In order to leave the station, you have to tap your Suica card again at any exit gate, and only then will you be charged based on how far you've traveled. Suica cards also work for buses, vending machines and even at some restaurants, so people usually keep them charged with hundreds of dollars at a time! If you lose your card, you also lose all of the money stored inside of it, so it's a good idea to keep it very close.
It's a well-known fact that trains in Japan are remarkably punctual. If you arrive at the platform even a minute after a train's stated arrival time, you'll be left in the dust. This punctuality is essential since people commuting to work need to trust that the train will get them to their destination safely and reliably, day after day. In order to reduce delays during rush hour, people won't line up in front of a train's door; instead, they will form two single-file lines on either side of the door, leaving the area in the middle clear for passengers to exit as quickly as possible. After the car empties, people will flood inside the train at incredible speeds, and you will be squished tighter than you can possibly imagine. During rush hour, there are even dedicated employees at the platform who help to push in any body parts hanging out of the train so the doors can close!
Finally, if you're looking to travel across Japan, the Shinkansen is your best bet. The Shinkansen, or bullet train, runs at nearly 200 miles per hour and can shuttle you across the country in a couple of hours. Though cheaper than an airplane ticket, Shinkansen are pretty luxurious and can save you the stress of packing into a commuter train. Not only that, they just look cool!
