Money & Cost in Japan

Many people are very interested in Japanese culture, Japanese attractions or shopping in Japan. Before traveling to Japan, you may the first time think about the money and cost in Japan. How much cash should you bring? What is the level of consumption in Japan?  It is not easy to prepare a travel budget to Japan.

→Money in Japan

The currency of Japan is yen, or JYP for short. 1 dollar is about JPY110 and 1 RMB is about JPY16. The value of Japanese banknotes is（¥）JPY1000, （¥）JPY2000, （¥）JPY5000 and （¥）JPY10000. The value of coins are （¥）JPY1, （¥）JPY5, （¥）JPY10, （¥）JPY50, （¥）JPY100, （¥）JPY500.

►Currency exchange in Japan

Although the financial system of the Japanese currency is very developed, all kinds of consumption can basically be solved by swiping. But if you travel to Japan, you still have to prepare some Japanese currency cash. The exchange of Japanese yen is recommended in the domestic bank of your own country. Generally, when you bring a credit card to purchase, it is enough to carry 50,000 yen cash. Of course, don't forget to buy some change and coins.

Although there are manual or automatic foreign currency exchange services in banks and other institutions in major cities in Japan, due to language communication difficulties and exchange rate losses, it is recommended you only use local bank services if it is necessary.

►Tips for currency exchange in Japan:

• 1、The airport or roadside exchange office exchanges yen, the exchange rate is very low. 7-11 stores will have a dedicated foreign exchange ATM machine, you can take cash directly by inserting UnionPay card, and you need to charge 110 yen for each transaction.
• 2、Many big city shopping malls and ATMs in Japan support UnionPay cards. It is recommended to set up a card that is free of charge for inter-bank withdrawals.
• 3、If you are an outbound tour, it is best to bring a UnionPay card and a Visa card, or a UnionPay plus MasterCard double standard card.

→Cost in Japan

►Plane ticket cost to Japan

The price of air tickets from the United States to Japan is generally about $900. The price of air tickets from the United Kingdom to Japan is generally about $800. The ticket prices of other countries to Japan, please check online.

►Hotel cost in Japan

There are a lot of Homestays ranging from $60 to $100 online, and sometimes there are discounts. There are many independent apartments with bathroom, kitchen and washing machine. The experience of these apartments is not worse than the hotel. You can find a homestay near the transportation hub and don't need to live in a remote location. A lot of homestays nearby Osaka and Kyoto are about $60.

►Transportation cost in Japan

Japan's transportation costs are still relatively expensive. It is normal for the city bus and subway to spend a few dollars on a one-way trip. However, there are many transportation coupons in Japan. If you make full use of the transportation coupons, you will find that the transportation costs are not as much as you think. In Kyoto, there is a bus coupon worth 500 yen (about $5). If time is sufficient, you can take a bus to get to all the city attractions you want to go. If you want to go to a faraway place, it is normal to spend $15 to $30 on transportation, so sometimes it is a good choice to consider renting a car.

►Food cost in Japan

If you live in a homestay with a kitchen, you can go to the supermarket to buy ingredients to cook. At 6pm to 7pm, many supermarkets have discounts of ingredients. In some fast food restaurants, you can also eat some packages for around $5. Ramen is generally priced from $8 to $10. Some well-known dishes like Kobe beef will cost more, ranging from $15 to $150.

►Attraction ticket in Japan

If you don't go to Disneyland Disneyland or Universal Studios Japan, the tickets are not expensive. For example, the well-known Kiyomizu-dera Temple and the Kinkakuji Temple, the ticket price is about $5.

→Tips for money and cost in Japan

• In Japan, there is no habit of tipping. Don't tip even if you feel that the other person's service is good. This may hurt their self-esteem. If you really want to thank the other people, it would be better to give a small gift.
• In addition, you must add your shopping budget.