Cash or Card? The Real Money Situation in Tokyo for Aussies

If you’re heading to Tokyo and reckon you’ll just tap your card everywhere like you do back home — fair assumption, but not quite how it works over there.
Tokyo is slick, modern, and incredibly efficient in just about every way. Payments, though? It’s a bit of a mixed bag. The good news is it’s dead easy to manage once you know what to expect.

Where Your Card Will Be Totally Fine

In central Tokyo, cards are widely accepted at hotels, department stores, chain restaurants, major tourist attractions, convenience stores, and most train ticket machines. Visa and Mastercard are your most reliable options. Apple Pay works in a lot of places too, but I wouldn’t rely on it as your only backup.
For bigger purchases and everyday touristy stuff, you’ll generally be sweet.

Where You’ll Definitely Need Cash

This is the bit that catches a lot of Aussie travellers off guard, so worth paying attention to.
Smaller, family-run joints — think hole-in-the-wall ramen shops, old-school cafes, street food stalls, local neighbourhood stores and some taxis — often run cash only. Same goes for donation boxes at shrines and temples. A handy rule of thumb: if a place looks like it’s been run by the same family for thirty years, there’s a solid chance they’re not set up for cards yet.
Tokyo is slowly catching up, but plenty of small businesses still prefer yen in hand.

What About Getting Around?

Most trains and subways use IC cards like Suica or Pasmo rather than card payments, and you can top these up with either cash or card — though card top-up isn’t always an option at smaller stations. Your Suica on Apple Wallet is the slickest option (more on that in our train guide), but either way, having a bit of cash on you as backup is always a smart move.

ATMs — Where to Find a Reliable One

Your best bet for withdrawing yen with a foreign card is the ATM inside any convenient stores — they’re everywhere, reliable, and set up to handle international cards without drama. Airport ATMs are also a solid option when you first land.
Don’t leave it until you’re desperately hunting for an ATM at 10pm with an empty wallet. Withdraw some cash early in your trip and you’ll save yourself the stress.

So How Much Cash Should You Actually Carry?

You don’t need to be walking around with a fat wad of notes. For most travellers, somewhere between ¥10,000 and ¥20,000 — roughly AUD $100 to $200 — gives you plenty of wiggle room for a day or two. Use your card where you can, and keep cash handy for when you need it.

Local Tip;

Tokyo isn’t fully cashless, but it’s far from cash-only either. Come prepared for both and you’ll never find yourself in an awkward situation at the counter. Once you’ve got the rhythm of it sorted, it honestly becomes second nature — and that’s when Tokyo really starts to feel effortless.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​