Getting familiar with Japanese yen before you arrive is one of the simplest ways to make your trip smoother. Japan's currency is beautifully designed, logically structured, and — once you know what each note and coin gets you — surprisingly easy to navigate.
This guide covers everything: the bills and coins in circulation (including the new 2024 designs), what each denomination can buy, how exchange rates work, how payments have evolved in Japan, and how to handle money respectfully while you're there.
Japanese Yen: Bills and Coins
The yen comes in two forms — banknotes and coins — both of which are in active circulation and worth knowing before you travel.
Banknotes (Bills)
Japan currently circulates banknotes in four denominations. Three of them received a complete redesign on July 3, 2024 — the first update in 20 years — so if you've traveled to Japan before, the bills may look different from what you remember. Both the old and new designs remain legal tender.
¥1,000 (Lowest denomination bill) The workhorse of everyday spending. A ¥1,000 note covers a bowl of ramen, a convenience store lunch set, a short taxi journey, or a round of vending machine drinks. Think of it as a mid-sized note for daily transactions.
New 2024 design: The ¥1,000 note now features bacteriologist Kitasato Shibasaburō on the front, replacing medical researcher Noguchi Hideyo. The reverse showcases Katsushika Hokusai's iconic ukiyo-e print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa.
¥2,000 (Rare) Printed only between 2000 and 2003, the ¥2,000 note exists but is genuinely uncommon — rarer than an American $2 bill. Don't count on seeing one, and it was not part of the 2024 redesign.
¥5,000 A useful mid-range note for dining out, paying for transport, or shopping at department stores. One ¥5,000 note comfortably covers dinner for one at a sit-down restaurant or a day of light sightseeing expenses.
New 2024 design: Tsuda Umeko — a Meiji-era pioneer in women's education and founder of Tsuda University — now graces the ¥5,000 note, replacing author Higuchi Ichiyō. The reverse features wisteria blossoms.
¥10,000 (Highest denomination bill) The largest banknote in circulation, equivalent in practical terms to a high-value spending note. Use it for hotel bills, multi-course dining, shopping, or anything that warrants bringing out the big note.
New 2024 design: The ¥10,000 bill now features industrialist Shibusawa Eiichi — known as the "father of capitalism" in Japan — who was involved in establishing hundreds of private companies. The reverse displays the iconic red brick façade of Tokyo Station's Marunouchi Building.
Coins
Japanese coins are distinctive, beautifully made, and genuinely useful. Several have a hole through their centre — a design tradition dating back centuries.
¥1 — Made of lightweight aluminium, the ¥1 coin is so light it can float on still water. It has minimal purchasing power on its own but is valuable for making exact change. Most vending machines and ticket machines do not accept ¥1 coins, but cashiers certainly do.
¥5 — Recognizable by the hole through its centre and a warm golden tone. The ¥5 coin (go-en) is considered lucky — the pronunciation sounds like the Japanese word for "fate" or "relationship" (en). It's a traditional coin to offer at shrines. A few of these can also add up for small purchases.
¥10 — A copper coin that's handy for public payphones, temple entrance fees, and rounding out exact change. A small stack of ¥10 coins adds up faster than you'd expect.
¥50 — Another coin with a hole through the middle, silver in colour. Useful for vending machines and accumulating toward larger purchases.
¥100 — One of the most versatile coins in your pocket. Equal to roughly the same as a US dollar (or slightly less, depending on the rate), the ¥100 coin is the standard denomination for 100-yen shops, coin laundries, and most vending machine transactions.
¥500 — The largest and most valuable coin, worth around the equivalent of a few US dollars. The ¥500 coin received a major security upgrade in 2021, gaining a bicolor clad design with new anti-counterfeiting features. It can buy a basic convenience store lunch, a short bus journey, or a snack at a street vendor.
The 2024 Banknote Redesign
On July 3, 2024, the Bank of Japan issued new banknotes for the ¥1,000, ¥5,000, and ¥10,000 denominations — the first redesign in 20 years.
The update is significant for travelers in a few practical ways. The new notes feature world-first three-dimensional holograms: when you tilt a bill, the portrait appears to rotate — an anti-counterfeiting measure unlike anything previously used on banknotes. The notes also include tactile marks in different positions on each denomination, making them easier to identify by touch.
Both old and new banknotes are legal tender and will be accepted everywhere. The Bank of Japan is gradually distributing the new designs through banks and ATMs, so you may receive a mix of old and new bills when making withdrawals.
If you're handed a bill that looks unfamiliar, that's completely normal — just check the denomination number printed prominently on both sides.
What Can Each Denomination Buy?
