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  • πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅ Japan: bunq Community Travel Tips

✈️ Heading to Japan? We've gathered some tips from the bunq community to make sure your trip is the smoothest it can be. 😎

Check them out below! 🌈 πŸ‘‡


Using your card

πŸ’³ Do I need cash in Japan, or can I use my card everywhere?

Japan is surprisingly a cash based society. Card acceptance
is slowly improving but it is stronly recommended to carry cash.

Not all ATM's in Japan accept foreign cards, but if you stick to ATM's inside convenience stores you will usually be fine.

πŸ’° What currency do they use here?

The currency here is Japanese Yen. The symbol is Β₯ or 円.

🏧 Which ATM’s can I use for free?

The bunq community has reported free withdrawals at these ATMs.

  • Seven Bank (inside all 7-Eleven stores)
  • Aeon

πŸ’΅ If I want cash, how much should I take out of an ATM?

Β₯ 20 000 should be enough for a few days.

πŸ’³ Should I choose local currency or Euros when paying?

If you're asked to choose between local currency and Euros, always choose local currency.

That way bunq does the conversion for you, and you get to take advantage of the best rates with bunq ZeroFX.


Staying connected

πŸ“± Can I roam, or should I get a local SIM?

Most EU mobile plans will charge you for roaming in Japan.

Free WiFi can easily found at hotels or coffee bars.

If you want to get a local SIM card, you can learn about your options here.


Useful things to know

πŸ’β€β™€οΈ How does tipping work?

Tipping is not expected in Japan. In fact, it can be seen as an insult, which is a big difference to some other cultures. At the very least, it will likely make the service staff uncomfortable, so you should avoid tipping.

🍺 How much does a 0.5L beer cost?

€3,50

🍽 How much does an average meal cost?

€7,50

🚨 What’s the emergency number?

There are different numbers for the different services here.

  • πŸš“ Police: 110
  • πŸš‘ Ambulance: 119
  • πŸš’ Fire: 119

πŸ”Œ What type of plug do they use?

This one! It’s the standard American plug.

πŸš— What side of the road do they drive on?

They drive on the left side of the road here.

πŸ—Ί How do I navigate my way around?

Google and Apple Maps both work well in Japan.

Otherwise, we recommend Rome2Rio as the best way to find out how to get anywhere. It even tells you the cost of each option. πŸ™Œ

πŸ‘€ Any other good tips?

  • Sushi, sashimi, tempura... Make sure you try the
    superlative Japanese food! Or, even better, take a cooking
    class and learn to prepare the traditional dishes like a local!
  • Make sure you get an IC card when you arrive (such as Suica or Pasmo). You can reload these with cash, to use on public transport in convenience stores, and at vending machines!

Travel Perks

🎒 Visit famous attractions with 10% off

We've partnered with Tiqets to bring you discounts on attraction tickets in Japan πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅. To get your discount, simply follow the link here and use our coupon code BUNQTIQETS10 at checkout. That's it! 🎊

Travel hands-free with a 20% discount on Stasher

Our partnership with Stasher will allow you to enjoy your destination to the fullest without having to worry about your luggage. You’ll be able to drop off your bags at trusted shops and hotels in Japan with a 20% discount through this link πŸ‘ŒπŸ».


If you've been to Japan πŸ‡―πŸ‡΅ share your experience! The following would be really useful for other bunqers to know:

  • Which ATMs are free to use?
  • What card should I use and where?
  • Any other info you think may be useful.

Share your experience with us in the comments below! 🌈 πŸ‘‡

    2 years later

    De twee tips voor automaten is niet goed vertaald. Aeon is niet β€˜eeuwigheid’.

      @Buxx#236338 Hi Patrick, the bunq Together forum uses Google Translate if you activate the translation. It will occasionally lead to translation issues like this. You can disable it in the Together settings.

        10 months later

        The Tiqets discount code appears to have expired.

        Edit: another thing to add. It is useful to pick up a local prepaid Suica or Passmo card and load some money on those for public transportation. Foreign credit card support is still spotty, and even the Suica support on Google and Apply Pay is limited to Japanese users only.

          @Hidde-Purple-Starfish#272555 Suica support on Google and Apply Pay is limited to Japanese users only.

          On Apple Pay that is not the case. You can even buy your Suica before you go to Japan in the Wallet app and load it directly with your European bunq card. Works perfectly :)

          I don't know about Android phones, the integration there might be different.

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