There are 10 nationally accepted IC Cards in Japan, but which one of these cards is destined to stand above the rest? It’s time to determine which one of these IC Cards is the best IC Card (based on my baseless opinions).
Each IC Card will be evaluated based on the following categories. Each category can be scored up to 5 points, for a total of 15 points.
- Appearance
- Obtainability
- Bonus
And with that said let’s begin!
10th place – PiTaPa
Appearance – 2/5
There is no animal mascot on the card, but I do really love the pastel purple. I’m not quite too sure what the large grey P on the left is supposed to be, it does seem like it could possibly resemble an animal, but I have no idea. I am not a fan of the serif font, I find that it adds some antiquity to the card, although not in a good way.
Obtainability – 0/5
This card is actually quite unique compared to the other IC Cards because PiTaPa is post-paid, rather than pre-paid, so it works similarly to a credit card. The con being that, you’d need a credit check, so this card is basically not usable by tourists (us). If it weren’t for that, the card would actually be quite obtainable since it’s available in the Kansai region.
Bonus – 0/5
Although PiTaPa is a post-paid IC Card, you actually still need to reload it if you want to use it outside of the Kansai Region. That’s a bit of a bother.
Total – 2/15
I would’ve just not included it in these rankings because it’s only available for Japanese residents, but it is a nationally accepted IC Card and a top 10 sounds a lot better than a top 9.
9th/8th place – Suica
Appearance – 4.5/5
Suica’s animal mascot is a penguin! Very cute. It’s a funny little penguin waving at you as it takes a stroll. The green colored block on the left adds more depth to the card as it separates the card’s visual into well… two blocks.
The only thing that I dislike is the font. For a card with such a round penguin, the font has sharp edges and is quite square.
Obtainability – 5/5
It’s available in Tokyo and it is issued by JR East. This means you can get Suica anywhere from Tokyo up to Aomori. That gives Suica a +1 in Obtainability over Pasmo.
Bonus – 0/5
Everyone and their mom has a Suica card. It’s probably most common IC Card, which makes sense given that Suica is the first IC Card in Japan. So if you want to feel special, maybe look for a different IC Card instead.
Total – 9.5/15
Overall, this is a solid card for a tourist’s first IC Card. Although it may leave you wondering “what if I had a cuter or rarer IC Card?”
9th/8th place – Pasmo
Appearance – 4/5
This has a very nice colour scheme. I love the pink on grey. The pink contrasts from the background and really pops. The font is quite nice as well. The sans serif together with the thick and round letters gives it a more modern feel. Also, the buses are actually kind of cute. Not as cute as animals however.
Obtainability – 4.5/5
It’s available in Tokyo. That makes obtainability not an issue at all. Although because this card is issued by Tokyo Metro and not JR East, it means that it is only available in Tokyo (for the most part).
Bonus – 1/5
This 1 point comes from being the underdog IC Card in Tokyo since Suica is more popular. Why join the cool kids when you can be part of the underground?
Total – 9.5/15
You can’t really go wrong with Pasmo! In fact, if you think really hard about it, maybe Pasmo is even better than Suica. (it’s not). Just like with Suica, Pasmo is a solid choice for a tourist’s first IC Card.
7th place – Hayakaken
Appearance – 5/5
Right off the bat, there is one thing that makes this card stand out from the rest. Hayakaken is the only IC Card that shows hiragana on the front. Also, have you noticed the mascot? Are you wondering what it is? Because I did.
It turns out that the Hayakaken mascot is actually a black tailed prairie dog! The mascot looks really goofy, so I would’ve never guessed.
Obtainability – 1.5/5
Not only is this card on the west end of Japan in the Kyushu region, but it’s also specific to Fukuoka City. That’s because this is the IC Card of the Fukuoka Subway. Which isn’t the end of the world because chances are if you go to the Kyushu region, you’d stop by Fukuoka anyways. Nonetheless, a 6 hour trip still hurts the score.
Bonus – 3.5/5
I’m not quite sure what else to comment on. Although I will say, Hayakaken wins 3.5 points for having the most silly and goofy looking mascot out of all the IC Cards.
Total – 10/15
Hayakaken is certainly an interesting card to add to a tourist’s collection of IC Cards, however it wouldn’t be my 1st pick out of the 3 cards available in Fukuoka. The cards all have very distinct and unique designs, but I wouldn’t select Hayakaken as my pick if I could only choose one.
6th place – Nimoca
Appearance – 5/5
Nimoca takes a more simplistic approach compared to the other IC Cards. There are only 3 visual elements on the card. The blue circle, the “nimoca” text, and it’s furry little mascot, the ferret. This would put it on par with Pasmo in terms of visual busyness, but unlike Pasmo, Nimoca understands the value of furry companions! The round font matches well with the roundness of the ferret too! Overall it’s simple, clean, and cute!
Obtainability – 1.5/5
Just like Hayakaken, Nimoca is also exclusive to Fukuoka. Also just like Hayakaken, that’s about a 6 hour trip. The reason why Fukuoka has 2 IC Cards is because Nimoca is distributed by the Nishi Nippon Railroad (also known as Nishitetsu), while Hayakaken is from the Fukuoka Subway.
Bonus – 4/5
I feel really drawn to the minimal design of the card art. The simple shapes and flat colors are quiet, but eye catching. A little ferret and its big ball.
Total – 10.5/15
Compared to the other 3 IC Cards available in Fukuoka, Nimoca is definitely unique in the sense that its card art is much more minimal than its 2 competitors, Hayakaken and Sugoca. The distinct visuals between each IC card in Fukuoka means that there’s a card for everyone!
That’s it for the first half of the Top 10 IC Cards! Come back next week for the second half and find out IC Card is the best (based on my baseless opinions).
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