The figures and systems described here were checked on October 22, 2026, against official information from the Japan Tourism Agency, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), railway and bus operators, and banks. The information about airport ATMs, ticket machines, and accommodations is based on the relevant articles on this site (each article states when its information was checked). This is not financial advice. Whether a card works and what fees apply depend on the card you have.
You may have heard that Japan is a cash-based country. Or perhaps you have heard that you can now pay by card everywhere. Which should you believe, and how much should you put in your wallet?
The answer is neither. And the cash you need is not determined just by how many days you will travel.
The Short Answer — Use cards for most payments. Carry cash only for the moments when your card might not work
If we were unsure, this is what we would do.
- Use a credit or debit card for everyday payments. International-brand cards are generally accepted throughout Japan
- Count the moments in your itinerary when cash may be the only way to pay, and carry enough for those moments. Then add a reserve in case your card does not work—enough to get back to your accommodation or manage until the next usable ATM
- If you run short, withdraw cash at a convenience-store ATM. You can do this from the day you arrive
As a formula:
Cash needed = fixed payments that must be made in cash (check when booking) + planned cash for your arrival day and each day + a reserve until the next usable ATM
For example, compare these two trips.
- Only visiting the cities of Tokyo and Osaka, with accommodation that accepts cards → No fixed cash-only payments. If you travel from the airport to your accommodation by tapping a contactless credit card or using Suica on your phone, you will need almost no cash for your arrival day either. What remains is cash for places such as restaurants with ticket machines, plus a reserve
- Staying one night at a rural accommodation that accepts cash only → Your fixed payment is the full accommodation charge (the amount shown on the booking screen: ¥＿＿). Add cash for your arrival day, each day, and your reserve
The number of days also changes the amount. The longer your trip, the more opportunities you may have to encounter restaurants with ticket machines or temples. But what changes the amount even more than the number of days is whether there is a large cash-only payment somewhere in your trip. A three-day trip with one night at a rural accommodation may require more cash than a seven-day city trip.
Here Is the Reasoning
91% said cards were convenient; 10.7% had trouble using cards. These were separate questions, and some people answered both
Every year, the Japan Tourism Agency asks travelers just before they leave Japan about their trip. In a survey conducted from November 2025 through January 2026 at five airports with 4,110 respondents, it found the following.
- 91% said credit/debit cards were “convenient” in at least one city. The leading reason was that cards were accepted in many places
- 10.7% listed the use of credit/debit cards as something they had trouble with during their trip. This was up from the previous two years (7.0% and 7.8%)
- The most common place where people had trouble was restaurants (32% of those who had trouble). The most common problem was that their card was not accepted (46%)
These were two separate questions. Someone who found cards convenient in one city but had trouble at another shop could be counted in both. The figures are not meant to add up to 100%, and the survey did not count how many payments could be made by card.
JNTO says that international-brand credit, debit, and prepaid cards are generally accepted throughout Japan. Generally accepted—but occasionally declined. That is Japan today.
For reference, a domestic indicator from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry put the cashless payment ratio at 58.0% in 2025. This refers to all household payments in Japan, not the share of travelers using cashless payments.
The situations where only cash works, or cards are less likely to work, are fairly predictable
JNTO specifically notes that in rural areas, some hotels accept cash only. When traveling to rural or sparsely populated areas, it advises checking with accommodations and facilities in advance and preparing cash.
Common situations you may encounter include:
- Small restaurants and places that use ticket machines — Some ticket machines accept cash only. Some do not accept ¥10,000 notes, so having ¥1,000 notes helps (see “Restaurants with ticket machines”)
- Rural accommodations — Sometimes the accommodation charge itself must be paid in cash. In that case, the entire charge becomes a cash payment (see “Paying at your accommodation”)
- Buying or charging a transit IC card (such as Suica) at a station ticket machine — According to JNTO, ticket machines accept cash only; credit cards cannot be used
- Late-night airport buses — For example, for the last bus from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station, you go directly to the bus stop and pay on board in cash or with a transit IC card (such as Suica). Credit cards are not accepted (see “From the airport to the city”)
Shops sometimes display accepted-card logos at the entrance or register. If you do not see one, the surest approach is to show your card and ask before entering.
More trains now let you ride by tapping a credit card
For short train journeys, it is not always possible to pay the fare directly with a credit or debit card. But this has been changing in recent years.
