How much Japanese Yen cash should I carry? What is the acceptance of credit cards and mobile payments in Tokyo?

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Created At: 8/15/2025Updated At: 8/17/2025
Answer (1)

Hello! Heard you're heading to Tokyo – what a fantastic choice! Don’t worry about the money situation. Since I just got back not long ago, I'll share my experiences to put your mind at ease.

The Core Question: How Much JPY Cash Should You Actually Bring? 💴

Honestly, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer; it really depends on your spending habits. But I can give you a super easy-to-remember reference point:

Budget around 10,000 JPY per person per day in cash (roughly 500 RMB).

  • Why 10,000 JPY?

    • This is a comfortable amount. It should easily cover a decent lunch (like a 1,500 JPY bowl of ramen or a teishoku set meal), grabbing some street snacks and drinks (500-1,000 JPY), paying for that day's transportation (e.g., topping up a Suica card, about 1,000 JPY), and buying an omamori (amulet) at a shrine or some small souvenir. For one day, this is usually plenty.

  • Adjust Based on Your Style:

    • If you're a budget-conscious traveler: Stick mostly to convenience stores for meals and aren't big on shopping? You might get by spending less than 5,000 JPY cash daily.
    • If you're a foodie/shopping enthusiast: Planning fancy restaurants and serious shopping sprees? Then cash will just be for small stuff; the big bills go on the card.

My Recommendation: If you're going for 5 days, exchange a lump sum of 30,000 - 50,000 JPY (around 1,500 - 2,500 RMB) to bring with you. This gives you peace of mind and covers all your small purchases. Just in case you run low, 7-Eleven ATMs (found everywhere in Japan!) accept UnionPay and international credit/debit cards for easy cash withdrawals in JPY; the fees are pretty reasonable.

Cash is Still "King" Here – Better to Have It Ready

Tokyo is super modern, but cash remains dominant in certain places due to habit and culture:

  1. Most Ramen Shops: Especially the ones with the ticket vending machines outside where you buy a "meal ticket" – 100% cash only.
  2. Street Food Stalls & Markets: Vendors in places like Tsukiji Market or Ameya Yokochō mostly operate cash-only.
  3. Some Small Individually-owned Restaurants/Izakayas: Owners might skip card terminals to avoid transaction fees.
  4. Temples & Shrines: Buying omamori, ema (wooden plaques), fortunes (omikuji), or making offerings requires cash.
  5. Topping Up Transportation Cards (Suica/Pasmo): While many newer machines accept cards/Apple Pay, you'll still encounter older machines that only take cash.

(Machines like this one only accept hard cash.)

Credit Cards: Your Absolute Workhorse 💳

Rest assured, credit card acceptance in Tokyo is very high! You can pretty much rely on this as your primary payment method.

  • Where Can You Use Them?

    • All department stores, malls, drugstores (like Matsumoto Kiyoshi), and brand shops.
    • Chain restaurants and cafes (Starbucks, Tully's, etc.).
    • Most hotels and rental accommodations (like Airbnb).
    • Convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson).
    • Buying Shinkansen or express train tickets at major stations.

  • Which Cards to Use?

    • Visa and Mastercard are the universally accepted champions. Carrying these two will cover you almost everywhere.
    • UnionPay works well in major shopping centers and tourist hotspots, often with special discounts.
    • American Express (Amex) and JCB are also accepted, but their coverage isn't as widespread as Visa/Mastercard.

  • A Crucial Tip: If asked at checkout whether you want to pay in JPY (Japanese Yen) or your home currency (e.g., CNY/RMB), ALWAYS CHOOSE JPY! This way the exchange rate is handled by your credit card issuer, which is almost always significantly better than the rate offered by the merchant, saving you money.

Mobile Payments: The Growing Force 📱

Mobile payments are becoming increasingly common in Tokyo too, though the landscape is a bit more complex than in China.

  • For us tourists, the most relevant options are:
    1. Apple Pay / Google Pay: If you add your Visa or Mastercard to your phone's wallet, you can simply "tap" to pay anywhere that accepts contactless payments (look for the NFC symbol at the terminal), especially where credit cards are taken. Super convenient.
    2. Alipay / WeChat Pay: These have high penetration in places frequented by Chinese tourists – major department stores, large drugstores, airport duty-free shops, big electronics retailers (Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera). Spot the blue Alipay or green WeChat Pay logos and use them confidently! You'll see them much less often in small shops and local eateries though.
    3. Local Wallets (PayPay, LINE Pay, etc.): These are popular with locals but generally require a Japanese bank account/phone number to set up, so tourists can safely ignore these.

Summing Up My "Gold Standard Combo"

For an easy trip, I recommend this payment mix for Tokyo:

Small amount of Cash + 1 Visa/Mastercard Credit Card + Mobile Wallet (Apple Pay/Google Pay) + Alipay/WeChat Pay (as backup if you have them)

  • Cash (30,000-50,000 JPY): Essential for ramen spots, street food vendors, topping up transit cards.
  • Credit Card: The workhorse – handles almost everything: shopping sprees, nice meals, hotels.
  • Mobile Payments (Apple/Google Pay, Alipay/WeChat): A super convenient supplement for quick payments, especially at convenience stores and drugstores, avoiding loose change. Use your Chinese mobile wallets where you see the signs.

With this setup, you'll breeze through spending in Tokyo, freeing up your energy to fully enjoy your amazing trip. Have a fantastic time! 👍

Created At: 08-15 05:22:50Updated At: 08-15 10:05:44