Using Cash and Cards in Japan

Japan accepts cards at most hotels, restaurants, and larger shops in cities, but independent travelers still need yen (¥) for a good part of everyday spending. Small family-run shops take only cash. So do some sweets shops and takeout counters, as do certain transit machines. An IC card, such as Suica, is a rechargeable transit card that you tap at train gates and some shops. Only certain ATMs let foreign cards withdraw yen. The tax-free shopping rules change on 1 November 2026.

Carry enough yen for small purchases. Withdraw cash at 7-Eleven or Japan Post ATMs rather than major-bank machines, and check your card’s fees and limits with your bank before you leave. If you plan to shop tax-free, confirm which rules apply on the date you buy.

Where Cards Work Across Japan

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the government’s tourism promotion agency, says most stores and restaurants accept major cards such as Visa and Mastercard. Its FAQ is undated, but it is the most recent official guidance on this point. It also describes Japan as still a cash culture and advises bringing yen before you arrive. The "Plan Your Trip" page notes that cards from major issuers are generally accepted nationwide, and that major currencies can be exchanged at airports and banks.

An older JNTO article, which dates to about 2016, is more restrictive. It says more stores were starting to accept cards, but private shops still mostly took cash only. A JNTO article from about 2017 gives a more concrete picture of the Asakusa area. It reports that most kimono and souvenir shops around Senso-ji temple and Nakamise shopping street accepted cards, and that shops displaying card stickers at the storefront and the register were easy places to pay by card.

Taxis in large cities generally accept cards, according to an undated JNTO pamphlet. In practice, the best guide for a given shop is the sticker on the door or the counter. A card sticker means the shop has chosen to accept that network, and the absence of one means you should ask before ordering or buying. Official sources do not give a percentage of shops that take cards, so you should plan on cards working in hotels, chain stores, and urban restaurants while keeping cash for everything else.

Where You Still Need Cash

The JNTO FAQ says small stores and guest houses may accept only cash. A 2017-era JNTO article adds that many sweets shops and takeout stalls selling items for a few hundred yen took only cash. One ningyoyaki (traditional sponge cake) shop in Asakusa also accepted only cash. Because these purchases are small, cash is the simplest option. A few thousand yen in small bills covers a day of snacks and small shops.

Temples are another place where cash is handy, according to the same 2017-era article. It does not list which temples and shrines take cards today, so you should carry cash for entry fees, small offerings, and charms. Rural areas, small local restaurants, and markets are the least documented. Plan for cash-first payment in these places unless a sign says otherwise.

Transit is more mixed. Some train and bus systems accept cards and IC cards, but not every route or vehicle type does. The IC card details are covered in the next section.

IC Cards and Transit Cash

Most IC cards carry a ¥500 deposit, according to the JNTO FAQ, and you get the deposit back when you return the card at a ticket counter. Some areas do not accept IC cards, and some transport types, including highway buses, do not accept them either. Check the operator’s website for the route you plan to ride.

Welcome Suica is a tourist version of the Suica card with no deposit. It is available for certain locations in the Kanto area around Tokyo and is valid for up to 28 days, per the JNTO FAQ. For a short trip centered on Tokyo, it is often the simplest way to ride trains without managing a deposit.

Two older rules need checking before you rely on them. An undated JNTO pamphlet lists a ¥210 fee for refunds on prepaid IC cards, but the newer FAQ does not mention that fee, so confirm it with the operator before you return a card. A 2012 letter also says IC card recharging machines accepted only cash. Some recharging machines may still be cash-only, so test a machine or ask station staff before you need to top up with cash.

Getting Cash With a Foreign Card

ATMs are the main way to get yen with a foreign card. The most reliable machines belong to 7-Eleven convenience stores, which use the Seven Bank network, and to Japan Post Bank at post offices. Use the Seven Bank or Japan Post Bank locator to find nearby machines. Seven Bank ATMs accept overseas cash cards or credit cards for yen withdrawals. JNTO suggests a smartphone app for the same search.

The networks each machine accepts vary by guide, so check your card’s network before you rely on it. Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay are the most consistently listed networks for Seven Bank and Japan Post Bank. American Express, JCB, Discover, and Diners Club appear on some lists and not others. The exact list varies. For example, one 2026 guide lists only Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus, and Plus for Japan Post Bank, while another adds Maestro, JCB, and UnionPay. Another detailed guide names Lawson Bank and AEON Bank as networks that reliably accept foreign cards, although other guides do not include them.

Whether your own card works depends on your card issuer, not just the network printed on the card. Compatibility also depends on your card issuer, so call your bank or check its foreign ATM policy before you travel.

Using Major-Bank ATMs

Major-bank ATMs are the least reliable option. One guide says Mizuho, MUFG, and SMBC machines will reject most foreign cards. Some airport and tourist-area machines have changed. Another travel guide says SMBC and AEON have started partner ATMs in tourist areas that accept foreign cards. Because the changes are uneven, plan to use a 7-Eleven or Japan Post machine first, and treat a major-bank machine as a backup only.

Hours also matter. Japan Post ATMs at post offices are often open around the clock, but some close at 21:00, according to a 2026 guide. Stand-alone post offices offer fewer ATM hours than 7-Eleven or Lawson stores. Seven Bank operates about 26,000 to 27,000 machines nationwide, according to several guides, which makes it the easiest network to find in cities and along highways. Japan Post Bank has a comparable number of locations, but the published counts vary widely from one guide to another.

