Field guide

Money in Japan: Cash, Cards, ATMs, Tipping and Tax-Free Shopping

Published October 14, 2026 · by Small Things, Japan

Money is one of those things you do not want to think about on holiday. You want to buy a train ticket, a bowl of ramen or a pretty souvenir without wondering whether your card will work or whether you should leave a tip.

Japan is easy in many ways. Prices are clear, change is counted carefully, and nobody expects a tip. But a few things surprise visitors: cash is still common, some ATMs do not take foreign cards, and tax-free shopping is about to change. This guide walks you through all of it, from your first ATM at the airport to the tax-free counter on your last day.

Momiji's tip: Carry a mix: a card or two, an IC card on your phone or in your wallet, and some cash. Between the three, you can pay almost anywhere.

The 30-second version

If you only remember five things, make it these:

Carry some cash. Cards work in many places in cities, but small shops, rural inns and some ticket machines may take cash only.
Use ATMs at 7-Eleven and post offices for foreign cards. Their limits and fees differ.
An IC card like Suica or PASMO pays for trains, many convenience stores and vending machines.
Do not tip. It is not expected at restaurants, hotels or taxis.
Tax-free shopping changes on November 1, 2026. You will pay the full price in the shop and get the tax back after a check at the airport.

Cash or card?

Cards are much more common in Japan than they used to be, but cash has not disappeared. JNTO says credit cards are usually accepted at major hotels, department stores, large shopping centers and restaurants in cities, with Visa, JCB and Mastercard the most widely accepted. In the countryside and remote areas, some places, even hotels, may accept cash only, and JNTO recommends always keeping some cash on hand in case of payment errors (source: JNTO).

A few practical points:

Contactless payment with cards, phones and IC cards works at most major convenience stores. Look for the logos by the register (source: JNTO).
Phone wallets from home such as Apple Pay or Google Pay sometimes cannot be used in Japan, depending on the card and the store (source: JNTO). Have a physical card as backup.
Small places like family-run restaurants, shrine stalls, market stands and some guesthouses may take cash only.
Coin lockers, small buses and some ticket machines may need coins or notes.

How much cash should you carry? It depends on your plans, but having enough for a day of meals, small entry fees and a taxi home is a comfortable rule of thumb. Japan is generally safe for carrying cash, but keep it in a zipped pocket or bag like anywhere else.

Momiji's tip: Keep a small coin purse. Japan uses lots of coins, including ¥100 and ¥500 coins that add up quickly. Spending them at vending machines and convenience stores keeps your wallet light.

Notes and coins

Japanese yen comes in ¥1,000, ¥2,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000 notes. The ¥2,000 note is rare and easy to mix up with the ¥1,000 note (source: JNTO). Coins run from ¥1 to ¥500.

If you carry more than ¥1 million in cash or similar when you enter or leave Japan, you need to declare it at customs (source: JNTO).

ATMs that take foreign cards

Not every ATM in Japan accepts cards issued abroad. Two networks are the easiest to find.

Seven Bank (7-Eleven)

Seven Bank runs over 28,000 ATMs at 7-Eleven stores across Japan, plus machines at airports including Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu Centrair, New Chitose, Fukuoka and Naha (source: Seven Bank). You choose your language after inserting your card, and English is one of the options (source: Seven Bank).

As of October 2026, Seven Bank says (source: Seven Bank):

The limit for each withdrawal with a card issued overseas is ¥100,000, or ¥30,000 for magnetic stripe transactions.
Fees depend on your card brand.
Visa and Mastercard withdrawals are listed as available around the clock, except during maintenance.

Seven Bank accepts cards with Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, American Express, JCB, Discover, Diners Club and other marks, but notes that some cards with these marks may not work (source: Seven Bank).

Japan Post Bank (post offices)

Japan Post Bank ATMs are at post offices and some convenience stores such as FamilyMart. As of October 2026, Japan Post Bank says (source: Japan Post Bank):

Cards with Visa, PLUS, Mastercard, Maestro, Cirrus, JCB, UnionPay or Discover marks can be used at all its ATMs in Japan.
The limit for each withdrawal with an overseas card is ¥50,000.
A fee of ¥220 per withdrawal may apply for some overseas cards, on top of your own bank's fees.
Hours: ATMs at post offices are generally open 7:00 to 23:00 on weekdays and Saturdays, and 7:00 to 21:00 on Sundays and holidays. Small ATMs at stores such as FamilyMart run roughly 0:05 to 23:55. Hours vary by location.

ATM tips

Check with your own bank before you go. Your bank may charge its own foreign withdrawal fee and exchange rate.
Withdraw larger amounts less often if your bank charges per withdrawal, staying within the ATM's limit.
Some ATMs are not open 24 hours, and fees can change by time of day (source: JNTO). In the countryside, take out cash before you leave the city.
Currency exchange is available at the arrivals halls of major airports and at major banks, though many banks close at 3 p.m. (source: JNTO).

Paying with an IC card

IC cards like Suica, PASMO and ICOCA are best known for train fares, but they also work as a little electronic wallet. JNTO says you can use them at many vending machines and convenience stores, some taxis and other services (source: JNTO).

They are perfect for small purchases: a drink from a vending machine, a snack at the station, a coin locker. You touch the card to the reader, hear a beep, and you are done.

A few things to remember:

Topping up a plastic card usually needs cash. JNTO notes that credit cards are not accepted for topping up at machines (source: JNTO).
Cards made for visitors, such as TOURIST PASMO and Welcome Suica, need no deposit (source: JNTO).
Spend the balance before you leave. Visitor cards and phone versions are not always refundable.

