JR East released a mobile version of their somewhat perplexing Welcome Suica card for foreign visitors: Welcome Suica Mobile app for iPhone. But here’s the thing, Welcome Suica app is […]
Mobile Payments
Apple Pay drops the FeliCa requirement for Japanese issue payment cards
Spring is always the time for new product announcements in Japan which starts in March. Today, 2025-03-03 marks the day that Apple dropped the FeliCa requirement for payment cards resulting […]
Mobile Payments
Chinese money laundering with Mobile Suica
After the deluge of phishing attacks coming out of China targeting Mobile Suica users and other JR East online services starting in late 2021, Japanese police made an arrest that […]
Apple - Maps
Apple Maps Japan 2025: Look Around expansion but no new maps
In May 2023 Apple rolled out Look Around expansions for Tokyo, Chiba, Kyoto and Osaka that covered all roads classified as public in those prefectures. These were the first prefectures […]
Japan Journal
Changing Times for Minobu Shukubo
It was the beer that did it, setting Habanobo on a new path as a Shukubo (temple lodging) focused on providing a unique individualized experience of Nichiren Shu practice for […]