This is the most practical question for any traveler. Here's a realistic guide to what each denomination gets you in everyday Japan. Note that exact prices vary by city and venue — Tokyo and Osaka tend to be slightly pricier than rural areas.
What can you buy with ¥1?
Virtually nothing on its own — but don't underestimate the ¥1 coin. As the Japanese saying goes: "He who laughs at one yen will weep at one yen." Its real value is in making exact change, keeping you from breaking a larger note when paying for something small. Machines won't accept it, but cashiers at convenience stores and market stalls will.
What can you buy with ¥10?
The ¥10 coin is most useful for public payphones, where calls start from around ¥10 per unit. A small collection of ¥10 coins can also be used to make an offering at a temple or shrine alongside ¥5 coins — it's a common and perfectly respectful choice.
What can you buy with ¥100?
The ¥100 coin punches well above its weight. At a 100-yen shop (Daiso, Seria, or Can Do, found in almost every shopping district and train station), ¥100 buys you a surprisingly wide range of everyday goods: stationery, travel accessories, snacks, kitchen items, and more. A single ¥100 coin also covers most vending machine drinks, a coin locker top-up, or the base fare on a bus or subway in many cities.
What can you buy with ¥500?
A ¥500 coin — or a handful of smaller ones — buys you a comfortable snack or light meal at a convenience store: an onigiri (rice ball), a small sandwich, or a coffee and pastry. It also covers a short bus ride or contributes to a coin laundry cycle. A 500 yen budget at a 100-yen shop gets you five items.
What can you buy with ¥1,000?
A ¥1,000 note opens up most everyday food options: a bowl of ramen at a local restaurant, a set lunch (teishoku) at a casual eatery, a bento from a department store food hall, or two or three items from a convenience store. It also covers the cost of a single subway or local train journey in most cities, and many vending machine meal options.
What can you buy with ¥5,000?
A ¥5,000 note covers an enjoyable dinner for one at a mid-range restaurant — think an izakaya meal with a drink or two, or a full set course at a local specialty restaurant. It comfortably handles a day's worth of food spending for a single traveler on a moderate budget. A ¥5,000 note is also enough to stock up on snacks and drinks for a multi-hour Shinkansen journey, with change to spare.
What can you buy with ¥10,000?
The ¥10,000 note is Japan's highest denomination bill and covers significant purchases comfortably. It can cover a night at a budget guesthouse or capsule hotel in most cities, a full family meal at a restaurant, a substantial shopping session at a department store, or a combination of transport and entry fees for a day of sightseeing. When checking into a hotel or paying for a group meal, this is the note you'll pull out.
Yen Pronunciation, Counting, and the ¥ Symbol
How to pronounce yen
In English, we say "yen." In Japanese, the Y is silent — the word is simply en (pronounced like the first syllable of "engine"). So the ¥5 coin is go-en, the ¥100 coin is hyaku-en, and ¥1,000 is sen-en. You don't need to master Japanese pronunciation to travel in Japan, but knowing this helps when asking for prices or reading menus aloud.
How to count yen
The yen has no decimal currency in active use (see the Sen section below), which actually makes counting simple: prices are always in whole numbers. There are no cents, no pence — just yen. A price of ¥1,500 is exactly one thousand five hundred yen, no further breakdown required.
When reading prices, the ¥ symbol always appears before the number in English-language contexts (¥1,500), but in Japanese, you'll more often see the amount written simply as 1,500円 (the 円 character means yen/en).
How to read the yen-to-USD rate
Exchange rates between the yen and major currencies fluctuate and should always be checked fresh before and during your trip. The rate has shifted significantly in recent years — it's no longer the ¥109 per USD it once was, and has hovered in a considerably weaker range for the yen. A currency exchange website or your bank's app will give you the current rate. For a practical Japan travel budget calculator, use our JR Fare Calculator to estimate transport costs as part of your overall spend.
The weaker yen in recent years has been genuinely good news for international visitors — your travel budget stretches further than it did even a few years ago.
Sen vs. Yen {#sen}
Sen is a subdivision of the yen: one yen equals 100 sen. In theory, the sen works the same way as US cents or UK pence — a fraction of the main currency.
In practice, however, sen has not been used in everyday Japanese life since the mid-20th century. You won't encounter sen coins in circulation, and prices in Japan are never quoted in sen. The smallest unit of practical currency is the ¥1 coin.
You may occasionally see sen referenced in historical contexts or in formal financial documents, but for any traveler, it's simply not relevant. All transactions you make in Japan will be in whole yen.
Japanese Currency Exchange
Foreign currency is generally accepted only at major international airports and some large banks — so arriving in Japan with yen already in hand, or knowing where to exchange promptly, makes for a smoother start.
