Japan
Currency in Japan: what to use and how to exchange
Japan uses the yen (JPY), written ¥, and prices and payments are normally in yen. Cards work at hotels, chain stores and big stations, but small restaurants, shrines, rural buses and coin lockers are often cash-first. Withdraw at 7-Eleven, Japan Post or major convenience-store ATMs, and compare fees and rates before you change money.
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GuideJapan
Key facts
- Currency
- Yen (JPY), symbol ¥; no other currency accepted
- Coins and notes
- ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100, ¥500 coins; ¥1,000, ¥2,000 (rare), ¥5,000, ¥10,000 notes
- Cash still needed
- Small restaurants, shrines, rural buses, taxis, coin lockers, some onsen
- Best ATMcheck
- 7-Eleven, Japan Post and major convenience-store ATMs take most foreign cards
- Airport exchange ratecheck
- Usually worse than an ATM withdrawal; use only for a first-day buffer
- Tipping
- None; a tip can be refused
- Cardscheck
- Visa and Mastercard widely accepted; some places are cash-only
Details
The yen is the currency you will use in Japan. Prices are shown with the ¥ sign, and there is no rounding at the till: you will collect a lot of ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100 and ¥500 coins. A small coin purse is genuinely useful, because many shops and lockers still run on coins.
Notes come in ¥1,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000; a ¥2,000 note exists but is rare (check). Larger shops and stations handle ¥10,000 notes without comment; small stalls may prefer something smaller, so break big notes at convenience stores or chain cafés.
Cards are accepted far more widely than a decade ago, especially in cities and at chains, hotels, department stores and major stations. Outside those, cash is still the default: family restaurants, market stalls, temple and shrine offices, rural buses, some taxis and many onsen (check). Carry a cash buffer for the day, and more in the countryside.
For getting yen, weigh up the options rather than assuming one is best. ATM withdrawals at 7-Eleven, Japan Post and major convenience-store ATMs generally accept foreign cards, while many bank ATMs and post-office machines outside cities may not, and opening hours can be limited (check). Airport currency counters and hotel desks are convenient, but compare the rate and any commission against an ATM withdrawal before you commit.
If you bring cash to exchange, do it at a bank or a major post office in a city, or at a licensed currency exchange counter, and compare the rate and any commission before handing over money. Rates move daily; treat any figure you see online as a 2026 estimate, not a promise.
Japan is a cash-and-card mix, and the split is regional. Tokyo, Osaka and other big cities lean card-friendly; smaller towns, islands and rural areas lean cash (check). Check your route before you leave a city, and top up at a convenience store ATM when you pass one.
| Situation | Cash or card | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels, chain stores, department stores | Card | Visa and Mastercard widely accepted (check) |
| Small restaurants, market stalls | Cash | Some take cards, many do not (check) |
| Shrines, temples, small museums | Cash | Entry and amulets often cash-only (check) |
| Rural buses, some taxis | Cash | IC cards work on many city transport systems (check) |
| Coin lockers, vending machines | Cash | Coins and ¥1,000 notes; some take IC cards (check) |
| ATM withdrawal | Card | 7-Eleven, Japan Post and convenience-store ATMs (check) |
| Airport exchange counter | Cash | Convenient; compare the rate and commission (check) |
Tips
Withdraw larger amounts less often: many ATMs charge a fixed fee per withdrawal, so fewer, bigger withdrawals usually beat several small ones. Check your own bank's foreign-transaction fee before you travel.
Keep a few ¥100 coins for lockers and a ¥1,000 note for small purchases. Convenience stores are the easiest place to break a ¥10,000 note.
Tell your bank you are travelling if it requires it, and carry a second card from a different network in case one is blocked.
If you run short, a convenience store ATM is usually closer than a bank branch, and many are open 24 hours (check).
- Carry a cash buffer for the day, and more outside the cities
- Use 7-Eleven or Japan Post ATMs for foreign cards
- Break ¥10,000 notes at convenience stores
- Keep coins for lockers and vending machines
- Carry a backup card from a different network
Questions people ask
What currency is used in Japan?
The yen (JPY), written ¥. Notes are ¥1,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000; coins run from ¥1 to ¥500. No other currency is accepted, so change money or withdraw yen on arrival.
Where is the best place to exchange money in Japan?
An ATM withdrawal at a 7-Eleven, Japan Post or major convenience-store ATM is usually the simplest and often the best-value route. Airport counters and hotel desks are convenient but typically give a worse rate, so use them only for a first-day buffer.
Is it better to bring cash or use a card in Japan?
Both. Cards work at hotels, chain stores and big stations, but small restaurants, shrines, rural buses and lockers are often cash-only. Carry ¥5,000–¥10,000 in cash as a daily buffer, and more outside the cities.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialJapan National Tourism Organization
- officialBank of Japan
- officialJapan Post Bank (ATM information)
- secondaryWikivoyage – Japan