This app was mentioned in 7 comments, with an average of 3.29 upvotes
If you have an Android phone with NFC, there's a free app called Suica Reader that will let you check the balance and transaction history of a Suica (or Pasmo, or Icoca...) card without having to find a train station or vending machine first.
I just got back from Japan with my OP5. I used this app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=yanzm.products.suicareader
It's called suica reader but it works with most FELICA based transit cards such as ICOCA.
Here you go: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=yanzm.products.suicareader . Japanese only, gives you the amount paid, the location and time used, and the remainder on your card for the most recent 20 items. This includes train/bus rides as well as cashless payments at convenience stores etc.
You can also export the data as CSV for easier bookkeeping, though it's probably a bit of a hassle with the 20 items limit.
The service that OP mentions has been discontinued a couple of years ago, probably because of privacy issues.
> I heard you need to buy a JR pass before arriving in Japan because they are not sold in the country- Is this 100% true?
The first question you must ask yourself before buying the Japan Rail Pass is, "will I go to more than one region of Japan while using JR lines?" Since you stated...
> I am also staying in Tokyo area for the entire trip
You do not need a Japan Rail Pass, period.
It's true that the Pass cannot be bought within Japan; you must purchase it from the country in which you reside. You'll receive a voucher in which to exchange for the actual Pass at a JR office within the airport or major JR train station.
> Can I travel from Narita to Central Tokyo on the skyliner without a JR pass? Also, can I use the yamanote line without JR pass.
No to the [Keisei] Skyliner, yes to the Yamanote.
You're better off buying a suica card when you land at Narita Airport. That one card is usable across most JR and non-JR services (including subways, monorails and streetcar) in the Tokyo area, it can be topped up, and it doesn't have an expiry date of 2-3 weeks.
If you have an Android phone and it has NFC, apps like this will let you read past transactions on the suica card, negating the need of using the ticketing machines for a printout of said transactions.
Read the transaction log on my IC card, bypassing the need to print out that log from a ticketing machine.
Quick pairing to a digital camera and copy pictures wirelessly.
> You're right about it not feeling like money, it's way more difficult to keep track of an IC card.
I've used this app to read transactions from my suica card between uses last year. (note: requires NFC)
Suica reader, reads your suica or nimoca/whatev history through NFC so you can see how much cash you have left.