Money
The currency in Japan is the yen (JPY, ￥). Banknotes and coins are easily identifiable. There are 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 yen coins, and 1000, 5000 and 10,000 yen banknotes. The 1 yen coin is made of lightweight aluminum while the 5 yen (known to bring good luck) and 50 yen coins have a hole in the center.
Money Exchange
Cash or travelers checks can be exchanged at any "Authorized Foreign Exchange Bank" (signs are displayed in English) or at some of Kyoto's larger hotels and department stores. Main post offices will also cash traveler's checks. Rates vary little between banks, if at all (even the exchange counters at the airport offer rates comparable to those offered by downtown banks). In Kyoto, most major banks (including Citibank) are located near the Shijo-Karasuma intersection, two stops north of Kyoto Station on the Karasuma subway line.
Withdrawing Money: ATMs
Visitors to Japan no longer have to carry around large amount of cash -- withdrawing money is as easy as going to one of Japan's ubiquitous 7-11 convenience stores. Japan's Seven Bank, related to 7-11, will begin accepting foreign-issued ATM and credit cards as of July 11, 2007. Cards displaying VISA/PLUS, MasterCard/Cirrus, American Express, JCB, or China Union Pay logos will be accepted for yen withdrawal. Language options for the ATM screen and receipts include English, Korean, Chinese, and Portuguese.
In addition, those with a Citibank account may withdraw yen from Japanese Citibank ATM's without incurring a surcharge. Details here. Foreign issued bank or credit cards are accepted at Shinsei Bank ATMs also for a slight transaction fee. One option useful for travelers all over Japan, including the countryside, is the Japan Post Office. ATMs are located in most post offices throughout Japan, accept foreign-issued ATM and major credit cards, and have English menus.
Note that virtually no ATMs are open 24-hours a day in Japan, and withdrawals from foreign issued cards often must be made before 5:00p.m.
Credit Cards
Hotels, department stores, high-end restaurants and shops accept credit cards, while many of the smaller shops do not. VISA has the largest number of users followed by JCB and MasterCard.
The telephone numbers of their Tokyo offices:
Visa: Tel 03-5251-0633, toll free 0120-133-173
MasterCard: 03-5728-5200
American Express toll free: 0120-020-120 24hrs.
Note, Japan is definitely a cash-based society, so having cash on-hand is highly recommended. You can withdraw money using your credit card at any post office ATM machine and at select banks.
Taxes & Refunds
There is a 5% consumption tax on retail purchases in Japan. Visitors on a short-stay visa can, however, avoid this tax on purchases made at major department stores and duty-free stores such as the Kyoto Handicraft Center. For a refund on purchases, check first that the department store has a service desk for tax refunds. When you make a purchase, the tax will be included; however you can receive an immediate refund by taking the purchase receipt and your passport to the service desk. If you dine at higher-end restaurants and stay at first-class accommodation, you will encounter a service charge, which varies from 10% to 15%. A tax of 5% is added to restaurant bills exceeding ¥5,000 or hotel bills exceeding ¥10,000. Therefore, it may be less expensive to request separate bills. Note that most of prices for goods in Japan INCLUDE sales tax.
Tipping
Basically, not only is tipping is not necessary in Japan, but your attempts to tip will either be greeted with bemused expressions or utter confusion. Hotel bills include tips in their service charge. There is no tipping at restaurants, nor do you tip taxi cab drivers, although a small tip for bellhop services may be accepted.