Our guide to train tickets and IC cards explains where to buy each card, how to put one on your phone, and the deposit and refund rules.

Paying at the register

Paying in Japan has its own small rhythm:

Use the small tray. At many registers, put your money or card in the small tray rather than handing it over. Our convenience store guide explains why.
Pay at the register, not the table. In many restaurants you take the bill to the register when you leave.
Ticket machines at some ramen and fast food shops take your order and payment before you sit down. Some take cash only.
Self-checkout machines appear in many shops. If you are unsure where to put your cash or card, staff will point you to the right slot.

Prices and consumption tax

Japan has a consumption tax: 10% on most things, and a reduced 8% on food and non-alcoholic drinks bought to take away (source: National Tax Agency). That is why a convenience store may ask whether you will eat in or take away: the price can be different.

No tipping, really

Tipping is not part of everyday life in Japan. JNTO says it is not common to tip in bars, cafes, restaurants, taxis or hotels (source: JNTO). Pay the amount on the bill, say arigatō, and that is perfect. If you leave money behind, staff may politely hand it back. That is why our checklist simply says don't tip.

There is one gentle exception. If you hire a private guide or interpreter who is used to overseas customs, a tip may be welcome, but it is optional. If you give one, put it in a small envelope and hand it over discreetly (source: JNTO).

Tax-free shopping: what changes in November 2026

Visitors can buy many goods in Japan without paying the consumption tax, at shops registered as tax-free. The way this works changes on November 1, 2026. Everything below is as of October 2026, based on information from the Japan Tourism Agency and the National Tax Agency.

Until October 31, 2026

For purchases made up to October 31, 2026, the current system applies. At a tax-free shop, the tax is taken off when you buy, or refunded at the shop's tax-free counter (source: Japan Tourism Agency).

From November 1, 2026: the refund method

For purchases from November 1, 2026, Japan switches to a refund method. You pay the price including tax at the shop, and the tax is refunded after Japan's customs confirms that you are taking the goods out of the country (source: Japan Tourism Agency). The National Tax Agency has published a guide on the same change (source: National Tax Agency).

Here is how it works, step by step, according to the Japan Tourism Agency's traveler leaflet and page (source: Japan Tourism Agency, source: Japan Tourism Agency):

At the shop: show your passport, pay the full price including tax, and set up how you want to receive your refund. The purchase needs to total ¥5,000 or more, before tax, at one store in one day.
At the airport or seaport, before checking your luggage: within 90 days of the purchase, go to a terminal for tax-free procedures in the departure area, before security. Scan your passport and follow the steps. At some airports, including Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, New Chitose, Fukuoka and Naha, you can use Visit Japan Web in designated areas instead.
The result: if the screen shows green, you are done. If it shows red, take your goods to the customs inspection area.
After the customs check: the refund is paid by the shop, or by a refund company the shop works with.

How the money comes back depends on the shop. The Japan Tourism Agency lists bank transfer, a refund to your credit card, an app, or cash at the port after the customs check as possible methods (source: Japan Tourism Agency). Ask at the shop when you buy.

Rules worth knowing

The Japan Tourism Agency highlights a few rules that are easy to miss (source: Japan Tourism Agency, source: Japan Tourism Agency):

Keep your tax-free goods in your hand luggage. You must show them to customs before you check in your bags, and checked luggage cannot be brought back.
The check is per receipt. If even one item from a receipt is missing, none of the items on that receipt can get a refund.
Do not use what you bought. Food, drinks and cosmetics bought tax-free no longer need special sealed bags, but if you use or eat them in Japan, they are not eligible for a refund.
Buy only what you can carry out yourself.
Changing planes? If you fly within Japan before your international flight, complete the procedure at the airport where you leave Japan.
Allow extra time. The procedure takes time, and neither airlines nor customs will cover a missed flight.

Momiji's tip: On your last day, pack tax-free purchases together in one bag you will carry on, with the receipts. Head to the tax-free terminal first, then check in.

Details may be updated as the new system starts. Before you fly, check the Japan Tourism Agency's tax-free page and the shop's own instructions.

Quick questions

Should I exchange money before I fly? Some people like to arrive with a little yen. Others use an ATM or exchange counter at the airport. Either is fine.

Can I pay for trains with my credit card? Partly. JNTO says you can pay for JR's Narita Express and shinkansen fares by card, but not always for short train and subway rides (source: JNTO). For everyday rides, an IC card is simpler. See our train ticket guide.

Will my card be charged in yen or my home currency? If a machine or terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, compare the rate. Paying in yen and letting your own bank convert is often clearer. Check with your bank.

Is tax-free shopping still worth it after November 2026? You still get the tax back if you follow the steps. It simply comes later, after the airport check.

When things vary

Card acceptance differs by shop, town and region.
ATM fees, limits and hours depend on the ATM operator and your own bank.
Tax-free refunds are paid in different ways depending on the shop.
Rules can change. Figures here are as of October 2026.

Before you go

Money and connection are the two things worth sorting out before day one. Our guide to staying connected explains eSIMs, SIM cards and pocket Wi-Fi. For the manners that make paying smooth, see our convenience store guide and restaurant guide. If this is your first trip, our guide for first-time visitors covers the small manners that matter most.

Happy travels from Momiji. Spend wisely, and save a coin for the vending machine.