ic card balance transfer

Hi!

I bought 2 icoca cards on my last trip to Japan but didn't use them at all. I'm now planning to go back, and yes, less than 10 years has passed so I should be able to use them still but I'm wondering if it's possible to transfer the balance from one card to another so I only have 1 card to look after.

Thanks

There is no way to directly do that in one step. Multiple steps are necessary, and along the way you will lose some money due to handling fees:

1) Return one card and get a refund. Here you will get back your deposit, but you will also be charged a handling fee of 220 yen.

2) Charge the second card with the money you got refunded.

All this has to be done in the JR West service area. It cannot be done in Tokyo and other areas outside of the JR West service area.

I'm wondering if it's possible to transfer the balance from one card to another so I only have 1 card to look after

No, you'd have to cash out one card (with the requisite fees) and then load it onto the other card. Best to just use one till its almost gone and then cash out the deposit.