ICOCA the same in all of Japan?
 

I have an ICOCA card from my previous trip to Osaka and Kyoto, can I use that in Tokyo as well? Is all of the Tokyo metro accessible using the ICOCA card?

Yes. You should be able to use your ICOCA card on all JR as well as non-JR trains and buses (edit: in Tokyo). See here for more details on what exactly is covered and where: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2359_003.html

Seems like I should be getting a Suica? Am I right in assuming JR rails covers more than non-JR rails and therefore I should get a Suica rather than Pasmo?

For a tourist there is no difference between a Suica and a Pasmo. I believe the only difference is if you need to get a season ticket but this is unlikely to be an issue for a tourist.

No need. ICOCA is fully interoperable with Suica and PASMO so you can use it anywhere Suica and PASMO are accepted. You can also use Suica or PASMO fare machines to add funds to ICOCA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICOCA#Interoperation

I think there are minimal differences; they can be used 99% interchangeably, but ime, ICOCA is the most versatile -- it worked on the Hiroshima streetcar (and maybe also some places in Okayama) that didn't accept SUICA.

If you are in Osaka, you can use ICOCA (and Pitapa) on airport buses but Suica or Pasmo won't work.

I keep my Suica in an iPhone case and it works fine in and around Tokyo but when I was in Osaka recently I had to take the Suica card out of the case at subway stations as some of the scanners did not seem to read the IC chip as readily as in Tokyo.

Although it is in Japanese, this chart shows the relationship between each of the various IC cards and their interoperability:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ection.svg.png

Any systems inside the red/blue box allow full interoperability for transport fares and at e-money terminals (with some minor exceptions).

Actually I can't find my ICOCA anymore. I will have to pick up a Suica when I'm in Tokyo next month. I can pick those up at the JR East offices at NRT right? I was planning on getting the Y4000 RT ticket after arriving at NRT - does that ticket come on a Suica card, and if so, can I load more money onto it, or will the NEX ticket be on a separate card? If the NEX ticket does not come on a Suica card, I will be able to purchase a Suica card at the JR East office at NRT?

I'm voting for itappy as the best name for a card :)

Not sure about the situation at NRT specifically, but I think they try to make you buy Suica from a machine (vs. a person) - at least that's what happened to me at Shinjuku station last month.

The N'EX Tokyo Round Trip Ticket is a separate ticket from a Suica card. No need to go to the JR East Office which tends to have a longer/slower queue than the ticket counter.

I like ICOCA as a nice play on words (行こうか or ikou ka = shall we go/let's go)

Where is the ticket counter? Sorry for so many questions, I have never been to Tokyo.

Ticket counter = Midori-no-madoguchi
Look for this symbol on the map
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/src/im...s/box01_02.gif



NRT T1

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/img/map_e/e1130.gif
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/img/cmn/e_kigou.gif

NRT T2

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/stations/img/map_e/e611.gif

Ahh ok. I have to wait at the JR offices nonetheless because the Y4000 roundtrip promo rate is only available there.