MONEY IN JAPAN: Credit Cards, Exchanging Cash & ATMs

Guide to money in Japan - 5 things to know before your trip! Should you take cash or cards, where to get Japanese Yen and lots of tips and advice.
GET MY TRAVEL GUIDEBOOK: www.cakeswithfaces.co.uk/prod...
SUBSCRIBE for more travel guides and vlogs from Tokyo, Fukuoka & Osaka.
- How Expensive is Tokyo? • How Expensive is Tokyo?
- Japan Trip Planning Checklist: • Checklist for Planning...
- How to Get Around Tokyo: • How to get around Toky...
In this video I answer all the things I wanted to know before I first went to Japan:
- How much cash do I need?
- How do you exchange Yen? (What's a good rate?)
- How to work out how much things cost
- Should I take cash or credit cards?
- Do foreign cards work in ATMs?
- Are foreign cards accepted in Japan?
KAWAIIJA T-SHIRT available from www.cakeswithfaces.co.uk
Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/cakeswithfaces
FOLLOW Cakes with Faces:
/ cakeswithfaces
/ cakeswithfaces
/ cakeswithfaces
google.com/+CakeswithfacesCoUk
The music is free, created with Jukedeck. Sound effects from Freesound.

[@kevinclaros8847]

I'm not going to lie I'm not the biggest fan when it comes to travel videos but your voice makes it fun to watch

[@cakeswithfaces]

Haha thanks! Travel videos can definitely be hit and miss!

[@stephaniemckeever3943]

Just subbed.love your channel. Very informative.as someone who has never been to japan are all the prices in paper money or do they use their equvilent euros and cents or pounds and pence?.....I wont be going for quiet some time as I want to save quiet a bit of money (2000.00 euros)...do you think that would be enough for a 3 day trip.....reason I want to go is to vist akhibara to but gundam, macross and other similar model kits and figures.....

[@n.stop.exploring]

Going to go Japan. Loved your videos and how simply you are explaining! Thank you 😊🙏🏼

[@cakeswithfaces]

Thanks! Glad you found my videos helpful :-) There's more on the way - enjoy your Japlanning!

[@garys5540]

Thanks so much! That was really informative. I really appreciate it very much! I am traveling there next week!! Keep up the great work!

[@cakeswithfaces]

Thanks, glad you found it useful! Have an amazing trip!! :-D

[@Oscarrr544]

This video was amazing. Thank you so much you made everything super clear

[@cakeswithfaces]

Thanks so much! I remember how many questions I had when I first went to Japan!

[@194DAG]

Only three months for my first trip to Tokyo. Thank you for some great advice.

[@lordtouchme6210]

how was it?

[@RashawMusic]

Amazing video thanks a bunch! 🖤

[@cakeswithfaces]

Thank you!! Glad you found it useful! :-)

[@angelaromans5351]

I love your videos. I'll be traveling to Japan for the first time in October of this year! I've been watching your channel for pure enjoyment as well as your Japlanning Series!

[@cakeswithfaces]

Ooh exciting! October's a great time to go - it's warm and you'll see all the cute Halloween stuff! If you need any help with anything just let me know, I always love Japan chat! :-)

[@GirlinTokyo]

As a simple rule: 10,000 Yen is a lot of money. 1,000 Yen not so much. :-D

[@josiahorrantia2529]

10,000 Yen is only 100 USD

[@Hi-sd9mh]

@@josiahorrantia2529 yes but the currency has different value and it is unusual for us but I still even though they live in Tokyo to fact check but I hope you don’t take me as rude just replying have a good day or night

[@TheNerdyBookNerd]

Thank you for yet another super helpful video! :D My first ever Japan trip is inching closer and closer, and I'm so excited!

[@cakeswithfaces]

Yay, you're going to love it! Enjoy your Japlanning!!

