Credit Cards or Cash in Japan
Oct 16, 2014, 1:43 am
#106
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
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I like the tiny import market in Omotesando, in the basement of the building that houses the MOMA (New York Museum of Modern Art) store.
Address B1 Gyre, 5-10-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
I think that's the right address.
There is a flipping amazing bread shop down there too next door.
Sorry to be off topic. Incidentally, the darn bread store is CASH ONLY.
Address B1 Gyre, 5-10-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
I think that's the right address.
There is a flipping amazing bread shop down there too next door.
Sorry to be off topic. Incidentally, the darn bread store is CASH ONLY.
Oct 16, 2014, 1:09 pm
#107
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: SUV
Programs: UA *G MM
Posts: 7,017
There's a Meiji-ya supermarket in the basement of the Marunouchi Bldg and a Seijo Ishii supermarket in the basement of the Shin-Marunouchi Bldg. And of course massive food markets in the Gransta complex in the basement of Tokyo station and the depachika basement of the Daimaru Department store.
They all take credit cards (although a surprising number of Tokyo supermarkets are cash-only, or take only obscure credit cards).
They all take credit cards (although a surprising number of Tokyo supermarkets are cash-only, or take only obscure credit cards).
Oct 16, 2014, 9:10 pm
#108
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 608
As for no credit cards, the Yoshiya SainE in front of Ushigomeyanigocho station takes cash only. The Deli F on Yasukuni-dori just east of Ichigaya station is also cash only.
Oct 16, 2014, 10:14 pm
#109
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: NH Plat
Posts: 652
Seiyu also take credit cards, but charge for bags.
Dec 9, 2015, 7:57 pm
#110
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Singapore
Posts: 46
I just recently returned from a holiday in Kyushu, so I thought to share my experience here and share some data points. I hope it isn't bad form to revive a thread that is a year old. Bear in mind, I spent over 10+ days in the Kyushu countryside towns, and 3 full days in the bigger cities of Beppu, Oita and Fukuoka, so the acceptance rate is somewhat lower.
Hotels - Most ryokans we stayed at accepted credit cards, but a couple did express a specific preference (Visa) and I did have luck using a Amex at a bigger ryokan. For those that specified a preference for Visa, I didn't ask about MCs as I didn't bring one. There was a ryokan in one of the countryside towns which had a cash-only rate for rooms on its online portal, which my friends did not spot when they booked it, but I did when I scrutinized the email. Luckily we did have enough cash to pay upon checkout. This is something to watch out for when the website and/or confirmation email is in Japanese - do scrutinize the translated content in Google Translate, and look for potential surprises instead of scrolling through the content.
Restaurants - If the restaurant is likely to be frequented by tourists, chances are that it will accept credit cards. If it is more frequented by locals or is a smaller establishment, it more often will not accept cards. A rule of thumb is generally to assume they do not, or ask before ordering. For smaller cafes or stalls selling snacks under 1000 to 2000 yen, its easier to use cash.
Shopping - For shops selling local products, there is a greater likelihood of accepting cards if they have high tourist traffic. Especially for spots that may have high volume of tourists from China, Unionpay acceptance is advertised. For supermarkets, most do accept credit cards, although we did have a unexpected surprise when a supermarket in Minami-Aso did not take credit cards when a bigger store of the same chain in a neighbouring town did.
Attractions - The admission fees for most attractions are quite low - approx. <1000 yen. Generally, the experience was that if the admission fee per head was <1000 yen, the admissions counter was unlikely to take credit cards. For more specialized attractions (theme parks, animal parks/safaris) with higher admission fees of 2000yen and above, they are likely to take cards.
Hope the above information helps!
Hotels - Most ryokans we stayed at accepted credit cards, but a couple did express a specific preference (Visa) and I did have luck using a Amex at a bigger ryokan. For those that specified a preference for Visa, I didn't ask about MCs as I didn't bring one. There was a ryokan in one of the countryside towns which had a cash-only rate for rooms on its online portal, which my friends did not spot when they booked it, but I did when I scrutinized the email. Luckily we did have enough cash to pay upon checkout. This is something to watch out for when the website and/or confirmation email is in Japanese - do scrutinize the translated content in Google Translate, and look for potential surprises instead of scrolling through the content.
Restaurants - If the restaurant is likely to be frequented by tourists, chances are that it will accept credit cards. If it is more frequented by locals or is a smaller establishment, it more often will not accept cards. A rule of thumb is generally to assume they do not, or ask before ordering. For smaller cafes or stalls selling snacks under 1000 to 2000 yen, its easier to use cash.
Shopping - For shops selling local products, there is a greater likelihood of accepting cards if they have high tourist traffic. Especially for spots that may have high volume of tourists from China, Unionpay acceptance is advertised. For supermarkets, most do accept credit cards, although we did have a unexpected surprise when a supermarket in Minami-Aso did not take credit cards when a bigger store of the same chain in a neighbouring town did.
