Yen and Money in Japan
 

I'll be traveling to Japan and I've read on the forums a lot of places don't use credit cards so I'll need some cold, hard cash while I'm there. I found some good information on the money on the wiki page but I had a few questions I was hoping someone here could help with.

• Do most ATMs take foreign cards?
• Are most ATMs in English?
• If I bring some 10k bills are they going to be usable? For example in the States most places won't/can't break a $100 bill and even a $50 is too high some places.
• Does anyone have a recommendation for a good bank to use in Japan from the States? My bank has some very high fees.

Thank you all for your help!

I had no problem with 10K yen bills. Postal office have ABM that accept international bank card, some suggested that Citibank also has these machine. And yes they do have an option for "English"

Ok I had some small problems when I was in Japan, dealing with similar things.

-Most post offices, at leas all the ones we went to, had international ATM's. A card will work at these, it can be a debit card or credit card. Be careful though, it appears that your card will need to be tied to a name in order to work. I purchased a gift credit card, witch works like a normal credit card here in the US. But in japan it didnt work perfectly. I could buy stuff from stores with credit card machines, but I could not pull cash out from ATM's. If you are going to a more populated area like Tokyo, most shops will have credit card machines.

- As far as getting cash goes, I would recommend getting some before you leave. There are some banks that will give you great deals on the exchange. I think I went to Washington Mutual. They do not charge any processing fee, and they give you a direct exchange based on the exchange rate. If you do this any other place, like the airport, they usually kill you on the exchange. Plus this way you will have cash the second you step off the plane, Its nice after that long flight. You dont have to worry about doing anything.

-oh yeah. I had no problems paying with large bills. It seemed, at least in my experience, most people pay with cash anyways. They are used to people paying with bigger bills. Even in the smallest of shops I used big bills. Although I didn't notice you will accumulate lots of coin change. I was also told to use this change as much as possible, and try to give the exact amount of money to the shop. Ex: if you have had something that cost 5500 yen, and all you have is a 1000 yen bill. You should try pay with 1500 yen. I am used to just stock piling change in the US, it appears they actually use their change in Japan lol.

I don`t believe many do. You also can`t write a check and have it cashed unless you have weeks of time to wait. Traveler's checks seem to be popular for people to bring, but they are really hard to have cashed. Usually each brand has only a handful of banks willing to deal with them, and even then it sometimes takes days.

There is almost always and "English Guidance" button on ATMs. I`ve never used it, so I`m not sure if it offers all the services though.

You will encounter absolutely NO problems of that sort in Japan. Almost everyone carries around 10k bills and uses them everywhere. There is absolutely no place that will not / can`t accept them.
Wow. That is something about the US that I had totally forgotten... :D Everybody here seems to carry 50k+ in their wallets most of the time. I`d feel lost without 30k+ in the wallet and 50k+ at home for easy access. Using 10k in Japan feels like nothing at all - I`d compare it to using a $20 bill in terms of "normalcy".

I would personally say to just bring cash if you`re going to be in Japan for a short time... And if you`re in Japan for a long period of time (work, etc) to bring cash and open an account at a Japanese bank.

I just want to add though - most places do indeed accept credit cards. The types of places that wouldn`t accept outside of Japan are not going to accept in Japan - small eateries, corner markets, etc. You could easily find anything you want in places that do accept credit cards.

ETA;
Be careful with this - the machines accept cards with a "credit card" number only. You can`t use them to get money from your account UNLESS the card is a debit card with a credit card like function. If it`s just an ATM card, you`re not going to be able to withdraw. What the machines do is charge that amount of money to your credit card - sometimes with horrific fees added on - not actually withdraw from your account. If it`s a debit card it will seem like that is the case, but it`s not really a withdraw.

A friend used one to get 20k from a machine once and had a 5k fee added on...

Hmm, that was not the experieince I had. The kind of account attached to a card is not a "card function" per say, it is a back end function that is attached to your client profile. For the most part the card will have at least 1 deposit account (Meaning Checking, Saving etc) attached to it, the ATM will debit from that account and not a credit card.

To withdraw from a credit card, you need to use the credit card itself to do the withdraw. The other option is if you have the credit card attached to your client card (Debit card), and when you do the withdraw, you explicitly ask to have the fund withdrawn from credit.

I used my bank card all the time when I am in Japan, the only thing I get nicked on is the exchange rate, and it has nothing to do with the machine there, but your own bank. There wasn't even a service fee to it

see here: ATMs in Japan

godwine - You may very well be right. I am guessing it has to do with the bank then. Perhaps some banks are more "compatible". All I know is that I`ve never had anyone I`ve had visit or have taken around be able to withdraw from their account - only from a credit card. I don`t recall what banks they used, but they ended up screwed over in the end due to the cash fee from the machine.