ATM Fees and Withdrawal Limits

The most common fee cited by 2026 guides is ¥110 per withdrawal for both Seven Bank and Japan Post Bank. One detailed guide describes a more complicated schedule: ¥110 for withdrawals under ¥10,000 and ¥220 at ¥10,000 or more on Visa cards, ¥220 on American Express, and no fee on Mastercard, Maestro, and Cirrus. Other guides report a fee range of ¥110 to ¥220. Because the figures vary, check the current fee on the Seven Bank or Japan Post Bank website or on the ATM screen before you withdraw.

Your home bank may add its own charge. Many banks charge a foreign ATM fee, which travel guides commonly put at $2 to $5 or 1 to 3 percent of the withdrawal, and some add a currency conversion fee of 1.5 to 3 percent. Compare these charges with your bank’s terms before you travel, because the total cost of one withdrawal can be higher than the ATM fee alone.

Withdrawal limits also differ. Seven Bank limits are reported between ¥30,000 and ¥100,000 per transaction, depending on the card type and the guide. Japan Post Bank limits are reported between ¥50,000 and ¥100,000. Daily caps reported for Seven Bank range from ¥100,000 to ¥500,000 in some guides. Because the figures vary, assume the lower amounts and check your card’s own limits. Withdrawing in several smaller amounts is the practical workaround when a cap is lower than you expected.

How Tax-Free Shopping Works Now

Tax-free shopping lets temporary visitors buy goods without paying consumption tax at approved shops. Under the current system, which runs through 31 October 2026, the shop removes the tax at the register. The purchase must be at least ¥5,000 before tax at one store on one day. The rule is written for temporary visitors. Residents of Japan should check with their local tax office to confirm whether they qualify.

Dining and accommodation are not covered, and food you eat in the store does not qualify. Goods bought for business or resale are also excluded. Some department stores send refund requests to a central tax-free counter, and you must visit that counter on the same day as your purchase. Once you pay full price, you cannot return later with your passport to get the tax removed.

At the register, the process generally follows these steps:

1. Show your original passport. Copies and photos do not count.
2. Let staff check your entry stamp and status of stay.
3. Let staff record your passport number and attach the purchase record to your receipt.
4. Pay the tax-free price at the register.

Current rules split goods into two groups. General goods start at ¥5,000 before tax. Consumables, such as food, drinks, medicine, and cosmetics, qualify from ¥5,000 up to ¥500,000 and must stay in sealed packaging. Keep consumables sealed until you leave Japan. Opening the packaging before departure invalidates the tax-free status for those items, and customs officers may check at the airport. If an item listed on your receipt is missing when you leave, the tax-free status for all the items on that receipt may be invalidated, so keep each item with its paperwork.

Customs must see the goods within 90 days of purchase. Some older guides cite a 30-day window, but that figure applies to a system that no longer applies.

What Changes on 1 November 2026

Tax-free shopping is set to change on 1 November 2026. Under the new system, you pay full price at the shop and claim the tax back at departure after customs confirms that the goods are leaving Japan. At the purchase, you show your passport, say that you want a refund, and the shop registers the purchase electronically. Reports indicate that the departure process will mainly run through airport kiosks that scan passports, but the National Tax Agency’s published text does not yet set out the final steps.

Several features of the current system are reported as removed, including the split between general goods and consumables, the sealed-packaging rule, and the ¥500,000 cap on consumables. The ¥5,000 minimum is reported as unchanged. Duty-free purchases are reported as unaffected. Smaller details, such as a QR code step and a ¥1 million record-detail rule, need confirmation from the National Tax Agency before you plan around them.

The National Tax Agency’s special site showed new application forms as in preparation as of 26 September 2026, with release expected around autumn 2026. Check the agency’s tax-free page before you shop after 1 November 2026, and check the shop’s notice at the register on the day of purchase, because the shop applies the rules at the counter.

How Common Cashless Payment Is in Japan

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) reported that cashless payments made up 42.8 percent of Japan’s payments in 2024. The government published the figure on 31 March 2025, and it met the government’s 40 percent target. Credit cards accounted for 82.9 percent of the cashless total by value. Total cashless payments were ¥141.0 trillion. The government treats 80 percent as a long-term goal without a set date.

These figures describe national spending by value. They do not show how often a visitor will meet a cash-only shop, and the published data does not say whether foreign-issued cards are included. Read the figure as a sign of how widespread card payment has become. It does not show which shops accept cards.

Before You Travel

• Carry yen for small purchases: Small shops, sweets stalls, takeout counters, and many temples take only cash, so keep small bills on hand each day.
• Withdraw from 7-Eleven or Japan Post ATMs: Seven Bank and Japan Post Bank machines accept more foreign cards than major-bank machines, so start there and check your card’s network first.
• Confirm your card’s fees and limits: ATM fees are commonly ¥110 per withdrawal, and withdrawal caps can be as low as ¥30,000, so check both with your bank before you leave.
• Keep consumables sealed until departure: Opening tax-free food, drink, medicine, or cosmetics before you leave Japan invalidates their tax-free status.
• Check the tax-free rules on your purchase date: Purchases on or after 1 November 2026 use a refund-at-departure system, so check the current steps with the National Tax Agency before you buy.