The card might be fast but getting one as a tourist is kind of a hassle

I heard from friends that physical Suica cards tend to be difficult to obtain these days at times, but digital one isn't at all.

Took me roughly a minute to create one within Apple Wallet ahead of my trip, and that was it. Didn't need to install any apps or register on any websites, because creating a Suica card is natively supported in the wallet app.

Idk how the situation is like with Suica card on Android though, outside of the fact that unless the phone was purchased in Japan, it will typically lack the necessary hardware for it (which isn't a concern with iPhones, because all regional versions include it).

▲

numpad0 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

It's completely anonymous and available on many ticket machines. There are some half-wrong info that you have to fill in a form, but that's only for commuter passes and registered cards.

You just tap Buy Suica and insert two 1000 yen bills. The system keeps 500 yen as a deposit, which is refunded when you return the card, but it's also $3.50 for a little memorabilia.

If you absolutely don't want the keepsake, you can create a virtual card from Wallet on iPhone(7 or later). I believe an app is not needed through that path. Those can be loaded from your credit card, or at pink ticket vendors with the cavity for devices(IIRC the latter didn't work initially).

▲

HaloZero 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

There was a brief period where it was difficult but that's gone now, you can set it up easily on Apple Wallet at least (apparently Google wallet is different?).

It used to be easy to get one from a 7-11, then it was hard for a bit, then it was easy again with digital wallets.

	▲	Tor3 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Yes, that was during the period where there was a chip shortage for things like cars and other industrial products, this also affected production of Suica cards at the time. During that period you couldn't buy unregistered Suica cards, but you could still buy registered cards (registered to your name). This was simply used as a mechanism to limit the number of cards because of the shortage, and you could also buy those "visitor" Suica cards (those I don't like, for various reasons). Anyway, that problem is long gone.

▲

kgwgk 42 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Is it?

https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/welcomesuica/welcomesuica....

▲

contentkraft 20 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

No, just download the Suica app and top it up with Apple pay.

▲

spike021 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I've been able to get multiple over the past nearly 10 years, very easily. I think there was a relatively brief shortage toward the end of the COVID closure, maybe the first year or so Japan was re-opened. But generally you could still get them, just not at major hubs.

▲

2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

[deleted]

▲

electriclove 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Super easy via your Apple wallet

▲

vvilliamperez 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I bought one from a machine easily at a train station. It spits the card out for you.

▲

qurren 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Really? In 2009 I just bought one at a vending machine, but I haven't really explored Japan since then

▲

my-next-account 2 hours ago | parent [-]

We purchased it from a machine recently. By the way, can I just say: Japan cares about UI in a very different way to Europe. The screens had pleasant graphics and sound, and the buttons for pressing in numbers felt so good. It just felt like someone who cares designed that machine. I did not like the refill-your-IC-card machines though, they made very loud noises so you wouldn't forget to take your IC card with you.

	▲	qurren 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		The best part is if you press the help button a real person pops out of the machine in a few seconds.