International contactless cards don’t work period - you need SUICA or PASMO for the metro. Buses outside of the cities are cash based. I travelled in Hokkaido,

International contactless cards don’t work period - you need SUICA or PASMO for the metro. Buses outside of the cities are cash based. I travelled in Hokkaido, Rishiri, Okinawa, Ishigaki, Iriomote etc. They simply did not take cards at all. Also true on small private train lines such as Kanazawa to Uchinada.