[@TheNerdyBookNerd]

Cakes with Faces Thank you! :D We've been crazy and booked a trip for October AND another one for March, haha! Lots of Japlaning, saving and (eventually) spending ;)

[@cakeswithfaces]

Wow, double exciting!! Did you just find good deals on the flights? :-)

[@TheNerdyBookNerd]

Cakes with Faces We booked the October one around New Years and just realized that we can go in March too. We found a pretty decent deal (both on living and the flights) and figured it was best to not wait for much longer, given that we want to make sure we're there for the cherry blossoms :D

[@RJ9270812]

I'm going mid-August :)

[@siedenburg1]

Cash was the one thing I hadn't had any problems. I got some beforehand, just to get over the first day, buy my suica etc. and after that I got my money from atms. Lawsons, 7-11 and family mart are nearly everywhere and most of them (in tokyo) had an atm. even the fees weren't that high. I had to pay 108Yen for 50000Yen to the local bank and my bank charged 1.75% for "foreign use", but even with the fees I got more money than in the local bank or currency exchange. Oh, and even tokyo were surprisingly cheap, everyone told my japan will be expensive, but for "regular living" i paid nearly as much as here in germany (for you it should be the same, i was in uk in feb and the prices were mostly the same). the one thing that really bothered me were the 1Yen and 5Yen coins, because you can't use them in vending machines and most of the time you don't want to count each Yen in the store.

[@muzzirenti]

I'm going to Tokyo for the first time in September and all I can say is rip my money for when I go haha

[@cakeswithfaces]

Life savings: spent! You're going to love it! :-D

[@Gazereths1234]

I'm there in September and October as well, maybe we'll bump into each other :)

[@amardeepatwal2600]

Hey Amy I’m currently in taiwan. Japanese food is very widespread and popular here. Hopefully I’ll see you at hyper japan !

[@joits]

a good way to get rid of your 1 yen coins is to look for those charity donation boxes and drop them in there. i've seen them at mcdonalds and the most ingenious place i've seen them is at the airport before you get to your gate.

[@cakeswithfaces]

Good idea! The airport's the perfect place to get rid of your change! :-)

[@georgebenta3435]

I read somewhere that ATMs closes at 8pm. Does the ATMs inside convenience stores also close at 8PM?

[@SaltAndVi]

you had me hooked at "Japlanning"

[@cakeswithfaces]

Hehe, I very nearly almost called my book the Japlanning Guidebook 😅

[@isaactristan6427]

Got a pretty good exchange rate at the exchange machine at the hotel lobby. I would check what the machine gave, then checked the rate on my phone and it was fairly close. Really easy and didn't use any cards at all.

[@cakeswithfaces]

The advantage of ATMs is you can get closer to the actual rate, without the bank taking commission (with the right card). However I'm not risky enough to leave it till I get there in case my card doesn't work for some reason. When I went to the USA once the bank cancelled my card once, even though I told them I was going away!

[@isaactristan6427]

@@cakeswithfaces I used USD (cash) in the machine. Maybe that is why I got a good rate. I didn't try a card so can't really say what the rate on that would be.

[@galva86]

Hi! I loved your videos! Question, would you recommend bringing yen from our respective home countries or exchanging dollars in narita airport?

[@cakeswithfaces]

I always bring it with me. However you get a better exchange rate if you get it from cash machines when you get to Japan (check your card is commission-free). I just like to be prepared so I get it beforehand (imagine if your card didn't work for some reason..!) :-)

[@galva86]

@@cakeswithfaces thank you very much!

[@fuzexi]

The exchange rate has gone up to 200 Y to the pound at the moment... looking good!

[@cakeswithfaces]

It's excellent for us as visitors!

[@shpeen8835]

I drop all my 1 and 5 yen coins at the hotel, usually there's a charity box around

[@cakeswithfaces]

Good idea! That's a good use for them.

[@fuzexi]

I would have thought there would be a price cap on the trains, like in London, but having said that it looks cheaper than London anyway.

[@cakeswithfaces]

There are day tickets you can buy that are a fixed price per 24 / 48 / 72 hours, but not a cap on regular fares. However it's not expensive (nowhere near as expensive as London!) so it's not a worry. I recommend Suica instead of a day ticket, because the trains are run by several different companies. The day tickets don't cover all the lines, so you can often find yourself taking an inconvenient route and wasting time on your trip. It's just easier knowing you can go on any line with your Suica, without worrying which company it's run by.

