A Guide To Japanese Money -Yen

 

Big bills are readily used and accepted in Japan; you are unlikely to be frowned upon for using a 10,000 yen bill to pay even for low-cost items.

 
 

When traveling in Japan, visitors will need to use the Japanese currency. In our money guide, we outline the basics of using Japanese yen (¥, JPY), including denominations, exchange rates, and payment methods.

JAPANESE YEN

The official Japanese currency is the Japanese yen, represented by the currency code JPY and the currency symbol, ¥.

Locally in Japan, yen is pronounced “en” in Japanese and often accompanied by its kanji, 円, in everyday use.

The Japanese yen is available in 10 denominations, including six coins and four banknotes that you can read about in-depth in the denomination section.

 
 
 

HOW TO PAY

As of 2024, the number of ways to pay in Japan has proliferated—though cash is arguably still king.

Cash

Despite the widening use of credit- and debit cards, Japan is still predominantly considered a cash-based society which especially holds true in rural areas or when visiting small, independent businesses.

  • It’s always a good idea to have small denominations (10 yen and 100 yen coins, as well as 1,000 yen notes) handy, as many ticket and vending machines will not accept larger denominations (especially 5,000 and 10,000 yen bills).

  • Having so much cash in your wallet may make you feel uneasy at first, but Japan does have one of the lowest crime rates in the world. While nothing beats being careful, chances are you’re more likely to lose money by dropping or leaving it, rather than it getting stolen.

  • If you are holding too many coins, note that a lot of supermarkets or convenience stores (7-eleven, Family Mart, Lawson etc) have payment kiosks that let you use denominations down to 1 yen allowing you to quickly deposit them.

 

You can exchange foreign currency notes for Japanese yen at foreign currency exchange machines available in almost all ports in Japan.

 
 
 

CREDIT /DEBIT CARDS

Credit and debit cards are increasingly accepted across Japan, but always try to check in advance whether a place solely accepts credit cards (also often indicated near the shopfront for any business), as well as abide by these tips:

  • Even if you decide to mainly use a credit card, it is still recommended to carry or have access to sufficient cash.

  • Most credit card companies will charge a surcharge (usually 1–3%) for foreign-issued cards. A Wise card lets you avoid foreign transaction fees and convert at the real exchange rate, even when using local ATMs.

  • The most commonly accepted cards are MasterCard, Visa, and JCB, followed by American Express and Diner’s Club.

  • Credit card readers typically support one of swipe, insert or tap/contactless (referred to as "touch" in Japan). In some cases, you may still asked to sign for payments but it is rare for the vendor to check the authenticity of this (often they'll have already returned the card).

HOW TO GET YOUR YEN

Currency exchange

In Japan, currency exchange is usually handled by banks, post offices, some larger hotels and a handful of licensed money changers found especially at international airports.

Whether or not it is better to change for yen before coming into Japan depends on the currency that you hold. For example, the US dollar is a highly traded foreign currency in Japan, and partly for this reason you might get a favorable rate if you change US dollars into yen in Japan.


ATM Withdrawal

A considerable number of ATMs in Japan do not accept cards that are issued outside of Japan. At those that do, exchange rates tend to be competitive, but service fees vary widely depending on the card. Inquire with your card issuer in advance. Note that many ATMs in Japan are out of service during the night, and some are unavailable on weekends.

 

Two common ways to withdraw yen are through Japan Post and 7-Eleven ATMs:

 

  • Japan Post ATMs are located at more than 26,000 locations nationwide (denoted with the “JP” logo); each post office will have at least one, while they can also be found at shopping malls and supermarkets. Service hours vary according to location; large post offices in major cities will have longer hours than small ones in rural areas. English services are also available

  • 7-Eleven (Seven Bank) has over 20,000 ATMs across Japan, located at 7-Eleven convenience stores. Services are offered virtually 24/7 and currently available in 12 languages (Japanese, English, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, Chinese traditional, Thai, Malay, Indonesian, Vietnamese, French, and German).

  • E-net ATMs in Family Mart can also offer a service to international cards including MasterCard.

  • Be aware of service charge fees that may also rise for transactions made outside traditional operating hours (usually 9am–5pm on weekdays):

 
 
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