The following is a sponsored post by HeyMax. The opinions remain those of The MileLion.
HeyMax has launched a new partnership with JR East, the largest passenger railway operator in Japan. For the uninitiated, JR East manages the rail network that covers the Greater Tokyo area, Tohoku and Kanto regions, along with various retail and lifestyle concepts.
JR East set up a physical presence in Singapore in December 2016 with the launch of the JAPAN RAIL CAFE. The cafe goes beyond serving food and drinks—it also offers travel consultations for those planning trips to Japan, and features retail items showcasing various parts of Japan, including a unique selection of Japanese sake.
HeyMax users can now earn 5 Max Miles per S$1 when dining at Japan Rail Cafe or buying snacks or train passes on Japan Rail Club, stackable with up to 4 mpd from the right credit card.
And in time to come, you might even be able to earn Max Miles when travelling overseas in East Japan!
HeyMax x JR East partnership
HeyMax users can now earn 5 Max Miles per S$1 spent at the following merchants, on top of their usual credit card rewards:
JAPAN RAIL CAFE
ISEGO Honten Singapore
Japan Rail Club
Payments must be made with a HeyMax-linked Visa card (see below for recommendations), and there is no cap on how many Max Miles each user can earn.
This earn rate will be available until 7 December 2025, after which it will be revised.
What is JAPAN RAIL CAFE?
JAPAN RAIL CAFE
JAPAN RAIL CAFE is located at Guoco Tower in Tanjong Pagar, recreating the atmosphere of a Japanese train station right in the heart of Singapore.
Its menu spans a wide variety of Japanese flavours, ranging from everyday comfort food to special collaborative dishes that shine a spotlight on the culinary traditions of different regions across Japan.
Meal at JAPAN RAIL CAFE
Beyond dining, visitors can tap into the staff’s in-depth knowledge of Japan travel, browse through a selection of curated retail items, or head to the adjoining ISEGO Honten bar. Established in Tokyo in 1706, ISEGO Honten is one of Japan’s most historic sake specialty stores, and its Singapore outpost offers more than 700 labels of sake and spirits sourced from over 300 breweries nationwide. About 60 bottles are available for tasting on-site, and trained sommeliers are ready to guide guests with personalised recommendations based on their taste preferences.
As an added treat, HeyMax users can enjoy a complimentary sake tasting simply by presenting a redemption code from the HeyMax app. Redemptions are capped at 500 per month, with a limit of one redemption per account.
What’s the Japan Rail Club?
Japan Rail Club is an online portal that sells subscription snack boxes, attraction tickets, and JR East Passes.
The omiyage snack boxes are curated by JR East staff, and feature seasonal and exclusive snacks from all over Japan. Each month follows a different Japanese theme, and comes with a printed booklet with information about the snacks and their connection to Japanese culture.
On top of this, subscribers also receive special invitations to Japan Rail Cafe Singapore events, 15% off JR East Passes (for 3, 6, and 12-month subscriptions), and access to unique hotel discounts and travel benefits.
How to link your Visa card to HeyMax
To link your Visa card to HeyMax, log in to the HeyMax app and tap the Cards icon on the top right.
Follow the steps to link your card, and a S$1 test transaction will be charged (and later refunded).
That’s it! You can now earn Max Miles on your spending, and also track the points earned and remaining bonus cap on selected Visa cards.
What card should you use?
Japan Rail Cafe and ISEGO Honten Singapore code as MCC 5812 Restaurants, while Japan Rail Club, interestingly enough, codes as MCC 5411 Supermarkets.
Here are the best cards to use to maximise your miles (the earn rates shown below are before the extra 5 Max Miles per S$1 is factored in).
Japan Rail Cafe & ISEGO Honten (MCC 5812)
Card
Earn Rate
Remarks
HSBC Revolution
Apply
4 mpd
Max S$1.5K per c. month^
Review
UOB Preferred Platinum Visa
Apply
4 mpd
Max S$1.1K per c. month*
Review
UOB Visa Signature
Apply
4 mpd
With min. S$1K SGD spend per s. month, max S$1.2K
Review
^Temporary boost till 28 February 2026, after which it reverts to S$1,000 per c. month
*Reduced to S$600 per c. month from 1 Oct 2024
Japan Rail Club (MCC 5411)
How to get to Japan with Max Miles
If you’re looking to travel to Japan with your Max Miles, HeyMax offers transfers to 29 airline and hotel loyalty programmes, giving you no shortage of options.
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
Air India Maharaja Club
AirAsia Rewards Direct
Alaska Mileage Plan
American Airlines AAdvantage
Avianca LifeMiles
British Airways Executive Club
Emirates Skywards
Ethiopian ShebaMiles
Etihad Guest
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
Frontier Miles
GarudaMiles
Hainan Fortune Wings Club
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Qatar Privilege Club Direct
THAI Royal Orchid Plus
Turkish Miles&Smiles
United MileagePlus
Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles
Velocity Frequent Flyer
Accor Live Limitless
Hilton Honors
IHG One Rewards
Marriott Bonvoy
Radisson Rewards
Shangri-La Circle (5:1 ratio)
World of Hyatt
Wyndham Rewards
My top three preferred programmes for getting to Japan from Singapore would be Aeroplan, AAdvantage and JAL Mileage Bank.
Aeroplan
45,000 miles
25,000 miles
American AAdvantage
30,000 miles
20,000 miles
JAL Mileage Bank
40,000 miles
13,000 miles
Remember, once you’re in Japan, JAL domestic awards start from just 4,000 miles each way!
Conclusion
With the HeyMax x JR East partnership, HeyMax users can earn Max Miles when grabbing a meal at Japan Rail Cafe, sampling sake at ISEGO Honten, or ordering omiyage snacks or JR East Passes through Japan Rail Club.
If you’re passing through the Tanjong Pagar area, don’t forget to drop in for your free sake tasting, and maybe pick up some interesting tchotchkes too. Be sure to link your Visa cards before spending, and watch out for further promotions coming soon— including an opportunity to earn Max Miles overseas!
AloJapan.com