[@mattnouv8089]

Doesn't the airport have a kiosk that takes change and convert to your native currency to code that you can use at any store back home

[@cakeswithfaces]

I've never used them, but there are branches of banks and currency exchange places at both Tokyo airports. Often if you keep your receipt, you can exchange it back for the same rate from the place you bought it, when you get back home.

[@earlrosopa6541]

I would like to ask which will give more yen: withdrawing on ATM or exchanging it in Japan? I heard some testimonies that withdrawing on 7 11 ATM will give more yen than exchanging but I would like to know more haha. Thank you

[@cakeswithfaces]

If you withdraw from an ATM you get the actual exchange rate, whereas if you exchange money at a bureau de change/bank/travel agent (in Japan or at home) you'll get a slightly lower rate, because the company you're changing it with will always take a cut for themselves (that's how they make money!). Personally I prefer exchanging it before going to Japan, even though the rate's not quite as good, just in case my card doesn't work in the ATM in Japan! It'd be awful to be stuck without cash, and there have been times when my card didn't work abroad, even though I told my bank I'd be travelling. But if you don't mind that, you can get a better rate by withdrawing cash from ATMs.

[@evicencio31863]

There's one problem on my Credit Card. When I came from "One Piece Restaurant Baratie" at the 7th floor of Fuji TV Building. There's a Credit Card machine for paying (black, portable, & small). Where's to press my 'pin number' after inserted my Credit Card but it has "Japanese writing electronically"????? It's so embarrassing.

[@cakeswithfaces]

Yes the credit card machines are usually in Japanese! Hopefully you get a kind waiter/waitress who'll help you! They understand that most foreigners don't read Japanese :-)

[@HarambeHonda]

Used ICE to get £150~ in Yen before I went, exchange rate was decent. used my Halifax Clarity Credit card to withdraw Cash (at least 15k yen each time), minimal bank fees at 7-elevens which vary between £2-5, you get the actual bank rate by doing this. Don't get most of your yen from the UK as you will get ripped off.

[@cakeswithfaces]

Thanks for the tips! o( ❛ᴗ❛ )o

[@claudialaos8426]

But if you consider what they charge you £2 to £5 for withdrawing then it's better to get money from the UK first I think

[@simonjohnpowell]

One word of warning don't do what I did... Spent 7weeks working in Yokohama in 2019, it was my 5th trip to Japan so I'm not 'green' walked to to train station on my last morning to get the Narita express and my card wouldn't work in the shop. I walked back to the family mart where I'd been getting cash out throughout the trip and it wouldn't work. Didn't panic until I'd tried my personal card which was my emergency backup which also failed. I was lucky that one of my colleagues was out there for another few weeks so I managed to pinch 10k off him. Don't know what happened but it was the first time my card was refused. Just a little warning for anyone, don't wait till 30mins before your train to get a ticket. 😂

[@cakeswithfaces]

Oh no, it was lucky your colleague was there! I don't trust cards to work abroad since mine got cancelled when I went to the USA, despite telling my bank I'd be travelling. Strange that yours suddenly stopped working on the last day though!

[@simonjohnpowell]

@@cakeswithfaces yes, I have wondered if it was some sort of widespread outage of ATM's as my corporate MasterCard and my personal visa stopped working at the same time. I'd used both regularly in that particular family mart over the previous 7weeks.

[@simonjohnpowell]

@@cakeswithfaces I'm watching your Japan trip planning videos at the minute since I'm going to take my family over there in 2023. I've spent a total of about 4months there over the last 5yrs and I absolutely love the place. Yamaguchi is amazing and I love Yokohama so much. My 12yr old daughter who's a nerd like me is dying to get to Akihabara. 😁

[@cakeswithfaces]

@@simonjohnpowell She'll love it! It'll be so much fun showing her all your favourite places! :-)

[@happyjoy555]

If I am going to take $5K in cash, how should I divide that up in yen? I want to make sure I have enough individual bills or coins for machines, shopping, vendors, etc without having to get change some place. Thank you so much for your awesome videos.

[@cakeswithfaces]

You often don't get much choice of what bills you get when you go to a bureau de change - it'll be a mix of 1000, 5000 and 10,000 probably (and sometimes rare 2000 notes!). The only awkward ones are 10,000 notes, which you'll definitely be given, but it's possible to use them without annoying people too much! There are also change machines around, especially in places like games arcades where you need coins.

