Money in Japan: how much cash, and which cards work

Why you still need some cash

Cards and IC transit cards cover most day-to-day spending in Tokyo, but two things keep cash in your pocket. Charging a physical Suica or PASMO at a station ticket machine or fare-adjustment machine is cash-only — on the Tokyo Monorail machines you add ¥500 to ¥10,000 at a time, up to ¥20,000. And smaller shops, shrines and some eateries still take cash only. The good news: you can withdraw yen with an overseas card at the ATMs below, so there is no need to arrive with large amounts.

Foreign cards at Japanese ATMs

All four networks below accept the main international brands — Visa, Mastercard, JCB and UnionPay; Seven Bank and Japan Post Bank also list American Express, Diners Club, Discover and Maestro/Cirrus. Your card issuer may add its own fee on top of the ATM's.

Where an operator does not publish a flat fee, we say so rather than guess — the amount is set by your card issuer. Some AEON Bank machines do not accept foreign cards; use the operator's store/ATM locator if one refuses your card.

ATMs & exchange at Haneda

Terminal 3 (international) has several 24-hour bank ATMs — Mizuho, MUFG, SMBC, Japan Post Bank and Risona all list round-the-clock machines there, with a Seven Bank ATM running 05:00–24:00. Terminals 1 and 2 run mostly from around 05:00 to 24:00, with a handful open from 06:00.

For currency exchange, Terminal 3 has 24-hour desks (Japan Airport Terminal, Shinhan Bank) plus Travelex and Pocket Change machines. One caveat straight from the airport: even the 24-hour exchange facilities close briefly overnight for maintenance, so do not count on a specific desk at, say, 03:00. If you land late, our late-night arrival guide covers what is open and how to get into the city.

ATMs & exchange at Narita

Narita has ATMs from Seven Bank, Chiba Bank, Japan Post Bank, Mizuho, MUFG and AEON across all three terminals, placed by area (before and after security, before customs), with a ¥30,000 per-withdrawal cap noted and possible closures over long holidays. Currency exchange is handled by GPA, Chiba Bank, Keiyo Bank and Travelex; rates are set per desk and some currencies are not handled. Hours vary by operator and card type, so use Narita's own pages for the current picture:

• Narita Airport — ATMs (official)
• Narita Airport — currency exchange (official)

Good to know

Do I need cash in Japan, or is a card enough?

Cards and IC transit cards cover most spending, but keep some yen. Topping up a physical Suica or PASMO at a station machine is cash-only (up to ¥20,000 per top-up on the Tokyo Monorail machines), and smaller shops, shrines and some eateries still take cash only. You can withdraw yen with an overseas card at convenience-store bank ATMs, so you do not need to carry large amounts.

Can I use my foreign card at Japanese ATMs?

Yes, at the major convenience-store and retail-bank ATMs — Seven Bank, Japan Post Bank, Lawson Bank and AEON Bank all accept the main international networks (Visa, Mastercard, JCB and UnionPay; Seven Bank and Japan Post Bank additionally list American Express, Diners Club, Discover and Maestro/Cirrus). The per-withdrawal cap and the ATM's own fee differ by operator — see the table above. Your card issuer may add its own fee on top.

Is there an ATM at Haneda in the middle of the night?

Yes. Terminal 3 (international) has several 24-hour bank ATMs; Terminals 1 and 2 run mostly from around 05:00 to 24:00. Currency-exchange desks in Terminal 3 also run 24 hours, though the airport notes that even 24-hour exchange facilities close briefly overnight for maintenance.

What about ATMs and exchange at Narita?

Narita has ATMs from Seven Bank, Chiba Bank, Japan Post Bank, Mizuho, MUFG and AEON across all three terminals, with a ¥30,000 per-withdrawal cap noted; currency exchange is handled by GPA, Chiba Bank, Keiyo Bank and Travelex. Hours vary by operator, so check Narita's official ATM and currency-exchange pages for locations and times.