If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Japan - Credit cards in Japan
Greetings! I have four travel books in Japan. I am overloaded with
informations. It seems credit cards use are not as common as USA. I wonder why? Japan is very advanced tecnologically and literacy rate is almost 100%. I found today that American Express has no office in Japan (page 81 of Frommer's Japan). I have American Express and Master card. I hope I shall not have any problem in Japan. What is your opinion? With thanks. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Japan - Credit cards in Japan
You will have problems if you are not prepared.
Most Hotels, Department Stores and some restaurants will accept cards. Very few ATMs will accept foreign cards. Most Post Office ATMs will accept them, but often only while the Post Office is open. CitiBank machines are fine also. Foreign currency and Travellers Cheques are difficult (and slow) to change. Fortunately there is very little personal crime in Japan - so people carry large sums of cash safely and routinely. "zxcvar" wrote in message oups.com... Greetings! I have four travel books in Japan. I am overloaded with informations. It seems credit cards use are not as common as USA. I wonder why? Japan is very advanced tecnologically and literacy rate is almost 100%. I found today that American Express has no office in Japan (page 81 of Frommer's Japan). I have American Express and Master card. I hope I shall not have any problem in Japan. What is your opinion? With thanks. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Japan - Credit cards in Japan
zxcvar wrote:
Greetings! I have four travel books in Japan. I am overloaded with informations. It seems credit cards use are not as common as USA. I wonder why? Japan is very advanced tecnologically and literacy rate is almost 100%. It's an extremely safe country, so people just carry and use cash. Take an ATM card. I found today that American Express has no office in Japan (page 81 of Frommer's Japan). They have one: American Express 4-30-16 Ogikubo, Suginami-ku (tel 0120-020666) I have American Express and Master card. I hope I shall not have any problem in Japan. What is your opinion? With thanks. Do not try to depend on the credit cards - most restaurants and stores will not accept them. You will have to carry cash. Call your bank and make sure your ATM card will work in Japan. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Japan - Credit cards in Japan
"zxcvar" wrote in message
oups.com... Greetings! I have four travel books in Japan. I am overloaded with informations. It seems credit cards use are not as common as USA. I wonder why? Japan is very advanced tecnologically and literacy rate is almost 100%. I found today that American Express has no office in Japan (page 81 of Frommer's Japan). I have American Express and Master card. I hope I shall not have any problem in Japan. What is your opinion? With thanks. Curiously, they seem to make payments using their cell phones. They have pads near the checkouts where the customer taps his cellphone to pay the bill. Seems strange to me but I guess it works for them -- Donald R. Newcomb DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Japan - Credit cards in Japan
On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 07:08:24 -0500, the renowned "Donald Newcomb"
wrote: "zxcvar" wrote in message roups.com... Greetings! I have four travel books in Japan. I am overloaded with informations. It seems credit cards use are not as common as USA. I wonder why? Japan is very advanced tecnologically and literacy rate is almost 100%. I found today that American Express has no office in Japan (page 81 of Frommer's Japan). I have American Express and Master card. I hope I shall not have any problem in Japan. What is your opinion? With thanks. Curiously, they seem to make payments using their cell phones. They have pads near the checkouts where the customer taps his cellphone to pay the bill. Seems strange to me but I guess it works for them I think those mostly work as debit cards, not credit cards. Best regards, Spehro Pefhany -- "it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Japan - Credit cards in Japan
So if I am required to stay at the airport hotel on my way back to the U.S.,
