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First day in Japan


General (Exchange Rate)


Tips in Japan

Bills in Japan

Coins in Japan

Tax in Japan

Receipt in Japan

Airport Tax

Money Sense

For Money Savers

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First Day in Japan

Wherever you arrive, you need to prepare Japanese money at least 5000 Yen, hopefully 10,000 - 20,000 Yen.Taxi and JR train do not accept any credit cards normally. If you don't have any Japanese money you can't get out the airport.The airport has an bank to exchange the foreign currency to Japanese Yen.

But it will be tough to find out the such facility at unfamiliar airport.

Prepare Japanese Yen in your country, at local bank or departing airport!!!!!
If You forget to get Japanese Yen, following facility is available at airport.
Narita International Airport http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/guide/service/list/svc_11.html
Kansai International Airport http://www.kansai-airport.or.jp/english/service/index.htm#b
Chubu (Nagoya) International Airport http://www.centrair.jp/en/service/sv-cash/index.html#bnk

General

Yen is used in Japan.

Foreign Currency

Yen Value

1 US Dollar

98.170

 Yen

1 Euro

125.59

 Yen

1 Canada Dollar

81.400 Yen

1 UK Pound

148.23

 Yen

1 Swiss Franc

82.760

 Yen

1 Australia Dollar

66.210 Yen

1 Hong Kong Dollar

12.970

 Yen

1 Singapore Dollar

65.090

 Yen

1 Thailand Baht

2.8600

 Yen

1 India Rupee

2.1700

 Yen

100 Korea Won

7.2300

 Yen

1 Taiwan Dollar

2.9300

 Yen

TTB

As of Nov. 14 2008

To get current rate, please refer to the latest conversion your currency and yen.
Foreign currency converter


Please click the following company if you need Japanese Yen.

Order foreign currency online, it's fast, easy save time and money!

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Tips

You don't need any tips for special services.


No tip for a doorman.
No tip for a bell captain.
No tip for a porter.
No tip for a waiter and a waitress in restaurant.
No tip for a taxi.
No tip for anybody

You are free of warring Tips in Japan.

Some of the finest restaurant/hotel require service fee
but in this case the service fee already in your bill automatically.

Hotel bell person never accept your offer of tip.

In special occasion, you may give some money for the best hospitality for taxi driver, Ryokan maid.

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Bills

1000 Yen
1,000 Yen

10,000 Yen
Right side and left side on top of bill, you can see "10000"




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Coins

500 Yen The Largest one Silver color

Some vending machine doesn't accept 500 yen coin because of counterfeit 500 coming.
100 Yen Silver color
50 Yen Silver color with a hole
10 Yen Copper color
5 Yen Yellow color with a hole
1 Yen Aluminum color


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Tax

Consumption Tax is 5 %.
Normally the list price doesn't include tax.
So you need to pay 5 % more

Some small shops include this tax in their list price.
It is be really complicated for visitors.




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Airport Tax

It is called as PSFC (Passenger Service Facilities Charge).


For Narita Airport Passenger
This charge is included to your air ticket now for passengers for Narita Airport.
You don't need to worry about this.

For Kansai Kuko Passenger
You need to pay 2600 Yen at Kansai KukoAirport when you fly out.

For Chubu Centrair International Airport
You need to pay 2500 Yen at Chubu Centreir when you fly out.
It is included already in your flight ticket.

If you have spent all your Japanese Yen, you can pay it with your credit card.
AMEX, VISA, Master, Diners Club

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Receipt

The Receipt is printed in Japanese.
So you had better to write the memo on it as soon as you receive it.

 This is an example of Japanese type receipt.

As soon as you receive it, you had better to write the item of this receipt.
Otherwise you will have big problem to find out which receipt is
personal and business.
You can read the numeric numbers so it can help but time consuming.
Some nicer Japanese restaurants will give you old fashion receipt.
In this case, all information will be written in Japanese "Kanji"
even numeric number and date.
You had better to write down the total amount on it.
Or keep your Credit Card receipt.
Another Tips is "date".
Above receipt shows the date as 9/5/23.
It doesn't make sense of May 23 in ????.
We use Anno Domini yearand Japanese one both.
If you find the strange date on your receipt, you need to correct the date to your style.

Conversion Chart
Heisei Era (Japanese way) Anno Domini year
9 1997
10 1998
11 1999
12 2000
13 2001
14 2002
15 2003
16 2004
17 2005
18 2006
19 2007
20(This year) 2008

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Money Sense

Here is a price table of various items.

Various Price Description Yen
Transportation

Train Fare

 Tokyo - Kyoto One way by Shinkansen 13,220

Train Fare

 Narita Express
Narita - Tokyo One way 		2,940
Train Fare Chubu Airport
Airport - Nagoya station		 850
Subway
Fare		 Minimum 160
JR Train
Fare		 Minimum 130
Taxi Minimum 710
Taxi From Narita Airport to Tokyo 20,000 - 25,000
Foods

Food

Hamburger McDonald

100

Food

 Lunch

1,000
Food Yoshinoya Beef Bawl 280
Food Denny's daily special lunch 780
Food Cost of Bento 500-1000
Drink Coke Vending machine 150 - 200
Coke At convenience store 130 - 140
Mineral Water At convenience store 140
Cigarette Tobacco 1 package 20 units 250 - 300
Accommodation

Hotel

 Hotel Imperial Single Bed / Single person 24,000
Hotel Shinagawa Prince Hotel
Single room		 10,000


For money savers

Following are the tips for lower budget travelers.

Food

Convenience stores are the best place to buy breakfast and lunch to save money.
There are many stores within 5 minutes walk when you are in big cities.
If you can't find it, ask young people "Where is Convenience?".
"Convini" in Japanese is the shorten word and much popular than "Convenience Store".

Some stores have the space for eating.
You can buy "Oden" there.
Muffin, Sandwich, Onigiri, Juice, Milk, Coffee, etc.

Seven Eleven
am/pm
Lawson
Sunkus
Mini Stop
Circle K
Three F
Family mart

Transportation

For long distance travel, Shinkansen is fast and convenient but expensive.

1. Use local train not express
2. Use red-eye bus for long distance travel
3. Use JR Pass
4. Shinkansen



For short distance,

1. Walking 0 Yen
2. Use subway efficiently 160 - 200 Yen
3. Use bus 170 - 230 Yen
4. Use local train 150 - ??? Yen


JR Juhachi Kipu (Jyuhachi Kippu)
This tickets are valid for JR local trains only and only one day.
5 tickets costs you 11500Yen.
5 member can use one day or one can use 5 days.
All local trains can be used from a.m. 00 o'clock to midnight.
There are overnight trains operating by JR and they are very useful for you to use.
Consult with the JR timetable, you can go to Kyushu from Tokyo with 2300 Yen.

Lodging

Use Youth hostels

http://www.jyh.or.jp/

From around 3000 Yen (no meals)
From around 4500 Yen (Dinner & Breakfast)

Use inexpensive Japanese inn

There is no bed. You can experience the Japanese Futon mattress.
The employees may not speak English but will welcome you with warm heartfelt hospitality.
You can enjoy the different world from hotel life.
Here are some inns;

Hotel Judo
http://www.juyoh.co.jp/

From 3200 Yen


Sawanoya Ryokan
http://www.tctv.ne.jp/members/sawanoya/

From 4700 Yen


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