How to Pay Cashĭespite the widening use of credit- and debit cards, Japan is still predominantly considered a cash-based society which especially holds true in rural areas. Read more in-depth about each denomination. Six coins are used including 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 yen values, alongside 4 bills/notes including 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 (although the 2,000 yen note is quite rare). The Japanese yen is available in 10 denominations.
Fun fact: En also means “circle” in Japanese therefore, the exchange rate was initially fixed at 360 yen to 1 US dollar.įor day-to-day purchases, note that the current consumption tax rate is 10% nationwide, but drops to 8% for cafes, restaurants or other businesses serving food to take away - note that the rate climbs to 10% when dining in, so you may find the final price for goods varies depending on your choice and shops will typically remind you of this. The official Japanese currency is the yen (円), pronounced “ en” in Japanese and denoted with the symbol ¥ (though you'll more likely see the kanji symbol 円 in everyday use).
In our money guide, we outline the basics of using Japanese yen (¥, JPY), including denominations, exchange rates, and payment methods. When traveling in Japan, visitors will need to use the Japanese currency.