Question: is icoca same as suica?
Answer: Suica is the prepaid IC card by JR East for JR trains in the Greater Tokyo, Niigata and Sendai regions. A special version of Suica, called Welcome Suica, is available to foreign tourists. ... Icoca is the prepaid IC card of JR West for JR trains in the Kansai (incl. Osaka and Kyoto), Chugoku and Hokuriku regions.