Suica's penguin takes over a Yamanote Line train until 2 December — plus a digital stamp rally to 25 December

Suica, JR East's IC card, turns 25 in November 2026, and the penguin that has been on the card since 2001 will step down as its mascot at the end of the 2026 financial year (March 2027). To say thanks, JR East is running a series of "Penguin Years" campaigns.

From 3 November to 2 December 2026, one Yamanote Line train has been wrapped in Suica penguin designs, with the inside filled with penguin artwork from over the years. There is only one wrapped train, so whether you see it is down to luck; JR East notes the dates may change with operations.

Until 25 December, a digital stamp rally runs at 20 spots — Yamanote Line stations, Shinkansen stations and station buildings. Download the Ekitag app, enter the rally from the stamp book, and hold your phone to the NFC tags to collect stamps; you can exchange them for original prizes depending on how many you collect (prize exchange until 18:00 on 25 December). Most tags are outside the ticket gates.

JR East also plans penguin greetings at Shinkansen stations on the rally from late November to December, with details to follow on the Penguin Years site. Current Suica cards with the penguin are being replaced by plain cards as stocks run out.