Methods of payment

Commemorative Coin celebrating 100 Years of relations between Japan and Brazil

Jet lag is still getting the best of me, so here am I again, blogging away while the sun is about ready to rise in a bit.

Anyways, given I have used a 500 Yen coin in this photo, I decided to dedicate this post to the method of payments in Japan. Of course, the Yen is the currency of Japan. With the exception of some places in Narita Airport in Tokyo, the Yen is only taken in Japan. Getting yen in bills and coins in Narita is easy, but depending on where you go, there might be forms to fill out. The place I went to in Narita, I had to fill out forms. I had someone who spoke little English help me with the forms. These places take cash and traveler's checks, not sure about card.

Speaking about card, it depends on who you happen to have as your bank and credit card provider in order to see if it is easy or hard to get cash. In my case, I bank with the Navy Federal Credit Union, due to my father's service in the US Marine Corps. With their share check card, sponsored by Visa, I had only two places that took the blasted thing. The two places was a random 7-11 in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, across the street from Yasukuni Shrine and an ATM in Ikebukuro operated by Japan Post (Japan Post Bank if you really want specifics). Everywhere else, it was rejected because it wasn't Japanese issued (according to the ATM's at Family Mart, which I don't see why people get worked up about this place) and rejected at ATM's in Narita because it was "damaged" (it is a brand new card, punks). I didn't dare try my cards in Akita or any other place in Japan, so I might have a bad luck with the draw. My friends bank with Wells Fargo and Bank of America, but I am not sure how easy it was to get funds from their cards. Shoot, I even welcome your hints.

Now back to the main part; when my card was actually accepted, I was given an English menu at the ATM. The max you can take out of your account is at 10,000 Yen (roughly 100 USD). I am not sure why, and I am also not certain if this is 10,000 Yen per day.

When using coins, the main ones you will need to use are the 500, 100, 50 and 10 Yen coins. Nearly most, maybe all, take the 100 yen coins. 500 yen are taken in vending machines, but I know some machines in Akihabara refused to take 500 Yen coins. 50 and 10 are mostly used at vending machines. 5 and 1 Yen coins are useless, so whenever you can get rid of them in shops and restaurants, do it. I have many 5 and 1 Yen coins, mostly because they are just given to me as change and I have few times where they come in handy. The numbers appear on the coins in Arabic numbers and also in Japanese Kanji, so it will be easy to spot what coin is which. If that seems to be tricky, there are guides online and postcards in Japan that will tell you what coin is what.

Where to keep the money, well, that is up to you. I have seen many of my peers use coin purses or side pockets. I personally used a Ziploc baggie to hold my coins and kept it in my school bag. I kept the bills firstly in my man purse, then just my wallet. It will hold the Yen bills, but due to them getting bigger as the denomination goes higher, it will take more effort to hide said bills.

Traveler's checks, well, your SOL. Get them all changed in Narita or whatever airport you decide to get to. There is no where in Japan that we have encountered that will accept or even exchange the blasted things. Shoot, even Japan Post Bank and currency exchange offices refuse to take them. The only place students were able to change the checks was at the Tobu 16 floor department store in Ikebukuro.

I am not sure what else to say about money in Japan, other than if you are in Tokyo, you will have to visit the bank often or start swiping the card with caution. If you are out of the major cities, cash will only work for you.