Pokémon Express

Japanese train company JR East has teamed up with Nintendo to offer the Pokémon Suica card. Standing for Super Urban Intelligent CArd, Suica is a RFID e-money train pass.

Commuters press Suica cards on the ticket wicket reader, and the train fare is charged to their accounts. To encourage children to use the cards in lieu of traditional magnetic train passes, a special Pokemon Suica card will be offered. The card can be used at places like the Pokémon Center in Yokohama to charge all sorts of goodies and also to wisk children off to the JR Pokémon Stamp Rally. The original Pokemon design Suica card will be unveiled this July, and, of course, kids will go bonkers.