Japan
JapanMoney
What to carry, where cards stop working, and how to top up.
Do you need cash in Japan?
Yes. Cards work in cities, but small restaurants, shrines, and rural transport are cash only.
Where can I get cash with a foreign card?
A convenience store ATM. They take overseas cards, run around the clock, and there are tens of thousands of them.
Can you haggle over prices?
No. The marked price is the price, and asking for a discount will be met with polite confusion.
Why do I end up with so many coins, and what do I do with them?
Because prices are not rounded and the coinage runs high in value. Dump them into an IC card top-up machine rather than carrying them.
Why is there a small tray next to the register?
That is where money goes, in both directions. Put your cash and card in the tray rather than into the cashier's hand.