Japanese bills and coins

[fh2000]

We just finished a 5 day trip to Japan. It was a wonderful experience and we all (4) loved it.

One thing that I have found, is that Japanese bills start with 1000, 5000, then 10,000 yen. That is equivalent to $10, $50, and $100 US dollars. Japanese seem to keep their bills like new in their purse, and do not fold them. All bills that I receive back are all clean, and new like they are from the bank.

There are no smaller bills (at least I have not seen any). There are coins of 500, 100, 50, 10, and 1 yen. That is $5, $1, half dollar, dime and penny. So, what I do not see is the $5 dollar, and $1 dollar bill equivalent.

You pay something with 1000, or 5000 bill, they give you back a handful of coins. Pretty quickly, my pocket is full of those coins. By the end of the trip, I simply grab a handful and ask the cashier to pick them off of my hands for small purchase.

 

[Aerides]

When we've been to Japan, we empty our cash with the hotel front desk to take off our bill before when checking out. Gonna remember that every time we travel abroad from now on.

You probably noticed as well the whole exchange of money and CC's is a far more pristine transaction than US - the whole trays, two hands, bows, etc. Another good use for change (on a longer trip) is just to keep your metro card loaded up for the trains - gets used quickly.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

Ooh, I like that trick of applying any cash to you hotel bill when checking out.

We don't mind taking a bit of Yen home with us because Japan is always a potential vacation destination ever year. Coins are a bit of a hassle though. Off the top of my head, in Japan I think we usually try to lighten the load by using up coins at vending machines, at 7Eleven, and on public transport.

 

[wolf]

Another plus, no tipping in japan. Makes transactions so easy.

 

[Sunset]

Another plus, no tipping in japan. Makes transactions so easy.

not even on the tax ??

 

[FUEGO]

We got rid of all coins and remaining small bills in Canada by asking a restaurant if we could pay some in cash then pay the balance with a credit card. I dumped a fistful of loonies and toonies and smaller coins on the counter (something like $17.62) and paid the other $10-15 on a credit card. Managed to leave Canada with zero funny money.

 

[fh2000]

not even on the tax ??

Sales tax is at 8%, but the small vendors, restaurants do not charge them so I pay face value. At the large department stores, we do pay sales tax on top.

We also went to a tax free store. There are many of them with a big sign at the door. We presented our passport for the purchase without paying tax. You need to buy more than 5000 yen to be tax free. They stable something on our passport. On our way out of the airport, we pull it out and put the paper in a box and be done with it.

 

[AllDone]

Take your coins to the airport Starbucks, have the cash loaded onto a Starbucks card, use it anywhere in the world, no exchange fee. It's too bad their coffee isn't that great.

 

[Major Tom]

Take your coins to the airport Starbucks, have the cash loaded onto a Starbucks card, use it anywhere in the world, no exchange fee. It's too bad their coffee isn't that great.

Perhaps, but it's still coffee (I was looking for an icon that looked caffeinated, and that was my closest pick!)

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

Take your coins to the airport Starbucks, have the cash loaded onto a Starbucks card, use it anywhere in the world, no exchange fee. It's too bad their coffee isn't that great.

I originally thought that too but I'm not sure if it's usable anywhere in the world. It worked great for me in Hong Kong but I couldn't use my Starbucks card in Seoul. Haven't tried it in Japan though.

 

[braumeister]

Yes, there are definite differences. I couldn't use my US Starbucks card in the Copenhagen airport last year. They let me pay in Euros and got Danish coins in change.

 

[Aerides]

Pretty sure last year still could not use my starbucks card in Japan. I only tried once in Tokyo though then went cash/CC after that.