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Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
- Casey Baseel
Jul 24, 2026 - Tweet
New machines at two of Tokyo’s busiest metro stations will require you to pay with a credit card or one-day-pass QR code.
- Japan
- (Ginza • IC cards • IC transportation cards • Japan travel • Pasmo • stations • subways • Suica • Tokyo Metro • tourism • trains • transportation • travel • Ueno)
Blind Tokyo commuter explains the easiest place for him to stand while riding the train
- SoraNews24
Jun 28, 2026
While waiting for the train, there’s always one spot he hopes will be empty when it comes.
- Japan
- (blind • COK • society • Subway • trains • transportation • vision-impaired)
Japan’s adorable pudding chick becomes a transit card mascot
- Elliot Hale
May 29, 2026
One of Japan’s most popular dessert mascots is set to go with you as you tap through ticket gates.
- Japan
- (Aichi • buses • COK • cute • IC cards • Japan Railways • Japan travel • JR • JR Central • Nagoya • Piyorin • Toica • tourism • trains • transportation • travel)
Police in Japan warn of scam artists posing as cops to collect fines for breaking new bike rules
- Casey Baseel
Apr 18, 2026
Luckily there’s an easy way to tell if you’re dealing with a legitimate law enforcement officer or a con artist.
- Japan
- (aoi kippu • bicycles • bicycling • bikes • blue ticket • COK • crime • cycline • fraud • fraudsters • scam artists • scammers • scams • society • transportation)
Japan has new rules for bicycle riders, and these 14 things could get you a fine or a court date
- Casey Baseel
Apr 14, 2026
There’s a major gray area in Japan’s new blue ticket cycling violation system.
- Japan
- (aoi kippu • bicycles • bicycling • bikes • blue ticket • COK • crime • cycline • society • transportation)
Motorized kick scooter violations nearly double the number of motorized kick scooters in Japan
- Master Blaster
Jun 20, 2025
Everyone seems to be scooting themselves right into trouble.
- Japan
- (business • kick scooters • law • roads • scooters • traffic • traffic violations • transportation • vehicles)
Bus driver who pocketed 1,000 yen in fares denied 12 million yen in retirement money
- Master Blaster
Apr 20, 2025
Employer withholds 12,000 times what was taken from them.
- Japan
- (bus drivers • buses • crime • embezzlement • Kyoto • Kyoto District Court • Osaka High Court • supreme court • transportation)
Tokyo’s new historical taxi service is an experience fit for a noble
- Elliot Hale
Feb 15, 2025
Taxi company makes the dream of being chauffeured around by a Heian-era aristocrat a reality.
- Japan
- (crazy • hachioji • Japanese taxis • kuge • kuge taxi • Sanwa Kotsu • Sanwa Koutsu • taxi • Tokyo • transportation • weird)
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
- Casey Baseel
Dec 30, 2024
Survey finds 10 things to avoid as Japan experiences record-breaking, sometimes patience-testing levels of inbound international tourism.
- Japan
- (etiquette • manners • overtourism • stations • subways • tourism • trains • transportation • travel)
Japan’s tap-to-pay Suica train card system aims to go tapless with walk-through gates, location data scans
- Casey Baseel
Dec 12, 2024
JR East wants walk-through gates within the next 10 years.
- Japan
- (COK • East Japan Railway Company • JR • JR East • Suica • tourism • trains • transportation • travel)
Japan Railways now has giant robots performing maintenance work via VR-goggled operators
- Casey Baseel
Jul 23, 2024
Robo-workin’ on the railroad.
- Japan
- (awesome • COK • cool • Japan Railway Company • JR • JR West • robots • technology • trains • transportation • WEST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY)
Buses in one of Japan’s largest cities can’t take new yen bills, leaving strange solution
- Casey Baseel
Jul 5, 2024
Even with a five-year heads-up, Nishitetsu isn’t quite ready.
