Japan’s reputation as an expensive country is misleading. If you are looking to buy or rent a property in Tokyo, then yes – costs are among the highest in the world. And if you want to do some high-end dining or shopping, you can easily keep up with the big spenders of New York, Paris, Singapore, etc.
However, day-to-day costs are not so bad, especially right now, with the dollar so strong against the yen. On our last tour in September, I found it quite easy to eat three meals a day for about $40. Draft beers served to you in your seat at the ballpark were about $7, and remember – you never have to tip anyone for anything!
Of course, inflation has skyrocketed since 2019, but the yen has plummeted compared to the dollar, so those somewhat balance each other out. The “Big Mac Index is a fun way to compare prices worldwide. Currently, Japan’s yen is vastly undervalued against the dollar.
I suggest budgeting $70-$100 per day, depending on your taste for souvenirs and beers at the ballpark. But you do not need to have that amount of cash on you – I explain in the section below.
Credit/Debit Cards
You can pay for larger purchases, such as nice meals or merch at the ballpark, with a card (including pay-by-tap on your phone or watch). You’ll likely make many small purchases at Japan’s legendary konbini (convenience stores), and you can use cards there too. However, smaller purchases at the ballpark and around town might be cash-only.
Note that NPB has at least two cashless ballparks: you’ll need to pay with your card at ES CON Field Hokkaido and Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi. Other ballparks, such as PayPay Dome Fukuoka, are cashless on some days.
All Japanese businesses may not accept your credit card brand. Important: Visa is the most widely accepted card, followed by JCB and Mastercard. American Express is becoming more frequently accepted, but a number of vendors will not accept it.
Although most major cards no longer require travel notices, check to see if you need to make one on your credit and debit cards before your trip. You’ll also want to see what (if any) foreign transaction fee your card has.
If your credit card has a fee, you’ll want to use more cash; if your debit card has a fee, you’ll want to use it as little as possible by taking out more cash than you think you’ll need.
Cash
Even if you plan to pay as much as possible by card, we recommend getting some yen. Get more cash than you think you’ll need; you can always exchange leftovers at the end of your trip.
There are three ways to obtain yen:
- Order yen at your local bank. This typically needs to be done a few weeks in advance. It is convenient to arrive with yen in hand, but your bank will not necessarily offer a favorable rate.
- Exchange USD upon arrival at the airport. If your flight arrives late at night, the exchange windows may be closed.
- Use an ATM in Japan. If you go this route, use the ATMs in the airport arrivals hall because there is a chance that an ATM you find along the way won’t work with your bank. Unless your bank reimburses you for ATM fees or has a sister bank in Japan, you will incur fees every time you withdraw yen.
Tipping
There is no tipping in Japan. If you try to tip someone, they may think that it was an accident and seek you out to give you your extra money! This applies to taxi drivers, restaurant servers, and hotel staff.
Tipping JapanBall Staff
Sometimes, our tour guests want to give something extra to our local JapanBall guides in recognition of a job well done. Our local guides receive more-than-fair compensation for their work, and they and I do not expect you to give anything extra. There is no pressure, expectation, or obligation to tip your local guides, especially in Japan. Most guests do not do it.
That said, you are welcome to tip them at the end of the tour. Around $20 is very reasonable, and about $50 is more than enough. If you feel compelled to give them more (or less), they will accept with gratitude.
If I (Shane Barclay) are with you on your tour, please do not tip me– you have already compensated me with your tour purchase. If you feel compelled to acknowledge a tour well-run with your money, please direct those funds to our local guides or purchase a gift card for future tour credit or other merchandise from our online store.
