Originally Posted by
1Newflyer
I am going to Tokyo in 2 months. Will be exchanging some currency. I should not worry if I get some 2000 then from the conversation, right? Is cash the dominant payment in Japan? If so how much does one need for a 3 day stay excluding hotels as that will be known in advance. Just an understanding of cost there. I know it all depends on one lifestyle but its my first time and I would like to see the city in a typical touristy way.
Japan is cash based generally. If you're spending your time in Tokyo, you can use credit cards at big places (hotels, chain restaurants generally, denki stores, limousine bus from NRT, combini, JR tickets from Ticket Office). Where you can't is at a lot of nice old traditional places or Yoshinoya.
The amount of cash you need depends on what you like to do. I'm a fan of B-Cuisine so considering a bowl of ramen on average is just under 1000Y and a tonkatsu dinner is about twice that, I'd guess 20000 yen in your pocket should be fine. If you need more, there's 7-11 bank and your ATM card.