Tokyo Travel Money Guide

Tokyo is more card-friendly than the rest of Japan, but it's still a city where cash gets you everywhere and a card sometimes doesn't. It's also pricier than anywhere else in the country, so budget a little higher here than you would for a rural trip.

How much cash to bring to Tokyo

A rough daily budget for a comfortable mid-range trip:

• Food — ¥3,000–8,000/day (konbini and ramen are cheap; a nice dinner climbs fast)
• Local transport — ¥800–1,500/day on the trains with an IC card
• Attractions & nightlife — ¥2,000–5,000/day (Shibuya and Shinjuku add up)

Paying your way around Tokyo

• Get a Suica or PASMO — the tap IC card covers every train and bus, plus konbini, vending machines and many shops. You can add it to your phone's wallet and top up as you go.
• Konbini ATMs are your friend — 7-Bank machines inside 7-Eleven (and Japan Post ATMs) accept foreign cards 24/7 if you run low on yen.
• Carry cash for the good stuff — ticket-machine ramen counters, tiny izakaya, temple markets and Golden Gai bars are frequently cash-only.
• Cards work at the big places — department stores, chains, hotels and convenience stores take them; small independents may not.

Neighbourhood cash notes

• Shinjuku & Shibuya — department stores and chains take cards, but keep cash for the back-alley bars and izakaya.
• Asakusa — Senso-ji's street stalls and small souvenir shops are cash-first.
• Tsukiji Outer Market — bring small notes and coins; most food stalls don't take cards.
• Ginza — upscale and card-friendly; you'll rarely need cash here.

A couple of Tokyo habits

• Coins add up fast — ¥500 and ¥100 coins pile up; keep a coin purse and use them on vending machines and IC top-ups.
• No tipping — it isn't done anywhere in Tokyo, and trying to tip can cause confusion.