【JR-East】How to collect station stamps!

Do you know that stamps are also placed at stations?
Many JR-East stations have original station stamps. The stamps are designed with sightseeing facilities and local specialties around the station, and you can learn about the history and culture of the area while collecting the stamps.
Why not collect station stamps as a way to enjoy riding the train?

Japan has had a long history of stamp culture, and you might have seen stamps at tourist attractions.

Most of the station stamps are placed outside the ticket gates, so you can stamp them freely.
Some are kept at Midori-no madoguchi (the ticket counter) or inside the ticket gates, so please feel free to ask station staff.
At Narita Airport Station, the station stamp is kept inside the ticket gate, so please ask a station attendant at the ticket gate.
The Narita Airport station stamp features the Narita Express, which connects central Tokyo with Narita Airport, and an airplane taking off from the airport.

For example, Ueno Station features a panda from the Ueno Zoo, and Shibuya Station features a dog's paw based on Hachiko.

Seventy-eight JR East stations in Tokyo have new stamps that were updated in 2020.
The new station stamps are designed with “a single kanji character of the station name” and “a symbol representing the history or characteristics of the station or its area”.

The photo above is a station stamp of Ochanomizu Station.
Ochanomizu is known as a town of musical instruments with many music stores in front of the station.
In addition, the Hijiribashi Bridge, built in 1927 over the Kanda River in front of the station, has become a symbol of the town.
Based on the culture and history of Ochanomizu, the stamp is designed with a guitar, which is associated with the town of musical instruments, and the Hijiribashi Bridge.

Stamp rallies are held irregularly in the area of JR-East.
Stamp rallies in collaboration with famous anime, manga, etc. are also held, and in some cases, you can get prizes for collecting stamps.

For more information, click the link below!

Welcome Suica is a convenient tool to pay smoothly for transportation and shopping. This card comfortably supports your travel in Japan as an easy-to-use electronic money card.

①Use for public transportation
Welcome Suica can be used on a wide variety of transportation systems in Japan, including trains, subways, and buses, saving you the trouble of buying a ticket each time.

②Use for shopping.
Welcome Suica can be used as electronic money at stores and vending machines with the Suica logo, making it easy to pay for shopping and meals while sightseeing.

③Rechargeable
Welcome Suica can be repeatedly recharged and used, but the remaining funds are non-refundable, so please use them up.

④No deposit
No deposit is required for Welcome Suica, so you can save the initial cost of buying the card.

⑤Adults and Children's Cards
Welcome Suica is available for both adults and children. The fare for children is half of the adult fare.

⑥Valid for 28 days
This card is valid for 28 days from the date of purchase, which is long enough for short-term visitors to use while traveling in Japan.

You can buy Welcome Suica from vending machines at Narita and Haneda airports.
You can also buy it at JREast Traveling Center and JAPAN RAIL CAFE in Tokyo Station.
There is also a “Welcome Suica Mobile” application that can be downloaded to your smartphone (with iOS).

Welcome Suica Mobile is an application that allows you to use Suica on your smartphone.
You can make and recharge Suica only by operating the app before and after entering Japan,without stopping at ticket counters or ticket machines at stations.
You can smoothly use Suica for transportation such as trains and buses, and for shopping.
Welcome Suica Mobile can be used for 180 days from the date of issue, which is longer than the card-type Suica.

Besides, Welcome Suica Mobile has a lot of useful functions that can be used only with the app.
For example, you can recharge Suica anytime and anywhere in Japan with your smartphone.
You can buy discount tickets with the app.
When riding the Shinkansen in the JR East Japan area, you can use your remaining Suica charge money to ride it without registering as a member.
You can search for sightseeing information, transfer information, train operation information, and so on.
With just one app, you can comfortably enjoy your trip in Japan.

By collecting station stamps, you can learn about the history and culture of the area.
Why don't you ride the train and collect station stamps using a discount ticket such as the “Tokyo Metropolitan Area Pass” or the Welcome Suica?

*This is the current situation as of July 2025.