Money in Japan: cash, cards and ATMs

Japan's currency is the yen (JPY, symbol ¥). It is a "round" currency: it has no cents or decimals, so all prices are whole numbers. As a quick reference, 1,000 ¥ is a few euros; to get an idea of any price you see, you can use our yen converter.

Notes and coins

In July 2024 Japan launched a new series of banknotes (the first since 2004), with 3D holograms and new portraits. The old notes are still valid, so on your trip you will come across both series without a problem. There are three notes and six coins:

The 5 and 50 yen coins have a hole in the centre, a practical detail for telling them apart by touch. You will end up accumulating many coins, especially 100 and 500 ¥: keep them, because vending machines, lockers and many temples use them constantly.

Every traveller's big question. The short answer: in the cities you can almost always rely on a card, but Japan is still a very cash-based country as soon as you step off the tourist track, so it is never wise to go without yen on you.

Where cards are accepted without a problem

• Hotels and chains, department stores and shopping centres.
• Konbini (24-hour stores such as 7-Eleven, Lawson or FamilyMart), supermarkets and most city restaurants.
• Large stations, train ticket offices and many attractions.

Where you will almost certainly need cash

• Small temples and shrines, entry fees and offerings (saisen).
• Street food stalls, izakayas and small or family restaurants.
• Ryokan and rural accommodation, markets, fairs and neighbourhood shops.
• Transport and taxis in rural areas, coin lockers and some old vending machines.

Here is the key detail that surprises many: not all Japanese ATMs accept foreign cards. Those of many local banks reject cards issued outside Japan. Fortunately, there are two reliable networks, spread across the whole country and with instructions in English:

• 7-Eleven ATMs (Seven Bank): present in the more than 20,000 7-Eleven stores in the country, they work 24 hours, have a multilingual menu and accept Visa, Mastercard, Amex and JCB. It is the most convenient and most widespread option.
• Post Office ATMs (Japan Post Bank / Yucho): in post offices and some stations, they also accept foreign cards. Useful in towns where there is no 7-Eleven nearby, although their hours are more limited (some small branches close in the late afternoon and at weekends).

These ATMs charge a small fee per transaction (in the order of a couple of hundred yen; at 7-Eleven it is usually around 110-220 ¥ depending on the card network), and your home bank may add its own fee for withdrawing money abroad. They also usually have a limit per transaction (at 7-Eleven, around 100,000 ¥). To avoid surprises, withdraw larger amounts at once instead of many small ones, and check what your bank charges before travelling.

There is no need to bring all the trip's yen from home. In fact, it is usually more expensive to exchange large amounts at a bureau de change (at the departure airport or at exchange offices) than to withdraw directly from a Japanese ATM, because of the margin they apply to the exchange rate.

The most balanced approach is a simple combination:

• Before leaving: bring a small amount of yen for your first expenses (airport transport, a meal, an unforeseen cost) and not depend on finding an ATM when you land.
• Once in Japan: withdraw the rest of the cash as you need it at 7-Eleven or Post Office ATMs, which give a rate closer to the real one.

To work out what any price is worth in euros while you travel, keep the yen converter to hand.

Many traditional bank cards apply a currency conversion fee (a percentage on each payment or withdrawal abroad) and an unfavourable exchange rate. For a trip to Japan, where you will withdraw cash and pay by card daily, that can add up.

An increasingly common option is multi-currency fintech cards, such as Wise or Revolut, which apply a rate close to the interbank one and let you pay and withdraw yen with low or no fees within certain limits. We mention them neutrally: we are not affiliated with any of them and each has its own conditions (free monthly limits, weekend surcharges, etc.), so it is worth checking their website before travelling.

As a foreign tourist you can shop free of consumption tax (10%) at authorised shops (you will see the "Tax-Free" or "Japan Tax-Free Shop" sign). It is a real saving worth taking advantage of on electronics, clothing, cosmetics or souvenirs. You need a physical passport and a minimum purchase of 5,000 ¥ (before tax) in the same shop on the same day.

Note: the system changes on 1 November 2026

Here is the detail that makes the difference depending on when you travel:

• Until 31 October 2026 (current system): the discount is applied directly in the shop. You pay the price already without the 10%, presenting your passport at the till or at a tax-free counter.
• From 1 November 2026 (new system): Japan moves to a "pay first, refund later" model. You will pay the full price with tax in the shop and request the refund at the airport before leaving the country, at counters or kiosks. You will have to keep all your receipts and leave extra time before your flight.

Contactless payment is widespread in the cities, but Japan's real "wallet" is the IC transport cards: Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA and similar. You top them up with cash (or card) and use them not only for the train and bus, but also to pay at konbini, vending machines, lockers and many shops with a simple tap.

They are convenient because they avoid counting coins on every small purchase and greatly speed up daily life. For tourists there is the Welcome Suica (no deposit, valid 28 days from first use in its physical version), and on your phone you can carry a digital Suica with longer validity (the Welcome Suica Mobile lasts about 180 days). We explain how to get around with them in the transport in Japan guide and, for Tokyo, in how to get around Tokyo.

Think of the IC card as your wallet for small things: top it up with part of the cash you withdraw and use it for transport, vending-machine drinks and konbini purchases.

Something worth being clear about from the start: in Japan you do not tip. Not at restaurants, taxis or hotels. Trying to leave a tip can even cause confusion or discomfort, because good service is considered part of the job, not something to be rewarded separately.

This simplifies the maths: the price you see is what you pay. We expand on it in the guide to tipping in Japan.

There is no single figure: it depends on your travel style. As a reference, the daily cost without flights usually moves between 80 and 180 € per person, depending on whether you eat more street food or more in restaurants and on your pace. Of that daily spend, part will go on card (hotels, chains, konbini) and part on cash (temples, stalls, small places).

In practice, many travellers carry the equivalent of a couple of days of expenses in cash and top up at the ATM as they need it, instead of carrying all the trip's money. That way you do not depend on finding an ATM daily or travel with large amounts on you.

Customs declaration

You only have to declare money at customs if you enter or leave Japan with cash or equivalent means of payment worth 1,000,000 ¥ or more (roughly the equivalent of about 10,000 €). For a normal tourist trip you are well below that threshold, so it is not something to worry about; cards, by the way, do not count towards that limit.

• Always carry some cash: temples, stalls and small places are usually yen only.
• Card for the bulk of city spending: hotels, chains and konbini accept it without a problem.
• Withdraw money at 7-Eleven or the Post Office: these are the ATMs that accept foreign cards.
• An IC card (Suica/Pasmo) as a wallet for transport, machines and small purchases.
• Shop tax-free (from 5,000 ¥ with a passport) to save the 10%; note: from November 2026 the refund moves to being done at the airport.
• More than one card and tell your bank your travel dates.
• No tipping and no customs declaration unless you carry 1,000,000 ¥ or more.

With the money sorted, the next step is to finalise the route and the budget. The planner automatically splits the nights across cities according to your pace and interests.