Suica for payments in Japan
🌸The Welcome Suica (Red Card) is a special contactless card from JR East, designed exclusively for foreign tourists (short-term visitors to Japan).
🔆Key Features
· Deposit: No deposit required (unlike the regular Suica (Green Card), which requires ¥500, which is refunded upon return).
· Validity: 28 days from the date of purchase. After this period, the card and its balance are invalid.
· Refunds: Not possible. Unspent funds are forfeited.
· Purchase denominations: ¥1,000, ¥2,000, ¥3,000, ¥4,000, ¥5,000, or ¥10,000 (the entire amount is immediately added to the balance, the card is "free").
· Maximum balance: ¥20,000.
· Top-up: Cash only (at station machines, JR windows, and convenience stores). Credit cards cannot be used to top up the Welcome Suica card.
· Limit: Usually one card per person. A children's version is available (requires the child's passport).
There's also a Welcome Suica Mobile app (iPhone/Apple Watch app) valid for 180 days from issue. Top-ups are made via Apple Pay, but balances are non-refundable.
💳The Welcome Suica (red card) works the same as other cards. You can pay for the following:
· Transportation: JR trains, subway, buses, monorail (including from airports). Simply tap the card at the turnstile upon entry and exit—the fare is deducted automatically. The remaining balance is displayed at the turnstile upon exit. * Shopping: convenience stores (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart, etc.), vending machines, pharmacies (Matsumoto Kiyoshi, etc.), fast food (McDonald's, etc.) where the Suica/IC logo is displayed.
· Other: lockers at stations, some taxis.
The card is valid throughout Japan.
💰Where to buy
· Airports: Narita (Terminals 1, 2/3), Haneda (Terminal 3 / Tokyo Monorail) - at the JR EAST Travel Service Center.
· At dedicated Welcome Suica vending machines.
· At JR East stations: Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Ueno, Yokohama, Sendai.
· Sometimes at JAPAN RAIL CAFÉ and other JR East locations.
The card can only be purchased in cash (yen). When you purchase, you'll receive a reference sheet—it's best to keep it.
💡Tip: Top up your card as needed, in small amounts ("little by little" to avoid any excess—for example, start with ¥3,000).
➕Pros
· No ¥500 deposit and no need to return the card or process a refund upon departure.
· The entire amount paid is immediately available for use.
· Beautiful design—perfect for keeping as a souvenir.
· Convenient for short trips (up to 28 days).
· Works almost anywhere IC cards are accepted (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Sendai, etc.).
· Easy purchase right at the airport upon arrival.
➖Cons
· Short validity (28 days)—not suitable for long stays or repeat visits.
· Remaining balances are non-refundable—you must carefully plan your top-ups and spend them all before departure (the remainder can be spent in airport shops or on food).
Alternatives:
· Regular Suica (green)—if you're traveling for longer than 28 days or planning a return (the deposit is refunded, as is the remainder, minus a fee of ~¥220).
· Suica / PASMO in Apple Wallet (iPhone)—often the most convenient: you can issue it in advance, top it up with a card, and it doesn't have a 28-day validity period.
· Welcome Suica Mobile—for iPhone only and valid for 180 days from activation.
Before your flight, don't forget to use up any remaining balance at the airport. 😉