Money, money, money…
When travelling to Japan, you deal with both your native currency and Japan’s. The Japanese currency is called “Yen,” and its symbol is “¥.” Japan, less so than the US, is a cash-based society, but the use and acceptance of electronic payments are becoming more common. It is always a good idea to have a small amount of cash on hand for occasions where there is no alternative.
Exchange Rate
The exchange rate varies frequently. You can look it up on google and other places. Here are two tables for the lower and higher end rates in summer 2025:
Exchange rate where ¥ 145 equals US$ 1:
| Japan | US |
|---|---|
| ¥ 10 | $ 0.07 |
| ¥ 100 | $ 0.69 |
| ¥ 1000 | $ 6.90 |
| ¥ 2000 | $ 13.79 |
| ¥ 5000 | $ 34.48 |
| ¥ 10000 | $ 68.97 |
| US | Japan |
|---|---|
| $ 1 | ¥ 145 |
| $ 10 | ¥ 1450 |
| $ 50 | ¥ 7250 |
| $ 100 | ¥ 14500 |
| $ 200 | ¥ 29000 |
| $ 500 | ¥ 72500 |
Exchange rate where ¥ 160 equals US$ 1:
| Japan | US |
|---|---|
| ¥ 10 | $ 0.06 |
| ¥ 100 | $ 0.63 |
| ¥ 1000 | $ 6.25 |
| ¥ 2000 | $ 12.50 |
| ¥ 5000 | $ 31.25 |
| ¥ 10000 | $ 62.50 |
| US | Japan |
|---|---|
| $ 1 | ¥ 160 |
| $ 10 | ¥ 1600 |
| $ 50 | ¥ 8000 |
| $ 100 | ¥ 16000 |
| $ 200 | ¥ 32000 |
| $ 500 | ¥ 80000 |
Cash
One of the best and cheapest ways to obtain cash is from ATMs inside convenience stores like Lawson, 7-Eleven, or Family Mart. Since there is a fixed transaction fee, it is most efficient to withdraw ¥50,000 or more at a time. We found ATMs with withdrawal limits of ¥30,000 to ¥75,000 per transaction. If you want to have some cash on hand upon arrival, for example, before you arrive in Tokyo, you can obtain a small amount at home. The best way is usually to buy “left-overs” from friends who have been to Japan, but any exchange office will do. When using an exchange office, do your homework, as not all offer the best rates or lowest fees. On the other hand, if you are only getting a small amount, you may decide not to care.
Bank Notes and Coins
Bank notes come in denominations of ¥10,000, ¥5,000, ¥2,000, and ¥1,000. Because of the Yen’s value and the cost of goods, coins are in fairly heavy use and are used for values below ¥1,000. Coins are available in denominations: ¥500, ¥100, ¥50, ¥10, ¥5, and ¥1. You can look at the variations on the Bank of Japan’s website.
Depending on your habits, you may have fairly large amounts of coins at any one time. For this reason, it may make sense to have (or buy) a small coin purse to keep them. Examples:
Digital
Digital payments can be made, in many places, using your IC card. Your credit card or bank card may also work, but the exchange rate may not be the best, and there may be a transaction fee. Places that accept digital payments usually have a terminal with an RFC reader, making using your phone or watch a viable option.
If you have chosen to have your IC card in your phone’s wallet, you can tap your phone or watch to use it. If you do this frequently, your balance will also deplete more rapidly, so keep an eye on it so you can replenish before getting “stuck” at a subway IC gate.
We found ourselves able to use digital payment or credit cards more than 85% of the time.