[@happyjoy555]

Thank you!@@cakeswithfaces

[@Gazereths1234]

I still have tons of 1 & 5 yen coins from last my last trip. I'm going to put them in a shrine donation box next time I visit. 10 yen coins are good for vending machines. Very useful video Amy, I'm gonna check my credit card doesn't have excessive charges abroad.

[@cakeswithfaces]

That's a good idea for the small change - maybe it'll bring good luck! :-)

[@Gazereths1234]

Hopefully! I hope it helps in some small way for upkeep of the shrine too. Are you at Hyper Japan next month?

[@cakeswithfaces]

Shrines are amazingly well-kept, they often look brand new! Must take a lot of investment. Yes, I'll be at Hyper Japan - see you there! :-)

[@madoshi2980]

I think I missed it, but did you say i could buy yen before I go to Japan? Or do I need to convert when I'm in the country? I heard it's cheaper(better exchange rate) if I do it once I arrive, but not sure if that's true?

[@cakeswithfaces]

Mafianking Yes, you can buy yen from a bureau de change or bank before you go to Japan. People say you get a better rate if you withdraw it from a cash machine when you’re in Japan (just make sure your card doesn’t have extra charges for withdrawing cash abroad). However I’ve always liked to get it sorted before I go, so I don’t have to worry about it when I’m there.

[@genevievealmondia1609]

Is there a “money rule” in Japan wherein you can’t fold the bills? Or you’re not supposed to fold the bills?

[@cakeswithfaces]

I've never heard of that rule, as far as I know it's ok!

[@Bodneyblue]

Konnichiwa!...How do you get coins to start with?...As in breaking down notes....for things like vending machines and small items like sweet and snacks.....As wouldn't want to have to hand over say a 10,000 yen note (if there is such a thing) to pay for say a 300 yen cake!...or pay for a ticket.( if not using an IC card etc)...Arigatou!

[@cakeswithfaces]

You have to be strategic with the first things you buy! Because so many places take cash it's not too bad. Often you'll get one or two slightly smaller notes so that can help break them. And somehow you always end up with HUNDREDS of 1 yen coins...! There are also change machines in games arcades, so you can get precious 100 yen coins for UFO catchers and gachapon. :-)

[@Bodneyblue]

@@cakeswithfacesI'm probably fussing abit to much about things..But being a first time solo traveler in a country so far & different from home (Scotland). I can be forgiven. Especially with my lack of general life skills and anxious nature. As long as I pay I'm sure they won't be to worry about how..hehe!...Thank You!

[@MengLeeLim]

I just use google translate to translate currency exchange to Japanese and look for this word 両替, Japanese will understand.

[@emeraldgutz5812]

When you say credit card, do you mean credit cards only or credit and debit cards???

[@cakeswithfaces]

Credit or debit cards :-) Check them - my credit card is commission free for purchases, and my debit card is commission free for ATMs (I'm sure they're all different so check yours!).

[@mariacarter2107]

Do convenience stores like 7eleven and lawsons accept foreign mastercard as payment at the cashier or do you have to convert at their atms to get yen to pay?

[@cakeswithfaces]

Yes they take cards! Just check that your card's commission-free abroad so you don't get charged from your bank ☺️

[@amandam480]

​@@cakeswithfacesI've heard that they don't accept visa cards from abroad. I have a card that doesnt charge when you use it abroad. So I'd like to use it

[@cakeswithfaces]

@@amandam480 Sounds perfect! I've used my Visa card in Japan.

[@nillanellis]

How much would I need if I wanna go to Osaka Nara and Tokyo with 15 people including yourself

[@cakeswithfaces]

It depends which country you're flying from, the time of year and where you stay. You can look up flight prices online, and hotel prices on Expedia, etc.

