customs and Immigrations area, you will arrive at the Arrivals area of the airport. Follow the overhead signs to get to the Train Station area of the airport.
You will see signs in front of various ticket counters letting you know where to go to buy a Pasmo Passport card. Two of the places to pick one up are the Keisei Train Ticket counter or Skyliner & Keisei Information Center counter.
Get in line, and the staff will help you get a Pasmo Passport. No stress!
AS previously mentioned, this card is also available in major subway stations until August 2024, such as Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Ueno-okachimachi, Ikebukuro, Ginza, Meiji-jingumae, Shimbashi, Otemachi, Iidabashi, Shinagawa, Yokohama.
So if the airport is too crowded with long queues, you can purchase you Pasmo Passport later at one of the major subway stations above.
5 . For iPhone Users – Get a Digital Suica Card on Apple Wallet
Dif you have a chance to read “The Easiest Way to Get a Suica Card on Your Phone : Adding a Digital Suica (Mobile Suica) to Your Apple Wallet” section above?
Yes, just open up the Apple Wallet on your phone, click “Add a Transit Card”, choose “Suica”, and voila – You are now a proud owner of a digital Suica card!
How To Add a Digital Suica on Your iPhone
For step-by-step guide on how to add a digital Suica to your Apple Wallet, how to use it, how to reload it with more yen to use, and get answers to any other questions you might have, see my simple and easy-to-understand posts below. You will so glad you did.
If You Fly Into Haneda International Airport in Japan
If you are flying into Haneda International Airport, you will have pretty much the same options as those at Narita Airport.
Each type of cards can be purchased at a specific area in the airport. So after you make your choice from the below list, read the “Where to Buy” section to head to the correct area and buy your card.
If you are not sure where to go, don’t worry.
Head to the “Information Desk” or “Visitor Service Center” booth inside the Arrivals area of Haneda International Airport. You will see them right away, in front of you, when exiting the Customs and Immigration area.
The staff here will be able to help point you into the correct direction and booth to get your card.
1 . Buy a Suica Card
The wildly popular Suica card was out of stock in earlier months, due to the chip supply shortage in Japan and all over the world.
This has caused so much stress and panic for visitors going to Japan, who had to scramble to find alternatives to replace this awesome card.
However, around March 2024, Haneda airport is starting to bring it back slowly, but at a smaller supply per day. So if your flight arrives earlier in the day, there is a good chance you will be able to purchase a normal Suica card.
So if you are going to Tokyo, Japan starting spring 2024 or later, you are good to go!
Where to Buy Your Suica Card
Head to the JR Ticket Office or JR East Travel Service Center in the Arrivals area of Haneda International Airport. There will be huge overhead signs letting you know where to go to get to the Train Station area.
Follow the signs, and look for sign for the JR Ticket Office. Queue up with other travelers, and when it’s your turn, the staff will help you with your Suica card purchase.
If you arrives at the JR Ticket counter too late in the day, and Suica cards are sold out, don’t panic!
The staff can help you get a Welcome Suica (which is an alternative to the normal Suica card, but only available to foreign visitors to Japan) instead.
2 . Buy a Welcome Suica Card
Welcome Suica is essentially the same as a Suica card, but created for foreign tourists visiting Japan only.
There are only a few differences between a Suica and a Welcome Suica. None of which is significant for most visitors.
If you are curious, check out my comparison article between a Suica card and Welcome Suica card here : Suica vs Welcome Suica Card : Which One to Choose When Visiting Japan?
You might be required to show your passport to the staff before buying this card, in order to prove that you are a foreign visitor to Japan, as the Welcome Suica card is currently only sold to tourists and visitors to Japan.
Where to Buy Your Welcome Suica Card
Head to the JR Ticket Office or JR East Travel Service Center in the Arrivals area of Haneda International Airport. It is located close to the Monorails area of the airport, and there will be huge overhead signs letting you know where to go to get there.
Follow the signs, and look for sign for the JR Ticket Office, get in the queue, and when it’s your turn, the staff will help you with your Welcome Suica card purchase.
You can also skip the line altogether, and get a Welcome Suica card at the red Welcome Suica vending machines nearby.
These machines accept cash (yen), debit cards, and credit cards as well. However, there has been issue with some foreign (non-Japanese) Visa card acceptance.
So if you plan to buy through the machine, it is best to use a non-Visa card, such as MasterCard or AmericanExpress.
3 . Buy a Pasmo Passport Card
The adorable Pasmo Passport IC card is widely available for sale in Haneda airport.
It is also available in major subway stations, such as Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Ueno-okachimachi, Ikebukuro, Ginza, Meiji-jingumae, Shimbashi, Otemachi, Iidabashi, Shinagawa, Yokohama.
