I've wondered about MS options while traveling, too. I recall last time in Japan, the convenience stores had a dazzling array of things that looked like they had the option to store value - all completely new and unfamiliar, so tempting! Potentially very risky, though - if things go sideways, getting it fixed once you return to the US could be a real adventure. Of course, not being able to read Japanese also increases the risk more than a little!