[@nillanellis]

@@cakeswithfaces I’m coming from Stanton va and going in April I don’t know what hotels there are

[@cakeswithfaces]

@@nillanellis You can look up flight prices on Skyscanner or Google Flights (remember that flying indirect is usually cheaper than flying direct, but watch out for long stopovers). You can check hotel prices on Expedia. The prices might not be out for April yet for most hotels, as many are only available for booking 3 months in advance. There are lots of tips in these videos in my Japlanning series (more than I can type out here!): Help with booking hotels: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIeydWSJpMase7M All about booking flights: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZ7cnqmvhdeCZ6c My Japan travel book has lots of tips and guides you through the process of booking, working out how much cash you need, and planning everything, with checklists, etc: www.cakeswithfaces.co.uk/product/japan-travel-guide-book/ Hope that helps! :-)

[@vendidendi4249]

Can someone translate what is 25 cent in Japanese yen?. Please.

[@imlookiting2184]

How many languages do you speak? English, Japanese, I would guess French as well?

[@cakeswithfaces]

English - yes 😝 I did French & German at school (probably forgotten most of it now!) and am teaching myself Japanese.

[@mayurisaxena1359]

How much dollars we need to travel whole Japan if we are anime lover😅in real...

[@cakeswithfaces]

A lot! 😂 There'll be a lot of stuff you want to buy! But the good news is, figures in particular cost a lot less than when you buy them abroad. :-) Not sure if you saw this vid: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5aWYqWDfbN8qtE

[@IsayOlive]

Hi, Cakes. So Post Office is okay to get your yen? 🙂

[@cakeswithfaces]

Yes, that's where I got mine last time actually! Because they can't say they got lost in the post 😝 and I go there every day to post my orders. ☺️

[@IsayOlive]

@@cakeswithfaces Thank you. This is a big help. 😊

[@IsayOlive]

@@cakeswithfaces Also, do you have any tips on how I can secure a slot for VISA appointment? 😊

[@cakeswithfaces]

@@IsayOlive It depends which country you're from. For the UK (and many other countries) there's a visa waiver, so you don't have to do anything. Details are here: www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html Here's a list of countries that don't require a visa for a short term tourist stay: www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html

[@IsayOlive]

@@cakeswithfaces I live here in the UK but still not exempted, haha. 😅 Anyway, thank you. Hope to travel to Japan soon. 😊

[@Mrspiderwalk]

I’m going to Japan without a credit card. I’m taking cash and my debit. Is this recommended?

[@cakeswithfaces]

Check if your debit card is commission free for foreign purchases, or if it's commission free for cash machines abroad. I'd recommend having one of them as a back-up in case you run out of cash. I usually take my debit card (commission free for cash machines, although I've never needed to use it) and my credit card (commission free for purchases).

[@Mrspiderwalk]

Cakes with Faces thank you so much for replying!!

[@cakeswithfaces]

@@Mrspiderwalk Enjoy planning your trip! :-)

[@VampireHunterR]

Bank of America is the best bank because they're in America and japan

[@kalageorge3237]

Where do I go to exchange my US DOLLARS TO YEN?

[@cakeswithfaces]

You can swap them before you go at a Bureau de Change / currency exchange in your country (think I covered it in the video - it should be similar in the US to in the UK).

[@ph11p3540]

Japan. The only country in the world where you can fearlessly carry more than $500 in cash without getting in serious trouble with the police.

[@cakeswithfaces]

...and you might need that much if you're planning a night in the arcades... 😝

[@mikepauta7696]

Wait you can get yen from your credit cards as well?

[@mikepauta7696]

Or just debit cards

[@cakeswithfaces]

You can use your credit / debit card to pay in Japan. However you should check that it's commission-free abroad. Some cards are free to use abroad and some will charge you extra. The same with cash machines. The info should be on your bank's website.

[@codyholbrook9551]

Is 10k usd really 1 million in yen

[@cakeswithfaces]

Yep! :-)

[@JamesGamingReactionYts]

can you used a MasterCard paypal to japan

[@cakeswithfaces]

Do you mean a Mastercard credit card? You should be able to, but check if it charges you for foreign currency transactions (it should say on your bank's website) and make sure you're using a card that's commission free.

[@JamesGamingReactionYts]

@@cakeswithfaces i do have a Mastercard credit card? on payapal yeah and i do really want to move there soon

[@akihiro397]

Is 100000 thousands yen enough to trip to japan ?

