

Service hours vary according to location large post offices in major cities will have longer hours than small ones in rural areas. 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. The two best ways to withdraw yen are through Japan Post’s and 7-Eleven’s ATMs. Since the advent of iPhone/Android and Osaifu-Keitai/FeliCa, both platforms support mobile payments.They are predominantly used for train and bus fares, but can be used for a variety of other purposes-like vending machines, kiosks, or shops-especially at facilities in or around train stations, but increasingly beyond.IC cards, such as Suica and PASMO, have become increasingly common in Japan (especially in urban areas). American Express and Diner’s Club are accepted to a lesser extent. The most commonly accepted cards are MasterCard, Visa, and JCB.Most credit card companies will charge a surcharge (usually 1-3%) for foreign-issued cards. Most small restaurants and businesses will not accept cards. Even if you decide to use a credit card, it is still better to carry more cash than you are used to. While nothing beats being careful, chances are you’re more likely to lose money by dropping or leaving it, rather than it getting stolen.Īlthough Japan is still predominantly a cash-based society, credit and debit cards have become increasingly accepted, especially in urban areas. 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.And although they may be annoying, keeping a few 1 yen coins also won’t hurt, especially given the current 8% tax rate. It’s always a good idea to have small denominations (10 yen and 100 yen coins, as well as 1,000 yen bills) handy, as many ticket and vending machines will not accept larger denominations (especially 5,000 and 10,000 yen bills). Furthermore, regular train, subway, and bus tickets can only be purchased by cash (unless you are using an IC card, which can only be charged by cash).

#Japanese currency to usd how to
How to Pay Cashĭespite the increased acceptance of credit and debit cards, Japan is mainly a cash-based society this is especially true in rural areas. Read more in-depth about each denomination. Six coins are used including 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 yen values, alongside 4 bills/notes including 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 (although the 2,000 yen note is quite rare). The Japanese yen is available in 10 denominations. The current tax rate (consumption tax) is 10% nationwide (8% for food and drink). Fun fact: En also means “circle” in Japanese therefore, the exchange rate was initially fixed at 360 yen to 1 US dollar. The official Japanese currency is the yen (円), pronounced “ en” in Japanese and denoted with the symbol ¥ (though you'll more likely see the kanji symbol 円 in everyday use). In our money guide, we outline the basics of using Japanese yen (¥, JPY), including denominations, exchange rates, taxes and payment methods. When traveling in Japan, visitors will need to use the Japanese currency.
