Japanese Currency

The Japanese currency is called "yen" (en, 円).

While in recent years the adoption of cashless and contactless payment options such as credit cards, IC transit cards and smartphones has increased rapidly, cash is still the most widely accepted form of payment, which may catch you off guard if you normally use debit or credit cards for common transactions in your home country.

Please be aware that many services, including shops, train stations, and taxis, may not be able to accept your card, and that smartphone payment options such as GooglePay and ApplePay may not be accepted at well. For this reason, we recommend to also carry cash as a precaution for the duration of your trip. It pays to be prepared!

Foreign currency exchange services can be found at airports, large banks, and post offices (Japan Post Bank). Note that most services are only open during regular business hours and may be closed on weekends.

Not all Japanese ATMs provide service for international cards. See our Using ATMs and Credit Cards page for more information.