- On some private railway and subway lines around Tokyo, you can tap a contactless-enabled credit, debit, or prepaid card (or a phone containing one) and pass directly through the ticket gate. Since March 25, 2026, the service can also be used when transferring across the lines of 11 railway operators and transportation bureaus in the Kanto region, including Tokyo Metro, the Toei Subway, Keikyu, Tokyu, Keio, and Odakyu. However, not every station is covered. JR East is not one of these 11 operators
- If you have a compatible iPhone, you can use JR East’s Welcome Suica Mobile app to create a Suica transit IC card on your phone. Charge it with an eligible card in your own name that is registered with Apple Pay. If you can charge it by card, you will not need cash at a ticket machine. Location services must be turned on, and depending on your country or region, you may be unable to create or charge it until you arrive in Japan. It cannot be used by anyone under 13. Remaining funds cannot be refunded, so add small amounts with the intention of using the full balance
From Haneda to Shinagawa, you can ride Keikyu by tapping a contactless-enabled credit card or similar payment method (both Haneda Airport stations and Shinagawa Station are among the stations where contactless boarding is available). There are now ways to reach the city without using cash from the day you arrive.
You can withdraw cash after arriving in Japan
Seven Bank ATMs inside 7-Eleven stores allow you to withdraw Japanese yen with a card issued overseas. However, some cards may not work even if they display the same logo. The limit per withdrawal is generally ¥100,000 (¥30,000 for transactions read from the magnetic stripe instead of the IC chip). Airports including Haneda, Narita, Kansai, and Naha also have ATMs that accept overseas cards.
So you do not need to bring a large amount of cash from home. At Seven Bank ATMs, fees for cards issued overseas vary by card brand. Your own card issuer may also charge a fee. For instructions and fee information, see “Withdrawing Japanese yen at a convenience-store ATM.”
Work out your own amount this way
Now apply the formula above to your own trip. There are three things to count.
1. Situations where cash may be the only way to pay
Review your itinerary and identify any days that include the following.
- A day when you will stay at a rural accommodation (→ Ask whether it accepts cards. If it is cash only, bring the full accommodation charge in cash)
- A day with many meals at small regional restaurants or places with ticket machines
- A plan to buy or charge a transit IC card at a station ticket machine (→ You do not need to count this if you can use Suica on your phone or contactless payment instead)
- A late-night arrival at an airport followed by a bus into the city
- A day visiting several castles, shrines, or temples (these were listed in the Japan Tourism Agency survey as places where people had trouble using cards. Check the displayed payment methods before entering)
Check the price of each applicable item on your accommodation booking screen or the operator’s official website, and add them together. This is the core of the cash you should carry.
2. Cash for your arrival day
Your arrival day is when it is easiest to run into trouble, so plan this part in advance.
- How will you get from the airport to your accommodation? (If you can tap a credit card on the train or use Suica on your phone, you will not need cash. For the last bus from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station, you need cash or a transit IC card)
- Your meal on the night you arrive (the only nearby option may be a restaurant with a ticket machine)
Prepare this amount in yen before departure, or obtain it at the airport after you arrive. Major airports have currency-exchange counters in their arrival lobbies, and some airports have ATMs that accept overseas cards (the article about convenience-store ATMs lists which airports). The right choice depends on the cards you have and your arrival time.
3. A reserve in case your card does not work
Cards are occasionally declined. Depending on the card, an ATM may not accept it either. Carry a reserve large enough to get back to your accommodation or manage until the next usable ATM. Decide the amount based on where you will go that day.
ATMs are not open 24 hours everywhere. JNTO says that ATMs may close at night or run out of cash in busy cities. Carry a slightly larger reserve on days when you will be out late or travel to rural areas.
Three things to check about your card before departure
Whether you can reduce the cash you carry depends on your card. Before leaving home, check these points in your card issuer’s app or at its service counter.
- Can it be used overseas?
- Can it withdraw cash from overseas ATMs, and do you know the PIN? (Some cards require you to enable overseas withdrawals yourself)
- Does it support contactless payment? (Some railway lines let you ride by tapping. Check the operator’s information for eligible cards)
Some people get a debit card that is easy to use overseas or a card that can hold multiple currencies. But the countries where such cards are available are limited. Check before departure whether you can obtain one in your country.
If you plan to pay in stores with your phone, remember one thing. JNTO says that overseas mobile payment services such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Alipay may not work in Japan. Do not rely on your phone alone; bring at least one physical card as well.
If You Are Unsure, Decide This Way
No rural accommodation or other large cash-only payment → Carry cash for your arrival day plus a reserve until the next ATM. Pay for the rest by card, and use a convenience-store ATM if you run short.
A rural accommodation or another cash-only payment is part of the trip → Count that amount in advance and carry it. Ask when booking whether the accommodation accepts cards.
On either kind of trip, carry several ¥1,000 notes, not only ¥10,000 notes. You will be less likely to have trouble at a ticket machine.
- How to withdraw cash → “Withdrawing Japanese yen at a convenience-store ATM”
- Getting from the airport to the city → “By train from the airport to the city”
- Paying at your accommodation → “Paying at your accommodation”
