Tipping in Japan
- Japan doesn’t have a tipping culture – just be extra polite instead
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Code
JPY
Symbol
¥
Coins
Unholed - ¥1, ¥10, ¥100, ¥500; Holed - ¥5, ¥50
Banknotes
¥1000, ¥2000, ¥5000 and ¥10,000
Welcome to Japan!
Be bamboozled by a country that surpasses imagination. Sci-fi is the norm in Japan, yet it still remains deeply rooted in its deep and humble traditions. While neon rainbow cities host karaoke, charming sunset towns hold quiet tea ceremonies. And then there’s the stunning landscapes that glide past in super-fast trains. It’s just too much goodness.
ATM access in Japan
- 5/5 stars – Thankfully, ‘convenience store’ (known as konbini) takes on a whole new
meaning in Japan, with thousands of stores all over the country providing ATMs.
Phone and Internet access in Japan
- When Godzilla isn’t breaking things, it’s excellent.
Daily cost in Japan
You’ll always find cheap and convenient food and transport, just make sure you keep coins handy.
- Coffee: ¥500 JPY (roughly $5 AUD for a regular cappuccino)
- Water: ¥120 JPY (roughly $1.20 AUD for a 500ml bottle)
- Beer: ¥500 JPY (roughly $5 AUD for draft beer)
- Meal: ¥1,000 JPY (roughly $3 AUD for a bowl of ramen)
- Taxi: ¥450 JPY (roughly $4.50 AUD per km)
Daily budget for Japan travel
- Budget: Around AU$80/day = 2x local meals, konbini snacks, train tickets, and exploring temples and shrines in Kyoto.
- Moderate: Around AU$150/day = 2x local meals, drinks at an izakaya, and a day at Nintendo World in Osaka.
- Luxury: Around AU$300+/day = Michelin-Starred meals, a Kabuki performance, or a ski trip in Hokkaido, anyone?
Japan safety rating
- 5/5 stars - Japan is super safe to travel! Just make sure to practise common sense and avoid any active Pokémon battles.
Travel Money trivia time
- Don’t be a square: The word yen directly translates to ‘a round object’.
- Paperclip coin: The coin for 1 yen weighs 1 gram, around the weight of a paperclip.
- Donut yen: Both the 5 and 50 yen coin have a hole in their centre.
- On emperor’s time: Unlike our coins, yen display the year of the current emperor’s reign.
- Hey big trader: The Japanese yen is the third highest traded currency (after USD and the euro).
Let's talk money tips
To keep your costs in Japan cheap and efficient, you’ll want to keep plenty of cash in hand for your day-to-day purchases. In fact, coins are a gateway to so many necessities, with some restaurants requiring tickets for meals (purchased at coin vending machines).
- Tips are often refused, so tip by saying: “arigatou gozaimasu”
- Save with a Japan Rail Pass
- Choose a hotel with free Wi-Fi
- Be smart with ATM fees
- Convenience store = cheap lunches!
- Most vending machines require coins, so keep yo’ yen handy for burgers and quirky knick-knacks
Must do things in Japan
- Cherry blossom chasing: When spring awakens Japan’s flowers, you’ll see the cherry blossom. Plan out when they bloom in each city and walk down aisles of silky pink.
- Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine: Walk through the rows of mesmerising sunset-orange torii gates. There are 10,000 in total, so you’ll have time to enjoy it.
- Robot restaurant: Sit back with a beer and watch robot monsters dance, fight and inspire with this profound cabaret show in Tokyo.
- Nara, my deer: Visit the quiet city of Nara to discover the insanely cute (and bizarrely polite) deer of Nara Park.
- Late night Gion: Kyoto is full of places to enjoy, like Gion. This famous geisha district is full of traditional buildings and lantern-lit paths that are truly enchanting.
Get the best deal on your foreign exchange today and take off with more spending money. Order online 24/7 or visit one of our stores nationwide.
Travel Money Oz has sought to ensure that the information is true and correct at the time of publication. Prices, details and services are subject to change without notice, and Travel Money Oz accepts no responsibility or liability for any such changes, including any loss resulting from any action taken or reliance made by you on any information provided. Daily Cost: All prices are approximations. Your costs may differ depending on where you go, where you shop, and their individual factors. Daily Budget: Costs are estimated per person and do not include accommodation.