At the very least, it`s worth being careful with as apparently it isn`t the same for every bank/card.

Bank card with the Interac or Cirrus logo on it should be fine...

Thank you all so much for you help! We'll likely get our cash here and bring it over with us as that seems to be the cheapest. Thanks again!

The two places that always accept foreign cards: Seven Eleven convenience stores, and the post office. Both places accept my American credit card AND debit card. My particular credit union account had a very low international service fee, so I was always able to withdraw money straight from my checking account with very little fees.

Yes your right. I didnt explain this well. I bought a gift card type thing from the bank. In the US you can use them like any credit card or debit card. It is basically a temp. debit card. It has a number like a credit card, but it just says "gift card recipient" where the name would be. I could buy stuff at stores fine with it, but could not get money out of any atm. I had my pernament card with me, which has a name tied to it, and it worked fine. Which is what you were saying. I was just trying to say that temp cards do not work.

This place absolutely saved me when it came to getting cash on my visit to Japan, since you can easily find them everywhere.

Actually Seven Eleven are not very common in the Kansai region.

Right, it's Lawsons that are everywhere, 7/11 was only in the big cities like Osaka.

Most don't take foreign cards, try citibank they usually do but are not so numerous. SMBC banks are much more common, most have English help and when I push English it sometimes asks if it was a card issued in Japan or abroad so it seems they take foreign cards.

English ATMs are Citibank/SMBC/7-11

There is no problems with 10k bills. I have never, ever been asked if I have anything smaller. Don't be put out as they yell 10k going in as they put it in the register, that guy behind you is not likely to mug you for your change.

Lots of places in the cities take credit cards and ATMs have cashing services but a word of advice on this, tell your credit card company where you are going. Some stop the card as soon as it is used in a suspicious place and far away Japan can seem dodgy to the computer systems

:ywave:

Thanks again for the tips! One more question!

Some places I travel they don't like to take cards that say "See ID" on the back. They want the signature. Do you know if they care in Japan? Will they even notice?

Also - I've heard so many different answers on the Cash vs. Credit Card question I'd just like more feedback. We're going to Tokyo and for the most part staying there. My plan has been to take the cash I think we'll spend for sight seeing, food, and transportation but to use the credit card for shopping if we find anything. Is this reasonable or should I bring cash for shopping to? I assume most western places would take the credit cards but will local shops in Akibahara and the like?

Why are you worry about the signature check???

Credit card is accepted at most major stores and restaurant. Cash is best for sightseeing (Admission fee) and others...

I've been to some places where they won't accept it if it isn't signed with a signature. Just a strange thing. Not too worried about it!

if you do have trouble with the see id thing and a shop wont accept it just move onto the next shop. if youre going to be shopping anywhere other than the really small local shops chances are the prices wont vary that much for whatever youre looking for. smaller shops are sometimes more expensive anyway. its very different from the way taiwan or hong kong might be where one shop might give you a great deal.

take enough cash, and bring extra just in case tokyo works out to be pricier than you thought. its really safe, unless you go looking for trouble, so take as much as you want. since it sounds like there are 2 of you going split it between the two of you just in case anything happens, however unlikely.

You don't need to sign if it's under 10,000 yen

That depends on the store. Some will have you sign for even the most paltry amounts.

I`ve only once had the person at the register check my signature to the one on the card. Once. Out of who knows how many hundreds of card uses. I remember it because it was incredibly strange to see it be checked.

I have heard of places not wanting to accept a card if there is no signature on the back at all, but never about any complaints regarding the form/shape/etc of the signature. I even know someone who draws a little dog face as their signature. :D

Thanks again for all your help everyone!

I just got back to the US from the past two months in Japan.

If you are staying in Tokyo... then you'll find an awful lot of places take credit cards. If you go out into the boonies..... it is a cash society.

Traveler's checks are almost impossible to cash outside of big cities.

The only thing slower than dealing with Japanese banks is ....... hum.... I don't know what is. :mtongue: Try to not need to find the answer to this question.

Using 10, 000 円 bills is no problem whatsoever ....even for a stick of gum in a Lawsons (which ARE everywhere).

best,

...............john

I have used my credit card numerous times here for amounts under 10,000 yen, and I have always, always had to sign. Maybe it depends on the card/shop.

In Tokyo at least, Shinsei bank ATMs, which are found in many subway stations and sometimes next to branches of Starbucks, also take foreign cards.

The only people I have ever come across who will grumble if you give them a 10,000 note for a small purchase are the ladies at train station kiosks- they do not like it. Anywhere else though and you are fine.