Paying for things in Tokyo can feel confusing at first. One shop taps your phone, the next only takes coins, and the cozy ramen place by the station waves away your card. The good news: once you carry a couple of options, daily life is smooth. This guide walks through the main ways to pay so you can mix and match with confidence.
The main ways to pay
- Cash (yen): still essential. Many small shops, family-run restaurants, some clinics, shrines, and older businesses are cash-only. Notes come in 1,000 / 2,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 yen; coins in 1 / 5 / 10 / 50 / 100 / 500 yen.
- IC cards (Suica / PASMO): rechargeable tap cards, great for trains, buses, vending machines and quick payments at convenience stores and many shops. Top them up with cash at station machines, and a mobile version works on many phones.
- QR-code pay (PayPay and others): scan-or-show smartphone payment, very common at konbini, chains and even small shops. PayPay is the most widely seen; Rakuten Pay, d Pay and others also exist. Setup usually needs a Japanese phone number and a Japanese bank or card.
- Credit / debit cards: Visa, Mastercard and JCB are the most widely accepted, especially at hotels, department stores and larger restaurants. Contactless tap is increasingly common, but smaller places may decline cards.
- ATMs (konbini ATMs): Seven Bank ATMs inside 7-Eleven, and Japan Post Bank ATMs, accept many foreign-issued cards and have English menus, so you can withdraw yen day or night.
The single most useful habit: always carry some cash. Cashless is spreading fast, but a cash-only shop, a tiny clinic, or a payment app that won't accept your overseas card can leave you stuck. Keep a few thousand yen on you and you will rarely be caught out. Acceptance and rules change, so check the official sites below for the latest.
- Carry cash for: small local restaurants, some clinics and pharmacies, shrines and temples, markets, older shops, and small purchases.
- An IC card (Suica or PASMO) is the easiest first step: it doubles as your train pass and a fast way to pay small amounts.
- PayPay and other QR apps usually require a Japanese phone number plus a Japanese bank account or card, so set them up after you settle in, not on day one.
- Tipping is not customary in Tokyo, so the price you see is the price you pay.
- Keep one card and your IC card topped up as backups, so a single declined payment never strands you.
- Can I get by with only a card or phone?
- Mostly, but not always. Big stores, chains and hotels take cards and apps, yet plenty of small restaurants, clinics and shops are still cash-only. Carry some yen as a backup.
- Where can I withdraw cash with my foreign card?
- Seven Bank ATMs inside 7-Eleven and Japan Post Bank ATMs accept many overseas-issued cards and offer English menus. Check your own bank about any fees and daily limits before you travel.
- Do I need a Japanese phone number to use PayPay?
- Generally yes. PayPay and most QR-pay apps require a Japanese phone number and a Japanese bank account or card to register, so they suit residents more than short-term visitors. See the official PayPay site for current requirements.
