How about a lesson on SUICA cards?

[tequilatamm]

Hi Jpod!

My husband and I are going to Japan over xmas/new year (again... 3rd year out of 4), and we were excited to learn that foreigners can now purchase SUICA cards.

There is even a NEX/SUICA combination that gives you good value on your journey to/from Narita as well as a SUICA card to a certain level of credit.

I would love it if you would do a lesson or feature on SUICA cards, where they can be used, how to use them, etc.

The SUICA website actually has a 35 page user guide on how to use the card, but it would be interesting to get firsthand information from those of you who live there!

[markystar]

hmmm.... interesting.

in actuality, it's soooooo easy to use suica (pay as you go, or monthly pass - same card), that i just take it for granted. probably we all do.

were you thinking something like a culture class?

we might be able to do something on e-cash.
so for example, 7-11 has their own card, there's suica & pasmo which also work not only on trains but in restaurants and convenience stores... my phone also does the whole e-cash thingy.... also, given how high profile these services are, usually there is ample info in english, so... if you're coming to japan, it might be good know...

let me know your thoughts (and anyone else feel free to chime in here).
and i'll keep thinking about it too!!

marky

[annie]

Actually, what I find most interesting about the e-cash system in Japan is the unpopularity of debit cards.

In the U.S. I used my debit card for shopping all of the time, on the internet, and when I traveled overseas. I only occasionally used it for withdrawing money from the ATM. There's J-debit here, but as far as I know, it can't be used on the internet or overseas.

If you're going to do a lesson about e-cash, most people who don't live in Japan are probably rather unfamiliar with the concept of bank transfers. Or even paying your bills in the convenience store.

Also, I haven't used a credit card here in a few years, but I was really confused when the store clerk asked something like, "How many times?"

[tequilatamm]

Annie, there actually is a lesson (Survival Phrases #46) on "Credit Confusion" which deals with the "how many times" credit card issue.

I found that interesting, as we used our credit card in Japan frequently and were never asked that question... presumably because the store clerks knew we were from elsewhere and realise that question is peculiar to Japan.

But the lesson was interesting anyway.

[tequilatamm]

Hi Markystar....

I'm not sure exactly what I'd like to see in such a lesson or culture class or whatever....

I just know that we were unhappy that we couldn't use Suica cards the last two times we were in Japan, because they basically didn't sell them to foreign travelers, and didn't have any English info on them.

This seems to have changed drastically in the past year. As I said, there are pages and pages (35, I think) of user guide in English in Suica alone. I haven't looked up PASMO yet, but I'm sure there will be info on it in English now too.

Just thought it might be an idea for some sort of lesson or mention, if only to make travelers aware that these can be used by travelers now!

The only piece of info I haven't been able to find is where to purchase them at the airport. They have a combined N'EX / SUICA card, so I'm assuming that you must be able to buy them at the airport, but there is not any information that I could find on Narita's website yet... so it must be a really new thing.

Anyway, I'll let you guys take it from there!