Bandai Namco Passport
A Bandai Namco Passport, commonly called a Banapass, is an IC card used to identify your player profile in Bandai Namco arcade games, including Taiko no Tatsujin. This allows the game to save your scores, customisation options, and other player data between play sessions.
 |
|---|
| Bandai Namco Passport card design. |
If you plan to play regularly, using a Banapass is highly recommended - it’s an inexpensive one-time purchase that can be used for many years.
Older cards and arcade cabinets may refer to the card as Banapassport instead. This is simply the previous name for Bandai Namco Passport, and many players still shorten it to Banapass in everyday conversation.
On this page
- What is a Banapass?
- Features and Benefits
- Purchasing a Banapass
- Using Your Banapass
- Registering Your Card
- Other Compatible Cards
- Lost or Damaged Cards
What is a Banapass?
A Banapass is a contactless IC card used to identify your player ID and profile within the game. When you tap your Banapass on a compatible Taiko cabinet, the game loads your player profile from Bandai Namco’s online servers. This allows your scores, achievements, customisation, and other progress to be saved between play sessions.
Features and Benefits
A Banapass is not required to play Taiko, as you can simply insert credits and play as a guest. However, guest play does not save any progress once your session ends. If you plan to play on a regular basis, using a Banapass is highly recommended.
Some of the features unlocked by using a Banapass include:
- Saving your scores and clear records
- Setting a custom player name
- Unlocking and equipping titles, costumes, and other customisation items
- Accessing Donder Hiroba
- Ability to participate in online events and limited-time campaigns
- Ability to access the Dan-i Dojo game mode and save progress
- Ability to use the same profile on any compatible online Taiko cabinet
A Banapass is generally a one-time purchase. As long as you look after it, the same card can be used for years.
Purchasing a Banapass
How to Buy
Banapasses are sold at many arcades that operate Bandai Namco games, though availability varies by location. Some venues sell them at the counter, while others offer them through vending machines or self-service kiosks such as the Wangan Terminal.
If your arcade has the racing game Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune, look for the large touchscreen Wangan Terminal beside the game. These terminals allow players to purchase a new Banapass without needing to visit the counter.
 |
|---|
| A Wangan Terminal can be used to purchase a Banapass. |
If your local arcade doesn’t stock Banapasses, you may also be able to purchase one from an online retailer or importer.
If you’re buying a Banapass from the counter, some arcade staff may know it by the game it’s commonly used for rather than by its official name. If you’re having trouble, try asking for the “Taiko card” or “Wangan card” instead.
Pricing
A standard Banapass in Japan typically costs ¥300.
Outside of Japan, prices can vary depending on the arcade operator, import costs, local taxes, and availability. As a result, Banapasses are often sold at a higher price than in Japan, particularly in regions where they need to be imported.
Using Your Banapass
Once you’ve purchased one, using it is simple.
Before starting a credit, hold your card against the card reader on the arcade cabinet. On newer cabinets, the reader is labelled Bandai Namco Passport, while older Nijiiro cabinets display Banapassport. Both refer to the same card reader and perform exactly the same function.
The first time you use a new Banapass, the game will guide you through creating a player profile. After that, simply tap your card before starting each credit to load your saved data.
 |
|---|
| The card reader found on modern Nijiiro cabinets is located between the two taiko drums. Depending on the cabinet’s age, it may be labelled Bandai Namco Passport or Banapassport. |
Cabinet Network Status
Before using your Banapass, it’s worth checking whether the cabinet is connected to the network.
Online cabinets can save your progress, upload scores, access online events, and use other Banapass features. Offline cabinets can still be played normally, but progress and online functionality will be unavailable.
The network status indicator is shown as a small square icon in the bottom-right corner of the game screen.
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Network online | Network issue | Network offline |
The Taiko no Tatsujin online servers undergo scheduled daily maintenance from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM JST. During this period, Banapass login is unavailable, meaning you cannot access your player profile or use any online features until maintenance has finished.
Bandai Namco may also perform additional scheduled maintenance outside these hours. To stay informed, follow the official Taiko no Tatsujin social media accounts, which are linked in the Useful Websites & Tools section of this guide.
Registering Your Card
Although your Banapass will work as soon as you create a player profile in-game, it is strongly recommended that you register it to a Bandai Namco ID using an email address as soon as possible.
Registering your card links it to your online account, allowing you to manage your profile and, most importantly, recover your data if your physical card is ever lost or damaged.
Registration is free and only takes a few minutes. You can create a Bandai Namco ID and register your card through the official websites:
- Bandai Namco ID: https://bandainamcoid.com/
- Banapass: https://banapass.net/
The Banapass website is only available in Japanese. Most modern web browsers can translate the page automatically.
To register your card:
- Create a Bandai Namco ID using a valid email address.
- Log in to your account.
- Register your Banapass by entering the card’s access code, found on the back of the card.
- Your card is now linked to your account and can be recovered if it is ever lost or damaged.
Register your card as soon as possible. If your Banapass is lost before it has been registered to a Bandai Namco ID, your player data generally cannot be recovered.
Other Compatible Cards
Nijiiro Taiko cabinets support the Amusement IC (AIC) standard, meaning you aren’t limited to using a Bandai Namco Passport.
 |
|---|
| Any card displaying the Amusement IC logo (above) can be used with compatible Nijiiro cabinets. |
If you already own another compatible arcade card, you can usually use it with Taiko without purchasing a Banapass. Compatible cards include:
- Bandai Namco Passport (Banapass)
- Aime
- e-amusement Pass
 |
|---|
| Examples of IC cards compatible on Nijiiro cabinets. |
All of these cards perform the same function in Taiko. The main differences are the company that issued the card, the artwork printed on it, and which other arcade games they are commonly used with.
For example:
- Bandai Namco Passport is commonly used for Bandai Namco games such as Taiko no Tatsujin and Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune.
- Aime is commonly used for SEGA games such as maimai and CHUNITHM.
- e-amusement Pass is commonly used for KONAMI games such as DanceDanceRevolution and beatmania IIDX.
If you regularly play games from multiple companies, choosing an AIC-compatible card allows you to use a single card across many compatible arcade titles.
Most Banapasses sold outside of Japan do not have AIC support, as shown by the lack of the AIC logo on the card. If you want to use your card across games from multiple companies, check that it displays the AIC logo before purchasing.
Lost or Damaged Cards
If your Banapass is registered to a Bandai Namco ID, recovering your player profile is usually straightforward.
Simply purchase a new blank Bandai Namco Passport or other compatible AIC card, then follow the official data transfer process through your Bandai Namco account. Once complete, you can continue playing with your existing profile as normal.
Your replacement card must be completely blank. Do not use or register the new card before starting the data transfer process. During the transfer, your player data will be moved to the new card, and the old card will no longer contain your profile.
If your Banapass was not registered, recovery is generally not possible. Because your profile isn’t linked to an online account, Bandai Namco has no reliable way to verify that the card belongs to you.
Registering your Banapass is the best protection against losing your progress. Taking a few minutes to register your card can save hundreds or even thousands of hours of gameplay if it’s ever lost or damaged.
Read Next ➡️
🚧 taiko.guide is currently under active development.
Documentation is being added and expanded over time, so some sections may be incomplete or marked as work in progress.