- Japan
- (buses • Fukuoka • new yen bills • tourism • transportation • travel • weird)
Kyoto experiencing problems with foreign tourists not paying for bus fares, but not on purpose
- Casey Baseel
Jul 3, 2024
Transportation bureau wants to collect full fares while still making the ride pleasant for all passengers.
- Japan
- (buses • COK • foreign tourists • foreign travelers • Kyoto • tourism • transportation • travel)
Man passes away on Tokyo train, no one notices until nearly 12 hours and 650 kilometers later
- Casey Baseel
Jul 3, 2024
Man’s body continued to make trips back and forth across downtown Tokyo until the end of the day.
Studio Ghibli and Tokyo Metro team up for summer stamp rally with adorable Catbus prize
- Casey Baseel
Jun 8, 2024
But you’ll want to act fast.
- Japan
- (anime • Catbus • cute • Hayao Miyazaki • manga • My Neighbor Totoro • stamp rally • Studio Ghibli • subways • Tokyo Metro • trains • transportation • travel)
East Japan Railways phasing out magnetic paper tickets, seven other rail operators will too
- Casey Baseel
May 30, 2024
New ticket system looks to cut costs and boost environment friendliness.
- Japan
- (East Japan Railway • Japan Railway Company • JR • JR East • train tickets • trains • transportation • travel)
These Tokyo train ticket machines have a cool way of helping you if you bought the wrong ticket
- Casey Baseel
May 25, 2024
West Tokyo rail operator’s video shows clever design feature.
- Japan
- (clever • cool • Keio Line • tourism • train tickets • trains • transportation • travel • video)
JR, Tokyo Metro, other rails lines adding discounts for mentally handicapped riders, caregivers
- Casey Baseel
Apr 13, 2024
New policy seeks to remove additional financial burden in a country where not taking the train often isn’t an option.
- Japan
- (COK • health • Japan Railways • JR • mental health • society • subways • Tokyo Metro • trains • transportation)
Not so fast! Japan’s super-high-speed maglev Shinkansen line opening has been officially delayed
- Casey Baseel
Apr 2, 2024
Chuo Shinkansen will take you from Tokyo to Nagoya in just 40 minutes…but no one is sure when.
- Japan
- (bullet train • Central Japan Railway Company • Chuo Shinkansen • JR Tokai • linear motor car • maglev • tourism • trains • transportation • travel)
Ridesharing services legalized for Tokyo and Kyoto, but does this change anything?
- Casey Baseel
Mar 16, 2024
Law changes next month, but the way people get around Japan’s biggest cities might not.
- Japan
- (cars • driving • Kyoto • ridesharing • taxis • Tokyo • tourism • transportation • travel)
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Recent Posts
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- Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
A practical guide to freezing your boss’ hat in a block of ice [Photos]
Heavyweight ramen-style cheese fried chicken bowl appears in Tokyo, but is it genius or madness?
These Japanese contact lenses let you put anime characters on your eyes [Photos]
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Time-lapse footage shows just how fast rebuilding in Kumamoto can go
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Weekly
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
Tokyo sweets store has a “350% Pudding Soft Serve”, and people are going wild for it
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Monthly
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
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RECOMMENDED STORIES
Heavyweight ramen-style cheese fried chicken bowl appears in Tokyo, but is it genius or madness?
These Japanese contact lenses let you put anime characters on your eyes [Photos]
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Time-lapse footage shows just how fast rebuilding in Kumamoto can go
Best burger in Tokyo? JB’s serves up a cheap craft burger that not a lot of people know about
Visiting Japan’s muscular mascot character dog at his free museum near Kansai International Airport
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Kyoto shop turns traditional Japanese kimono into teddy bears, with special meaning hidden in their patterns
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
Nissin joins up with Final Fantasy XV for awesome “Cup Noodle XV” promotion【Video】
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals are coming to McDonald’s, but not in Japan [Video]
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