Attractions - The admission fees for most attractions are quite low - approx. <1000 yen. Generally, the experience was that if the admission fee per head was <1000 yen, the admissions counter was unlikely to take credit cards. For more specialized attractions (theme parks, animal parks/safaris) with higher admission fees of 2000yen and above, they are likely to take cards.
Hope the above information helps!
Dec 10, 2015, 10:48 am
#111
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SEA
Programs: Hilton - Diamond, Hyatt - Platinum
Posts: 98
My experience at supermarket/hypermart type places is that they may take credit cards at some registers, but not all. So if they sell big ticket items (furniture, jewelry, etc.), the registers in those areas will take credit cards, but if you check out in the supermarket area, they won't accept cards there.
Also one of my Japanese friends told me that Starbucks takes credit cards (just like in the US), but she claims to be the only person in Tokyo who ever uses on there - she got in the habit of using a card at Starbucks when she lived in the US
(I'm sure she's not the only person in Tokyo who uses a card there, but it made me laugh when she said that.)
Also one of my Japanese friends told me that Starbucks takes credit cards (just like in the US), but she claims to be the only person in Tokyo who ever uses on there - she got in the habit of using a card at Starbucks when she lived in the US
(I'm sure she's not the only person in Tokyo who uses a card there, but it made me laugh when she said that.)
Last edited by manderwa; Dec 10, 2015 at 11:16 pm Reason: typo. fat fingers.
Dec 10, 2015, 7:27 pm
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,052
My experience at supermarket/hypermart type places is that they may take credit cards at some registers, but not all. So if they sell big ticket items (furniture, jewelry, etc.), the registers in those areas will take credit cards, but if you check out in the supermarket area, they won't accept cards there.
Also one of my Japanese friends told me that Starbucks takes credit cards (just like in the US), but she claims to me the only person in Tokyo who ever uses on there - she got in the habit of using a card at Starbucks when she lived in the US (I'm sure she's not the only person in Tokyo who uses a card there, but it made me laugh when she said that.)
Also one of my Japanese friends told me that Starbucks takes credit cards (just like in the US), but she claims to me the only person in Tokyo who ever uses on there - she got in the habit of using a card at Starbucks when she lived in the US
(I'm sure she's not the only person in Tokyo who uses a card there, but it made me laugh when she said that.).
Dec 10, 2015, 10:10 pm
#113
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Dec 10, 2015, 10:11 pm
#114
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Dec 28, 2015, 9:30 am
#116
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 166
Just returned from Japan (6 days Tokyo, 4 days Kyoto/Nara/Osaka).
I was concerned about the cash/credit issue, but in these areas we had no problem!
Upon landing we withdrew about 50k Yen for "emergencies" from a 7-11 ATM. We used Credit nearly everywhere, except at temples and for souvenir/gifts. I checked on all of our dinner/lunch plans to see whether they took credit ahead of time, and most accepted CCs, same with our hotels (including Ryokan and temple guest house).
I was concerned about the cash/credit issue, but in these areas we had no problem!
Upon landing we withdrew about 50k Yen for "emergencies" from a 7-11 ATM. We used Credit nearly everywhere, except at temples and for souvenir/gifts. I checked on all of our dinner/lunch plans to see whether they took credit ahead of time, and most accepted CCs, same with our hotels (including Ryokan and temple guest house).
Jan 3, 2016, 4:02 pm
#117
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,378
Credit cards are accepted at more and more places. But there're still some chains (let alone independent places) that don't take credit card. Three F konbini、Mister Donuts (at least, the last two shops I was at), First Kitchen, Gogo Curry, etc.
It seems that most restaurants with the shokken system (pre-pay your order at a vending machine and you get a ticket that you hand to the staff) don't take cc.
It seems that most restaurants with the shokken system (pre-pay your order at a vending machine and you get a ticket that you hand to the staff) don't take cc.
Jan 3, 2016, 4:45 pm
#118
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: UA Mileage Plus, AAdvantage, Southwest, HHonors, National
Posts: 528
Recently visited Yudanaka Onsen and found that some of the shops accept cards. I was surprised since its in the countryside. What I found kind of confusing is that some Lawson's konbini don't always indicate they accept cards. I went three days to the same Lawson's in Yudanaka before finding out they took cards. Also, it seems that some of the smaller hotel/ryokan (at least in the area I stayed) can accept cards but would rather take cash.
Jan 3, 2016, 5:31 pm
#119
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,378
Recently visited Yudanaka Onsen and found that some of the shops accept cards. I was surprised since its in the countryside. What I found kind of confusing is that some Lawson's konbini don't always indicate they accept cards. I went three days to the same Lawson's in Yudanaka before finding out they took cards.
Jul 19, 2017, 1:04 pm
#120
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Kan@da
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Posts: 1,790
Is using/bringing Traveller's Cheques to Japan still a relevant or viable solution in 2017 ?