[@akihiro397]

For 1 week

[@cakeswithfaces]

@@akihiro397 The cost of the flights depends on where you're flying from and what time of year, and whether you fly direct or not. Hotels are around £70-£90 a night in Tokyo - less if you go for hostels, AirBnB or capsule hotels. For an idea of how much food and transport cost, take a look at my How Expensive is Tokyo video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpzOeaWKhticapY Hope that helps!

[@lilandraneramani1]

Will you be in japan for Halloween this year?

[@cakeswithfaces]

I don't know when I'll next be going to Japan, but I'd absolutely love to be there are Halloween! It'd be amazing to see what it's like in Shibuya with everyone dressed up! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

[@amardeepatwal2600]

Hi Amy I’m planning to go japan next year I’m not eligible for a credit card... is the any cards I can top up money with so I don’t have to carry money around

[@cakeswithfaces]

Do you have a debit card? Check if it's commission free abroad and you might be able to use that (either to pay with or withdraw cash as you need it). There are also travel money cards (currency cards) that you pre-load with money and use when you're there. Some of them have charges so check that before you get one - I've never used them but there's some info here: www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/prepaid-travel-cards/ If you do need to carry cash, Japan has low crime rates so it's not as much of a risk as other countries where there's lots of pickpocketing, etc (although use your common sense obviously!). Most hotels I've stayed in have a safe in the room where you can leave most of your cash and just take what you need for that day.

[@amardeepatwal2600]

Cakes with Faces yes I do but there is a charge on transaction etc. I’ll take for emergency or backup. I was primarily booking holiday for 5 day but now planning 7 night stay. Japan or Ōsaka. Is £100 enough per day. I’m going to be around akihabara and shinjuku exploring etc and most of my meals from family mart or seven eleven. With the odd restaurant visit.

[@cakeswithfaces]

That will be plenty, including spending money. If you're exploring areas, shops, etc you won't need money for entrance fees etc - wandering around looking at things is free and that'll probably be what you'll be doing most of the time! Convenience store food is cheap, and you'll be able to get hot meals for not too much more eg bowls of noodles, or go to Japanese style "fast food" places like Yoshinoya - and my fav Coco Curry!

[@SS-ts4ht]

@@amardeepatwal2600 hor bai ghum aaya japan kive rahya

[@nessa6534]

Wait could you use American dollars??

[@cakeswithfaces]

No, you need Japanese Yen. If you have a credit / debit card that's commission free abroad, you can use that. Make sure it's commission free so you don't get extra charges from your bank. But not everywhere takes cards so you need some cash too.

[@nessa6534]

Ah okay ty i always have been wondering that 😅

[@oliversulit6476]

What is mean $ left over currency

[@cakeswithfaces]

That's the sign for American dollars

[@linet2464]

Can y’all tell me what I can buy with what amount of money plz

[@cakeswithfaces]

This video covers some of that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4a6qoelid9ljMU I'll also have a new video coming up, covering how much I spent on my recent trip. ☺️

[@HiddenTraveler]

For coin optimization look at: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4nMZaKpaMd4Zqc

[@cakeswithfaces]

I can't believe there's actually a game for that on their iPad in the video!!

[@nevaehfr]

I still don't get it :(

[@cakeswithfaces]

Is there anything in particular you're not sure about?

[@nevaehfr]

@@cakeswithfaces how to get money (im stupid) also I love your videos

[@cakeswithfaces]

@@nevaehfr You get it from a Bureau de Change in your country, or any place that does travel money (eg banks, the post office, some large shops or supermarkets). You can also get it from cash machines in Japan - which gives you a better rate, but I prefer not to leave it until then just in case my card doesn't work! (Imagine how stuck you'd be!).

[@nevaehfr]

@@cakeswithfaces thank you! I screenshoted it 💞

[@BrotherabbitFilms]

It’s 10$ not 9

[@cakeswithfaces]

I used xe.com to convert the amounts at the time, so the rate's probably different now. :-)

[@1188jv]

4:52 "English numbers"????? wtf????

[@cakeswithfaces]

You know what I mean! 😝

[@user-vu2wh9cy8x]

川田幸弘ですよい動画配信してください

[@cakeswithfaces]

🤗