Note
Tokyo Metro has announced that they will discontinue the Pasmo Passport after August 2024. So if you are going to Japan before August 2024, you will be able to get one just fine.
For those going after August 2024, don’t worry, as this seems to be good news – Pasmo Passport sale suspension most likely means the normal Pasmo card will be available for sale again. And if not, there’s plenty of Suica card to buy at that time.
Where to Buy Your Pasmo Passport Card
After exiting Customs and Immigrations area, you will arrive at the Arrivals area of the airport. Follow the overhead signs to get to the Train Station area of the airport.
You will see signs in front of various ticket counters letting you know where to go to buy a Pasmo Passport card.
Get in line, and the staff will help you get a Pasmo Passport. No stress!
AS previously mentioned, this card is also available in major subway stations until August 2024, such as Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Ueno-okachimachi, Ikebukuro, Ginza, Meiji-jingumae, Shimbashi, Otemachi, Iidabashi, Shinagawa, Yokohama.
So if the airport is too crowded with long queues, you can purchase you Pasmo Passport later at one of the major subway stations above.
4 . For iPhone Users – Get a Digital Suica Card on Apple Wallet
Dif you have a chance to read “The Easiest Way to Get a Suica Card on Your Phone : Adding a Digital Suica (Mobile Suica) to Your Apple Wallet” section above?
Yes, just open up the Apple Wallet on your phone, click “Add a Transit Card”, choose “Suica”, and voila – You are now a proud owner of a digital Suica card!
How To Add a Digital Suica on Your iPhone
For step-by-step guide on how to add a digital Suica to your Apple Wallet, how to use it, how to reload it with more yen to use, and get answers to any other questions you might have, see my simple and easy-to-understand posts below. You will so glad you did.
Are All These IC Cards the Same?
One of the questions that are mostly asked by visitors and tourists going to Japan is : “What IC card should I get for my trip?”.
All these different IC cards essentially function the same way, and can be used eerywhere across Japan.
The only difference being that, while the normal Suica and Pasmo cards only expire after 10 years of the last time they are used, Welcome Suica and Pasmo Passport cards are designed for tourists only, and expire 28 days after purchase.
Which is really not that big of a deal if your trip lasts 28 days or less. You will want to use up all your balance in the card before the card expires though, if you buy a Welcome Suica or Pasmo Passport card.
In case you are interested, here are the point-by-point comparisons between the normal Suica and Pasmo cards vs. the tourist-version Welcome Suica and Pasmo Passport cards :
Suica vs Welcome Suica Card : Which One to Choose When Visiting Japan?
Which IC Card to Buy When Going to Japan : Pasmo or Pasmo Passport Card?
With this said, if you can’t find a specific card that you want (or it’s sold out for the day), just grab a different IC card available where you stay at : Suica, Pasmo, Welcome Suica, Pasmo Passport. They all do the same thing.
And there you have it. Happy travels!
If you have any questions or just want to share your own travel stories, I’d love to hear from you! Please feel free to reach out to me at evelyn@japanoncloudnine.com, and let’s chat. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post, and happy travels!
Post You Might be Interested In
– Have many questions about a digital Suica card, and whether it is a great choice to pay for public transports in your Japan trip? Have all your questions answered here in my latest post “Digital Suica Card as a Quick Easy Payment Method for Public Transport in Japan : Frequently Asked Questions and Answers”
– Interested in buying a Suica IC card, but not sure what the differences between a regular Suica card and a Welcome Suica card? Read my “Suica vs Welcome Suica Card : Which One to Choose When Visiting Japan?” post here.
– Interested in knowing more about the all-time favorite and super awesome IC cards such as Pasmo and Suica cards? Read my “Stress-Free Tokyo Travel with IC Cards : Everything You Need to Know” post here.
– Wonder what awesome tips you could get in order to hit the ground running and navigate Japan smoothly and stress-free, with or without a JR Pass ? Read my “12 Ultimate Tips for Taking Tokyo’s Public Transport With Ease” post here.
– Wonder what the JR Pass everyone talks about all the time is? More importantly, if getting a JR Pass would be a good idea and save you a lot of money on transportation costs in your trip? Get concise and practical answers here at “Japan Rail Pass : Answers to All Your Questions, and Is It Worth Buying?“
– Do you need an easy, convenient, and economical way to get from Narita International Airport to central Tokyo with luggages ? Read my “Airport Limousine Bus – The Convenient Way to Get from Narita Airport to Central Tokyo” post here. Going to Haneda airport instead? Read this post.
– Do you need a fast, easy, and economical way to get from Narita International Airport to central Tokyo ? Read my “The Narita Express (N’EX) : Fast and Easy Travel from Airport to Tokyo” post here.
And much more – Check out all of my posts here on the Main page.
