Overview

  1. Cash
  2. Mobile Payment
  3. Credit & Debit Cards

Cash

The Japanese currency is called Yen and is available in both notes and coins. The notes come in denominations of 1000, 2000, 5000, and 10,000 Yen, while the coins come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 Yen. It is not possible to pay with foreign currency, except at major airports where some well-known currencies such as the US dollar and the British pound are accepted.

Mobile Payment

The easiest way to make mobile payments in Japan is by using Suica, PASMO, or ICOCA. These prepaid cards can be purchased and recharged as physical cards or simply stored as cards on your smartphone 1. The cards can be recharged via a linked credit card on your smartphone.

They can be used for various purposes, such as shopping in stores, online payments, or for public transportation rides.

You can find more information about prepaid cards in Japan here: Suica, Pasmo and ICOCA – Prepaid cards in Japan

Credit & Debit Cards

Almost everywhere credit and debit cards are accepted, regardless of whether they are physical cards or used with Apple/Google Pay.

Visa and Mastercard are more commonly accepted than other cards such as American Express or Diners Club.

In some cases, it may happen that credit cards are not accepted at machines or in public transportation, so it’s good to always have some cash with you.

City Trip Paying