will it be best for me to use my credit card, ATM card, or cash? Hotels generally don't give a good rate or exchange for cash, so I will need to depend on the credit or ATM card. Which will be the best transaction for me. I suspect ATM if the hotel accepts it. It seems the banks at both ends take a piece of the transaction with credit cards (3% or more). Thanks in advance. rg "zxcvar" wrote in message oups.com... Greetings! I have four travel books in Japan. I am overloaded with informations. It seems credit cards use are not as common as USA. I wonder why? Japan is very advanced tecnologically and literacy rate is almost 100%. I found today that American Express has no office in Japan (page 81 of Frommer's Japan). I have American Express and Master card. I hope I shall not have any problem in Japan. What is your opinion? With thanks. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Japan - Credit cards in Japan
"Sharkbait" wrote:
So if I am required to stay at the airport hotel on my way back to the U.S., will it be best for me to use my credit card, ATM card, or cash? Hotels generally don't give a good rate or exchange for cash, so I will need to depend on the credit or ATM card. Which will be the best transaction for me. I suspect ATM if the hotel accepts it. It seems the banks at both ends take a piece of the transaction with credit cards (3% or more). Thanks in advance. Most hotels accept credit cards, so you shouldn't expect any problems. The acceptiblity of credit cards in Japan has increased considerably in the past few years, so the information you will read in guide books and even on the web is frequently out of date. If by "ATM card" you mean a debit card, then these are generally not widely accepted - except in Post Office ATMs for withdrawing cash. -- Dave Fossett Saitama, Japan |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Japan - Credit cards in Japan
"Sharkbait" wrote in message
news:r_kbi.4519$wL5.924@trndny04... So if I am required to stay at the airport hotel on my way back to the U.S., will it be best for me to use my credit card, ATM card, or cash? You should check if your credit card (e.g. Visa, Mastercard) charge more than the standard 1% exchange fee. If so, get a different card. Most hotels in Japan accept international credit cards. It is not as easy to find an ATM that takes anything but Japanese cards. One thing I learned (after many trips) is that almost every post office has an ATM that takes international cards. -- Donald R. Newcomb DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Japan - Credit cards in Japan
On Jun 12, 1:50 pm, "Donald Newcomb"
wrote: "Sharkbait" wrote in message news:r_kbi.4519$wL5.924@trndny04... So if I am required to stay at the airport hotel on my way back to the U.S., will it be best for me to use my credit card, ATM card, or cash? You should check if your credit card (e.g. Visa, Mastercard) charge more than the standard 1% exchange fee. If so, get a different card. Most hotels in Japan accept international credit cards. It is not as easy to find an ATM that takes anything but Japanese cards. One thing I learned (after many trips) is that almost every post office has an ATM that takes international cards. -- Donald R. Newcomb DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net Traveled to Japan in 2006. Used credit cards for hotels and car hire in major cities and tourist centres. Also in department stores but not usually in restaurants.Have been advised (and with good reason) to carry cash on Shikoku Island and even on Honshu and Kyushu whenever out of the (foreign) tourist circuit. Jan van Wezer |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Japan - Credit cards in Japan
wrote in message
ups.com... Traveled to Japan in 2006. Used credit cards for hotels and car hire in major cities and tourist centres. Also in department stores but not usually in restaurants.Have been advised (and with good reason) to carry cash on Shikoku Island and even on Honshu and Kyushu whenever out of the (foreign) tourist circuit. Not bad advice. I have found that even the smallest rural post offices do have a ATM that accepts international cards, so you don't have to carry a lot of cash. The post offices are marked by a sign with a red and white "T" shape. It might be handy to know how to ask where the post office is or have it written on a card. -- Donald R. Newcomb DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Phone Cards to U.S. from Japan, China, Korea | Walt Bilofsky | Asia | 4 | March 27th, 2007 09:56 PM |
Best order? UK > Japan > OZ > UK or UK > OZ > Japan > UK | Clive | Australia & New Zealand | 2 | August 5th, 2005 11:32 AM |
Japan stop-over (UK <-> Japan <-> Oz) | Mary Pegg | Australia & New Zealand | 6 | July 26th, 2005 04:24 PM |
credit cards | Moni | Cruises | 9 | July 17th, 2004 07:28 AM |
made in Japan = costs more in Japan?? | Hugo Drax | Asia | 12 | December 17th, 2003 08:02 PM |