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Withdrawing cash in Japan

Which ATMs accept your card and whether to exchange money before you leave.

Planning 3 min read Updated 20 Oct 2026

Illuminated Osaka street at night, Japan

Not every ATM in Japan accepts foreign cards, and exchanging all your money before you leave tends to be expensive. Here is which ATMs to use, what fees and limits to expect and how much cash to take already exchanged from home.

Where to withdraw money in Japan

Here is the key detail that surprises many: not all Japanese ATMs accept foreign cards. Those of many local banks reject cards issued outside Japan. Fortunately, there are two reliable networks, spread across the whole country and with instructions in English:

  • 7-Eleven ATMs (Seven Bank): present in the more than 20,000 7-Eleven stores in the country, they work 24 hours, have a multilingual menu and accept Visa, Mastercard, Amex and JCB. It is the most convenient and most widespread option.
  • Post Office ATMs (Japan Post Bank / Yucho): in post offices and some stations, they also accept foreign cards. Useful in towns where there is no 7-Eleven nearby, although their hours are more limited (some small branches close in the late afternoon and at weekends).

These ATMs charge a small fee per transaction (in the order of a couple of hundred yen; at 7-Eleven it is usually around 110-220 ¥ depending on the card network), and your home bank may add its own fee for withdrawing money abroad. They also usually have a limit per transaction (at 7-Eleven, around 100,000 ¥). To avoid surprises, withdraw larger amounts at once instead of many small ones, and check what your bank charges before travelling.

Tip: locate a 7-Eleven as soon as you arrive. At airports such as Narita and Haneda there are also ATMs that accept foreign cards, so you can leave the terminal with some cash from day one.
See alsoNarita or Haneda: which airport

Exchanging your currency to yen: at home or there?

There is no need to bring all the trip's yen from home. In fact, it is usually more expensive to exchange large amounts at a bureau de change (at the departure airport for your flight to Japan or at exchange offices) than to withdraw directly from a Japanese ATM, because of the margin they apply to the exchange rate.

The most balanced approach is a simple combination:

  • Before leaving: bring a small amount of yen for your first expenses (airport transport, a meal, an unforeseen cost) and not depend on finding an ATM when you land.
  • Once in Japan: withdraw the rest of the cash as you need it at 7-Eleven or Post Office ATMs, which give a rate closer to the real one.

To work out what any price is worth in euros while you travel, keep the yen converter to hand.

See alsoYen converter

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Frequently asked questions

Where can I withdraw money in Japan with a foreign card?

At 7-Eleven ATMs (Seven Bank), open 24 hours and spread across the whole country, and at Post Office ATMs (Japan Post Bank / Yucho). Many Japanese bank ATMs do not accept foreign cards, so these two networks are the reliable options. They charge a small fee per transaction.

Is it better to exchange your currency to yen at home or in Japan?

It is usually better to withdraw yen at a Japanese ATM (7-Eleven or the Post Office) than to exchange large amounts at a bureau de change, because the margin is lower. The balanced approach is to bring some cash from home for your first expenses and withdraw the rest there as you need it.