Money in Japan

Hey gang, long time no see;

I`m currently in Kyoto Japan and let me tell you: Things are expensive. What`s worse is that Japan is a country that still uses cash for almost everything. Finding a place in a mainstream area like Kyoto isn`t too hard, but there are way too many places that don`t accept credit cards at all. Even when you find a place that accepts cards, they`re more than likely to only accept JVC (Japanese card), or if you`re lucky they`ll accept VISA. Mastercard is difficult to use here.

What I`ve learned: Expect to pack at least 10,000 JPY with you for your initial spending money This will cover the usage of conbini, short train tickets, and bus fare. If you need to bring a credit or debit card with you, be sure to take VISA! With a VISA card, you can withdraw money internationally through the Seven ATM service. These ATMs can be found at almost every 7/11 in Japan (There`s a lot of 7/11`s, let me tell you). Some post offices can also do money transfers, but any Master Card backed by Cirrus bank won`t work very well here.