Keep in mind that exchange rates vary between providers, and some — particularly airport kiosks and hotel desks — offer less favorable rates than banks or post offices. It's worth comparing options when you have time.
Where to exchange
Post offices and banks typically offer competitive rates and are found in virtually every city and town across Japan.
International airports are convenient for a first exchange on arrival, though rates may be slightly less favorable. It's a good idea to change a reasonable amount here to cover your first day before you can shop around.
Some hotels offer exchange services, but again, rates vary.
ATMs at convenience stores (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) and post offices reliably accept foreign cards and are a dependable way to withdraw yen as needed. Keep in mind that some ATMs have operating hour restrictions — particularly in rural areas — so it pays to withdraw in cities when convenient.
Traveler's checks are rarely the most practical option in modern Japan, and acceptance is limited primarily to international airports and large banks.
Exchange rate: keep it fresh
The yen/dollar rate has seen notable movement in recent years and checking it regularly during your trip planning and while in Japan is good practice. The best tools for this are dedicated currency converter apps or bank apps — most are free and update in real time. Mobile apps for traveling to Japan often include currency conversion features alongside transport and navigation tools.
Payment Methods in Japan
Japan's payment landscape has changed considerably — and the pace of change is accelerating. Japan's cashless payment ratio reached 42.8% in 2024, surpassing the government's target of 40%. That said, cash remains essential for a significant portion of everyday transactions, particularly outside major urban centers.
Cash
Cash is still the most universally accepted payment method in Japan and remains essential for smaller shops, local restaurants, rural areas, vending machines, and many temples and shrines. No matter how comfortable you get with cashless options, always carry a reasonable amount of yen. Running out in a rural town or a traditional ryokan area is genuinely inconvenient.
Credit and debit cards
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted at hotels, department stores, chain restaurants, convenience stores, and most tourist-facing businesses in major cities. American Express has more limited acceptance. Since April 2025, using an IC chip credit card at stores in Japan generally requires entering a 4-digit PIN — the previous signature bypass method was discontinued at the end of March 2025. Make sure your card has a working PIN before you travel.
IC Cards
IC cards — Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA, and their regional equivalents — are reloadable smart cards originally designed for public transport but now accepted at a huge range of convenience stores, vending machines, and chain restaurants. Suica can be set up in Apple Wallet on an iPhone, letting you use it for contactless payments directly from your phone. If you're planning to use trains in Japan regularly, an IC card will save you time at every turnstile.
For a detailed look at IC card options, see our guide to Suica and other IC cards.
QR code payments (PayPay, Rakuten Pay)
PayPay holds a 65.1% share of QR code payments in Japan Wise and is accepted at an enormous number of venues — including some smaller shops that don't take credit cards. However, most QR code payment platforms require a Japanese bank account or phone number, making them inaccessible to most short-term international visitors. Contactless payment via Apple Pay and Google Pay linked to a supported Visa or Mastercard is more practical for foreign travelers.
How to Get Yen
You'll almost certainly need cash during your time in Japan. Here are the most reliable ways to get it:
Convenience store ATMs — 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart all operate ATMs that accept foreign cards reliably, are available in English, and are open long hours. This is the most consistently stress-free option for international travelers.
Post office ATMs — Another dependable option with good rates and English-language menus. Post offices are everywhere in Japan, even in smaller towns.
Airport exchange desks — Useful for getting a starter amount of cash when you land. Not always the best rate, but convenient and reliable.
Bank branches — Generally offer competitive rates. Best used when you have time to visit during business hours and want to exchange a larger amount.
Currency exchange before traveling — If your home bank offers competitive yen exchange, converting some currency before departure can be practical and ensures you arrive with cash in hand.
Japanese Money Etiquette
Japan has a distinctive and respectful culture around money that's worth understanding as a visitor.
Use both hands — When giving or receiving money, bills, or even business cards, doing so with both hands is a sign of respect. This applies in shops, restaurants, and any formal exchange.
Use the tray — Many Japanese countertops have a small tray or dish near the register. It's the expected place to put your money when paying — place your cash or card on the tray rather than handing it directly to the cashier.
Handle bills carefully — Japanese culture places value on the careful treatment of banknotes. Try to keep bills flat and unfolded rather than stuffed crumpled into pockets. Yen bills are also slightly larger than US dollars, so a larger wallet protects their integrity and saves you from having to fold them.
No tipping — Tipping is not practiced in Japan and can actually cause confusion or discomfort. Exceptional service is simply the standard — the best way to show appreciation is a sincere arigatō gozaimasu (thank you very much).
To learn more about navigating Japanese customs with confidence, see our guide to Japanese etiquette for travelers.
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Browse our regional passes if you're focusing on a specific area, or use our Fare Calculator to estimate individual route costs.
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