Oops! Japan #6 — Why Cash Still Rules Japan The Truth About Money, Cards, and Payment Culture Oops! Japan 第6回：キャッシュレス社会じゃない⁉ 日本の現金ルールと注意点


 

Oops! Japan #6 — Why Cash Still Rules Japan

The Truth About Money, Cards, and Payment Culture

Oops! Japan 第6回：キャッシュレス社会じゃない⁉ 日本の現金ルールと注意点


💴 The Myth of a Cashless Japan

You might expect that Japan — a tech-forward nation — would be cashless by now. Spoiler: it’s not.

日本はハイテクなイメージがあるのに、現金社会がまだ根強く残っています。 キャッシュレスが主流の国から来た旅行者ほど、最初に驚くポイントです。


🥢 Restaurants and Small Shops = Cash Only

Many small, local restaurants and family-run shops still don’t accept cards or digital payments.

Even some popular ramen shops and izakayas are cash only.

Some temples, shrines, and museums also reject cards.

Local buses in rural areas may only accept coins.

日本ではカードが使えない飲食店が珍しくありません。 特に小さな個人経営の店、観光地の屋台、地方の交通機関は要注意です。

Always have a few thousand yen in your wallet — even in big cities.


📱 Suica to the Rescue

The good news: IC cards like Suica or Pasmo are widely accepted and super easy to use.

Load them via your smartphone (Apple Wallet or Google Pay)

Use them for trains, buses, vending machines, convenience stores, and even some taxis

No need to carry coins everywhere

SuicaなどのICカードをスマホで使えば、かなりキャッシュレスに近づきます。 交通・買い物・コンビニ・自販機までカバーできて、旅が一気に楽になります。

💡 Tip: No fees when loading from a credit card via Apple Wallet.


💱 Exchanging Money: Avoid Tourist Traps

Smart exchange machines are everywhere — but many have terrible rates.

両替機のレートは一見便利そうでも損することが多いです。 見栄えの良さよりも、「手数料が安い場所」を選ぶのがコツ。

Better options include:

Post offices (especially in rural areas)

7-Bank ATMs (at 7-Eleven)

Large bank branches with multilingual machines


💳 Credit Cards: Use with Caution

Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted — but not everywhere.

Many restaurants may require a minimum amount

Some stores reject foreign-issued cards

Certain hotels still prefer cash at check-out

クレジットカードは万能ではありません。 海外発行カードが通らない店もあり、最終手段として現金が必要になる場面も。

Pro tip: Always carry a backup card and some cash.


💸 Budgeting Basics: How Much Cash Should You Carry?

🚌 Local transport: ¥500–1000/day

🍱 Meals: ¥6000/day (less if you eat like a local)

🏯 Sightseeing, gifts: varies — but always expect small payments in cash

日本では意外と「ちょっとした支払い」に現金が必要になるので、数千円は常に手元に置いておきましょう。


📌 Final Thoughts

Japan is evolving toward digital payments — slowly. Until then, travel smart by keeping a hybrid mindset: Suica, card, and yen bills.

「現金・カード・スマホ」の三刀流で構えるのが、日本旅行の正解です。 現地で慌てないよう、最初から「現金が要る国」と思っておくと安心。


📝 Written by De Garassie the 4th (出涸し文四郎)

Next up: Oops! Japan #7 — How to Eat Without Stress（食べ方・並び方・注文のリアル） Stay tuned for more helpful truths they don’t print in the brochures.

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