Although you may now be able to purchase train tickets and shop at the airport convenience store by credit cards, Japan is still known to be a cash-based society. It is always good to prepare some Japanese Yen in advance. Research the exchange rate at your own country, airports, banks or Japanese currency exchange shops. You should also check the charge for withdrawal and opening hours of ATMs in Japan.
Japanese Yen comes in notes of 1,000 yen, 2,000 yen (relatively rare), 5,000 yen and 10,000 yen, coins of 1 yen, 5 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen and 500 yen.
If you are carrying more than a million yen in cash, checks, traveler’s cheques, etc. when entering or leaving Japan, you are required to complete a customs declaration form. For details, please refer to the official website of Japan customs.
At the airport
We recommend you to research the currency exchange options in each airport terminal, such as Greenport Agency, Travelex and other banks (which are also available in the cities) in advance. Be reminded that not every exchange counter has currencies that you want, so you better have a check before visiting.
You can also find ATMs at Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Kansai International Airport and Chubu Centrair International Airport.
Banks
Major banks are also opened for foreign currency exchange. You may easily find branches located next to train stations. However, banks in Japan usually close at 3 p.m, if you intend to make a currency exchange in a bank, you may need to be early.
Here are some major banks recommended for you — Mizuho Bank, SMBC and Japan Post Bank.
ATMs
In the nationwide 7-Eleven convenience stores, you will usually find an ATM at the corner. It supports 12 languages (including English, Korean, Chinese traditional, Chinese simplified, French, German, Portuguese, Thai, Malay, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Japanese) on screens, receipts and voice instructions. Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Cirrus, UnionPay, American Express, Diners Club International, JCB or Discover is applicable.
You can withdraw cash from many Japan Post Bank ATMs in the Post Offices, train stations and supermarkets. The service is available in English and the service hours vary between ATMs. Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Cirrus, UnionPay, American Express, JCB or Discover is applicable.
You can make withdrawal and balance inquiries by using an international card, but no deposit or transfer is available at the moment. Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Cirrus, UnionPay, JCB or Discover is applicable.
Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Cirrus, UnionPay, JCB or Discover is applicable.
Visa, MasterCard, Maestro or Cirrus is applicable.
