After spending more than two decades by our side, Tokyo’s most beloved commuter, the Suica Penguin, is finally hanging up its flippers. JR East announced on November 11 that the amiable black-and-white mascot, who has been the face of the Suica Card since 2001, will “graduate” at the end of the 2026 fiscal year.
If you’ve ever tapped through a ticket gate or bought a konbini coffee with a Suica, this feels like the end of an era. The penguin’s calm little smile and soft, round silhouette have quietly become part of our lives.
JR East says that a new character will take over, with plans to involve the general public in the selection process — so, while details haven’t been announced yet, it does seem fans will have a chance to decide who Suica penguin will pass the baton onto. Until then, the railway company will roll out a series of farewell campaigns to celebrate 25 years of the penguin’s service.
The Suica Penguin Square in Shinjuku
The Story Behind the Suica Penguin
This adorable penguin was born in 2001, which is the same year Suica was launched as Japan’s first IC card. Its creator, Chiharu Sakazaki, is a picture book artist and illustrator known for her minimal but cute and expressive style.
In an interview with advertising giant Dentsu in 2014, Sakazaki explained that the penguin was originally a character in her picture book. Tomotomo Tanaka, an art director at Dentsu, discovered the charming book while developing the visual identity for JR East’s new IC card. The penguin first appeared in the posters promoting Suica’s launch, but the client found it so cute that they decided to put it on the card, too.
Since then, this penguin has been spotted just about everywhere: posters, vending machines, stationery, plushies and more. It’s so famous that it even has its own statue in the Suica Penguin Square in Shinjuku.
The End of an Era
It’s hard to overstate how iconic this character is. As of March 2025, JR East reports that more than 110 million Suica cards have been issued — meaning almost everyone in Tokyo has met this penguin.
When the news of the penguin’s retirement broke, social media lit up with bittersweet reactions and comments of disbelief. “I still remember the impact of seeing that little penguin printed the brand-new IC card back in 2001. It was unforgettable,” one user wrote. Another commented, “Because of the Suica penguin, so many other railway companies started creating their own mascots.”
Others expressed genuine sadness: “Oh no… this is so lonely,” one post read. “I used to look forward to browsing Suica penguin goods while waiting for the shinkansen — I even bought a few myself.” Some questioned the decision altogether, saying, “I don’t think there’s any need to make the penguin ‘graduate.’ There must be some kind of adult reason behind it.”
At the time of writing, the JRE Mall website, which sells Suica penguin merch, had such high traffic that it took five minutes to get in.
On the same day, Sakazaki shared a heartfelt message through JR East: “It has been a joy to walk alongside everyone as the Suica penguin. I’ll do my best during this final year.”
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Updated On November 12, 2025
AloJapan.com