credit card use

[pAt789 0]

I'm heading over to Niseko and Furano in December and wasn't too sure whether most places like restaurants bars etc accepted credit cards? Whats the best way to go money wise? Cheers.

[Peter North 0]

In my (limited) experience in Japan, cash is definitely the best to have.

[quattro 1]

Most places over here will take cards. Also the post office ATM's will dispense cash to foreign credit cards.

[coldcat 0]

I don't know about hokkaido, but here in Okayama is almost impossible to find a place that accepts credit cards except for ATMs. I think is a Japanese thing, the credit card system is not as developed and spread as it is back home. I would say be on the safe side and bring cash. I don't know specifically about Hokkaido but I've read somewhere else that is pretty much the same: don't expect restaurants,supermarkets,... to take your card.

[pAt789 0]

Ok excellent. I think I'll just take the cash. Thanks for that.

[chop 0]

Niseko is credit card friendly, but have cash just in case

[Fattwins 0]

bring your card and use it when you can. the post office system in japan takes international atm cards.

[scoobydoo 0]

I would recommend "thinking cash". Have a cc to use but think cash.

[keba 0]

Bring plenty of cash... (just in case the message did't get through), but a credit card can still come in handy, use it when you can.

[pAt789 0]

Cheers. Thanks for your help.

[thursday 1]

Takes lots of cash as there is no ATM in Niseko and there are plenty of vending machines. You do not want to use your card for a 3000Y lunch do you? The nearest ATM is in Kutchan which is 15 mins from Hirafu.

 

Having said that, the hotels and the restaurants take cards.

[big-will 7]

Why do they still not have an ATM there? It seems slightly ridiculous considering the obvious demand for one.

[thursday 1]

they're afraid it might get vandalized by the pissed gaijins.

[snosurf 0]

I hear that they're working on getting one installed that exclusively dispenses Australian bank notes (As discussed in another thread $AUD is almost as widely accepted as Yen in Niesko)

 

On a more serious note (excuse the pun), get your money changed at an Australian bank such as National or Commonwealth before leaving! While this adds an element of risk (theft/loss etc), the crime rate in Japan is relatively low. But it's important to understand that the Niseko exchange rates can be 10-15% LOWER than the actual rate, and Sapporo rates around 6-8% lower.

 

Given the current economy, you shouldn't settle for a much lower rate than 88-90 Yen : $1 AUD. This may change slightly.

[quattro 1]

visa / master card still gives the best exchange rates. Think they only add abut 1%. You can always use one of the ATM's at Narita or Chitose

[bushpig 0]

Why not just use the post office ATM? It can handle cirrus cards and gives you the standard PO rates.

[rachael 0]

The only time I ever use cc in Japan is when I busy something online from overseas. I don't think I've ever used it other than that.

[powwwers 0]

I agree with using your card to get cash advances. exchange rates are pretty much what they should be.

just remember one thing, if you`re going to use your credit card at a PO, be sure it`s a cc with a PIN for cash advances.

No PIN, no cash!!!

[bushpig 0]

I was not referring to cash advances at the PO. You can use the PO ATMs to withdraw money from your regular account. So if you have a savings account linked to your credit card then withdraw using your savings account. But yes, you must use your PIN like you would from any normal ATM back home.

[thursday 1]

Apart from a real emergency, getting cash advance from a credit card is crazy.

 

The PO ATMs have the international function so you can withdraw from you bank account if it's on the Cirrus / Plus network. It's a small fee, much less than the credit card cash advance fee and the ski high interest.

[damian 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by powwwers:
I agree with using your card to get cash advances. exchange rates are pretty much what they should be.
just remember one thing, if you`re going to use your credit card at a PO, be sure it`s a cc with a PIN for cash advances.
No PIN, no cash!!!

My first day living in Japan, didn't have any cash, went to Post Office, put card in slot, machine wouldn't take my CBA Visa 8 digit pin, no cash for me. Very few cards have 8 digit pins, I have no idea why that one did.

ATM convenience is very low relative to Australia - some are closed on Sundays and after 10pm in the evening. Plus different banks aren't always linked. Don't take it for granted like you do in Oz. (Australia as the best cash on demand system I have seen anywhere so far. You can get 50 bucks out of the till at the petrol station)

[quattro 1]

Can some one explain why ATM over here have hours of operation. Never herd of such a thing elsewhere. It's not like there is a person involved.

[nzlegend 1]

crikey! db le poo head just praised Australia! quick someone get Mantas back in here.....

 

You can get 200 bucks at the till (or more if your card allows it) and the petrol stations are glad to be rid of the money (nothing in the till means no one bothers to rob them)

Hold ups must be extremely lucrative in Japan, I was just thinking the other day when I was at Costco, everyone paying in cash and in big whacks too, 20000yen, 30000yen 40000yen plus and bugger all security, its kind of cool that they can get away with it - Japan is a safety country afterall.

 

 

I was a bit shocked when I first got here, coming from the country with the highest per capita rate of eftpos use in the world to the stone age banks of Japan.

 

Did you know that the banks close at 3pm because its an archiac law dating back to the Meiji period when the banks closed at that time to allow staff to manually count the money. Nobody ever bothered to adjust the law for modern society so the customer gets seriously inconvenienced while the bank staff fart around for a couple of hours, naturally they dont want to change the law.

[bushpig 0]

I heard that by law they have to have someone behind the atms at all times here to deal with problems, which is why they close so early. That phone next to the atms goes to that. Or so I was told, but it sounds highly dubious to me

[thursday 1]

people should start thinking about the beer and sake vending machines. I put at least 2000Y in them daily. I hate pocketing coins so I put them back in the machine and they thank me with more beer.