An IC card (Suica, PASMO, or one of the regional equivalents) is the single most useful thing you can set up before your visitors touch a train. It works as a tap-and-go fare card for almost every train, subway, and bus nationwide, and it doubles as a wallet at convenience stores, vending machines, and many shops. The catch is that how your guests get one depends entirely on the phone in their pocket. This page sorts it out by device so you can tell them what to do before they land.
The good news: for most visitors there is a zero-friction option. The main split is iPhone (can usually go fully mobile) versus Android bought overseas (usually needs a physical card).
Which option by phone type
| Phone | Best option | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone / Apple Watch | Add Suica in Apple Wallet | Fully digital, no queue. Needs iOS 17.2 or later for a fresh Welcome Suica Mobile. |
| Android bought abroad | Physical Welcome Suica or PASMO Passport | Most overseas Androids cannot add a mobile Suica. Buy a card at the airport or station. |
| Android bought in Japan (Osaifu-Keitai) | Mobile Suica or PASMO app | Only Japan-market handsets support this. Rare for short-term visitors. |
iPhone and Apple Watch
This is the easiest path and it can be done on the plane. Your guest opens the Wallet app, taps the plus button, chooses Transit Card, and selects Suica. They can create a fresh card and load it with a credit card in a couple of minutes. There is no deposit and no card to lose. If they prefer the tourist version, a Welcome Suica Mobile can be issued directly in Wallet, but it requires iOS 17.2 or later, so have them update before the trip. Apple Watch works the same way and is handy for tapping through gates hands-free.
Once set up, they just hold the phone near the reader. Express Transit mode means they do not even need to unlock it. Topping up is done inside Wallet with a linked card, so they may never need a machine at all.
Android bought outside Japan
Here is where hosts save their guests a lot of confusion. The overwhelming majority of Android phones bought abroad cannot add a mobile Suica, because they lack the Japanese FeliCa chip configuration the app needs. Do not let your visitors waste time trying. Instead, point them to a physical card:
- Welcome Suica (about 2,000 yen): a tourist card valid for 28 days, with no deposit. The full balance is usable, and there is nothing to return at the end.
- PASMO Passport (about 1,500 yen): a similar tourist card, also no deposit, valid 28 days.
As of March 2025, regular physical Suica sales resumed after a long chip-shortage pause, so a standard Suica is an option again too. Galaxy mobile support in Japan is planned for the first half of 2027, so most Android users through 2026 should still plan on a physical card. If you would rather your guests skip the airport counter entirely, they can reserve a Welcome Suica or a rail pass online before arriving and pick it up on landing.
Prices and availability change; confirm on the provider's page. Checked 2026-09-07.
Physical cards are sold at airport stations and major JR and subway stations. Point your visitors at the ticket machines or the JR EAST Travel Service Center in the arrivals hall.
Topping up (charging) the card
Physical cards are cash-first. The most reliable method is a ticket machine at any station: insert the card, tap Charge, and feed in cash. Many machines accept coins and notes; some also take cards. Convenience stores (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) will top up a physical IC card at the register too, though this is usually cash only. Remind arriving guests to keep some yen on hand for exactly this. Our guide to cash, cards, and ATMs covers getting that first cash safely. iPhone users top up inside Apple Wallet and rarely touch a machine.
Using it: trains and shops
At the gate, tap the card flat on the reader; the display shows the fare and remaining balance. Tap in at the start and out at the end, and the correct fare is deducted automatically, so nobody has to figure out fare tables. For buses, tap when boarding and again when exiting (rules vary by region). In shops, they tell the cashier "Suica" and tap the same reader used for the card. A low balance at the gate just means a quick top-up; it will not trap anyone.
One note on cost planning: an IC card is pay-as-you-go and is not a rail pass. If your visitors are doing long intercity trips, compare it against a pass with our JR Pass calculator before they commit. For everything else you should prep before arrival, see the arrival checklist.
Prices are estimates, checked 2026-09-07. Fees and availability can change; confirm at the point of purchase.