Visa/Mastercard Acceptance?
 

I'm taking my first trip to Japan (and Asia as a whole) next week, and I would love the board's help with a question.

Since I put most of my purchases on Amex here in the states (and my Visa is from Bank of America), I applied for a new Visa from Capital One to cut the fees that I would pay while overseas.

Being brilliant, they sent me a MasterCard instead of a visa (still forex-fee free). Before I call them up and try to get an expedited visa sent to me, what is MasterCard acceptance like in Japan compared to Visa? Are they about the same? Is one more widely accepted than the other?

Thanks a bunch.

For my previous visits, Visa / Master / Amex has no difference in acceptance in Japan

Visa / Master are always OK, and AMEX is now processsed by JCB network which basically every place accepting cards accept JCB ....

Yep, they're the same.

Thanks
 

Fantastic--thanks so much. I may have more questions over the coming days, and I appreciate everyone's help. . .

Pretty much the same at places that accept credit cards, accept most cards.

Now remember unlike the US, you can't use cards everywhere. Even though a good number of places in Japan do accept cards nowadays there are still many places that still take cash only (eg short distance train tickets etc).

I always recommend having some cash on hand as backup.

My experience is becoming a little out of date... In 2009, I knew a couple of places that would take Visa, but not JCB or AMEX. I didn't have Mastercard, so I don't know about that.

And as Railroad Tycoon pointed out, there are some cash only places.

Thanks
 

Thanks again--I'll make sure to have enough cash on me that I can cover where necessary. . .

Absolutely right. ^ Don't travel in Japan without cash. You'll be surprised how many places won't take cards.

Visa and MasterCard are treated the same.

Wirelessly posted (blackberry: BlackBerry9650/5.0.0.699 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104)

I also primarily use amex, have visa and mc as a backup.

I have been in tokyo for 4 or 5 weeks now (also traveled to kyoto).

Have not needed to use non-amex yet, with the exception of many restaurants whom accept credit cards only for dinner (that's right, I've been multiple places who gladly take my cc for dinner but refuse for lunch).

Atms here are a different story though, my schwab card has -only- worked at 711 atms. I have tried it in literally dozens of others.

And a fair number of cheaper hotels and high-end ryokan too. @:-)

Have you tried the post office ATMs too? I don't know what ATM network Schwab is on, so I can't give you a list or website to help you out. In general, post offices, Shinsei Bank, and Seven (7/11) Banks are your best bets.

In my experience, cash is king in Japan and tons of places do not accept MC/VISA/AMEX.

Train stations, restaurants, smaller hotels, places like that.

Be sure to have back up cash and check beforehand if the location accepts CC.

Also some ATMs there do not take our US cards for withdrawing cash.

It's more than "some." It's most. Your U.S. card is most likely to work at a post office or Citibank ATM.

Also, if you need to get a cash advance on a credit card (not recommended except in emergencies, due to the high and separate interest rates), just walk into any bank that displays your card's logo and ask for "cashing" (kyashingu). You must know your card's PIN, though.

Like most places in Asia there is a credit card price and a cash price. Rule of thumb for Akihabara is 3-5%.

I've found credit card acceptance slowly improving over the years. Restaurants in or somehow associated with department stores (for those who haven't been to Japan, there are a lot of them which are like this) now almost uniformly accept them.