After landing the question is: card or cash, and where do I get yen? This guide shows how to pay in Japan, where Narita and Haneda have ATMs and currency exchange, and what changes for tax-free shopping from 1 November 2026. As of 25 October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Most comfortable: plan and pay in advance online, then you need hardly any cash on the day of arrival. For example a transfer with Welcome Pickups (advertising) (Narita, from €139 per vehicle) or Welcome Pickups (advertising) (Haneda, from €87), Skyliner and Narita Express tickets on Klook* (advertising).
- Cards: according to JNTO, cards of international brands are generally accepted throughout Japan, though not always for short train rides. You can only top up an IC card with cash.
- ATMs: Seven Bank (in 7-Eleven) and Japan Post Bank. At Narita some machines run around the clock, and in the security area the maximum is ¥30,000 per withdrawal.
- Exchanging money: according to the airport, exchange rates differ from shop to shop. At Narita there is an exchange machine in Terminal 2 (1F) around the clock.
- New from 1 November 2026: tax-free shopping then means paying the tax-inclusive price and getting the tax back on departure, from ¥5,000 per shop and day (before tax).
The most comfortable option: pay in advance online
If you do not want to look for cash on the day of arrival, book and pay for the essentials in advance. This is not automatically the cheapest solution, but the most relaxed:
- Welcome Pickups* (advertising): fixed fare, online prepayment, a driver with a name sign in the arrivals hall. From Narita the provider states from €139 for a vehicle with up to four people (from €167 at night), from Haneda (Welcome Pickups* (advertising)) from €87 (from €104 at night), as of 25 Oct 2026.
- Klook* (advertising): on its Tokyo page Klook lists tickets for the Keisei Skyliner and the N’EX Round-Trip Ticket. You see prices and conditions there.
For trains and buses on site you still need a card or cash, more in our IC card guide.
Card or cash?
According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), credit, debit and prepaid cards of international brands are generally accepted throughout Japan. You cannot always use them for short train or subway rides, so JNTO names a Suica or PASMO as a useful alternative to cash. Shops do not always display the symbols of the cards they accept, so ask if in doubt. What fees and exchange rate your bank charges for payments and withdrawals abroad is up to the bank, ask beforehand. You can only top up the IC card at the machines in Narita and Haneda with cash.
Where do I get cash at the airport?
For withdrawals JNTO names the ATMs of Japan Post Bank and Seven Bank. According to its own statements Seven Bank runs over 28,000 ATMs in 7-Eleven stores where you can withdraw yen day or night, and it lists Visa/Plus, Mastercard/Maestro/Cirrus, UnionPay, American Express, JCB, Discover and Diners Club, but points out that some cards with these marks are not accepted.
At Narita the airport lists, among others, these machines:
| ATM | Location | Hours according to the airport |
|---|---|---|
| Japan Post Bank (JPBANK) | Terminal 1 Central Building 1F and Terminal 2 Main Building 1F, before security | 0:00 to 24:00 |
| SevenBank in 7-Eleven | Terminal 2 Main Building B1F and 4F, before security | 0:00 to 24:00 |
| SevenBank | Terminal 1 North Wing 3F and Terminal 2 3F, after security (international) | 6:00 to 23:00 |
Not every machine runs around the clock, and service can pause on some holidays. After security the limit at the SevenBank machines is a maximum of ¥30,000 per withdrawal. Which card brands the airport machines accept is not stated on the airport page, which refers you to your own bank. At Haneda there are machines in all terminals, and only those in Terminal 3 are open around the clock (see our overview of Haneda).
Should I exchange money at the airport?
At Narita, GPA, Chiba Bank, Keiyo Bank and Travelex, among others, exchange money, and there are machines for coins and foreign currency. The airport points out that exchange rates differ from shop to shop, that not every currency is in stock everywhere, and that traveller’s cheques are not sold. An exchange machine in Terminal 2 (1F) is open around the clock. Compare the rate with your bank’s rate before you exchange larger amounts.
New from 1 November 2026: tax-free shopping
On 1 November 2026 Japan switches tax-free shopping to a refund system. According to JNTO you then pay the tax-inclusive price in the shop, and the consumption tax is refunded on departure after customs has confirmed that the goods are leaving the country. The key rules:
- You spend at least ¥5,000 (before tax) at one shop per day.
- You complete the procedure within 90 days of purchase.
- Before baggage check-in you go to a tax-free terminal in the international departure lobby and show your passport. At the major airports you can complete the first step online beforehand via Visit Japan Web.
- With a red result you take the goods to the customs inspection, with green you are done. Allow enough time before boarding, customs does not compensate you for a missed flight.
- You take all items from each receipt with you, if one item is missing none of that receipt’s items qualify.
- Consumables that you have already consumed in Japan are not eligible.
Purchases up to and including 31 October 2026 still follow the previous rules. Check the details with the official customs and tourism authorities before you travel. More on registering with Visit Japan Web is in our guide Entering Japan.
How much cash may I bring in and take out?
Japanese customs requires a declaration if you bring cash, cheques, traveller’s cheques or securities worth more than ¥1,000,000. Narita Airport also points out that customs must be informed if you take cash or cheques of more than ¥1,000,000 out of the country. The allowances for goods are in our guide to entering Japan.