Planning a trip to Japan? You’ll need to work out the best way to spend in JPY, and withdraw cash from local ATMs.

A credit card could be a good option, but which US-issued cards are best for spending in Japan?

We’ll run through your options here in this guide. We’ll also take a look at alternatives such as the Wise international debit card which could save you money.

Is it best to use a debit or credit card in Japan?

Before we dive into our list of credit cards, it’s useful to know a little about money in Japan.

Both debit and credit cards are used and accepted throughout the country, but it’s also wise to have some cash on you. You might find that some local restaurants, markets and rural inns (ryokans) are cash only.

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Wise international debit card

While it’s not a credit card, it’s well worth checking out the Wise international debit card ahead of your trip.

The Wise card is tailor-made for traveling, as it offers the following features:

• Spend and withdraw cash in 174 countries, anywhere that Visa and Mastercard are accepted.
• Automatically converts your USD to the local currency to Japanese yen at the mid-market exchange rate whenever you spend. There’s just a small conversion fee, or it’s free if you already have the currency in your Wise account.
• Withdraw $100 a month from overseas ATMs for free, with a tiny fee after that.

So, you can shop, dine and travel knowing you're getting a great exchange rate. And there’s no need to convert currency or carry cash around with you.

Open a Wise Account, and you can order a Wise card for a one-time fee of just $9.

Get a Wise Account today

Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing: Only Pay for What You Use for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.

Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

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The best credit cards to use in Japan

Now, let’s take a look at the best American credit cards which work in Japan.

We’ve included cards which offer rewards on travel spending, as these can help your money go further. This list also doesn’t include prepaid credit cards in China, although this could be another option to explore for your travel spending.

Card	Fee	APR on purchases	Features
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card¹	$95 annual fee	20.74% - 28.74%	- No foreign transaction fees - Travel miles bonus - Access to Capital One airport lounges
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card²	None	0% intro APR for 15 months, 19.74% - 29.74% afterwards	- $200 cashback on opening - 1.5% cashback on purchases - Other travel perks
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card³	None	0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles, 17.74% - 27.74% afterwards	- No foreign transaction fees - Initial points bonus worth $250 - Earn points on spending
Citi Premier® Card⁴	$95 annual fee	20.74% - 28.74%	- No foreign transaction fees - Initial points bonus worth $600 - Earn points on travel spending
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card⁵	$95 annual fee	20.74% - 27.74%	- No foreign transaction fees - Initial points bonus worth $1,000 - Extra points on travel spending
JAL USA card⁶	$20 to $90 annual fee (Basic or Premium)	22.74%⁷	- Earn travel miles on spending - Discounts on JAL services

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card¹

The first of two Capital One credit cards on our list, the Venture card comes with an annual fee of $95. It also offers an APR of 20.74% - 28.74% on purchases.

However, you’ll also get a long list of rewards and benefits in return. These include:

• Initial bonus of 75,000 miles (worth $750 in travel) when you spend $4,000 within 3 months of opening an account
• Unlimited 2x miles earned on every purchase
• Earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Up to $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
• Two free visits a year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges.
• No foreign transaction fees.

You can use any miles you’ve earned as reimbursement for travel purchases. Alternatively, you can redeem them when booking trips through Capital One Travel.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card²

Capital One’s second card is another top pick for travel. There’s no annual fee, although there is a balance transfer fee of 3%.

Another benefit is the 0% introductory APR for 15 months, with a rate of 19.74% - 29.74% after that time.

Other key features include:

• Initial $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within 3 months of signing up
• Unlimited 1.5% cashback on all purchases
• Up to 6 months of free Uber One membership statement credits
• Unlimited 5% cashback on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card³

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card comes with no annual fee. There aren’t any foreign transaction charges either.

You’ll get an interest fee period of 18 billing cycles. But after that, there’s a variable APR of 17.74% - 27.74% - this could be a little steep for some.

In terms of rewards, you’ll get the following:

• An initial 25,000 online bonus points worth $250 when you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of signing up
• Unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spending on anything
• Preferred Rewards members can earn between 25% and 75% more points on spending.

You can redeem your points for credit to put towards travel or dining.

Citi Premier® Card⁴

The Citi Premier® Card has an interest rate of 20.74% - 28.74% variable APR, and an annual fee of $95.

There are no foreign transaction fees to worry about, but there is a balance transfer fee of 5%.

In return, you’ll get the following rewards:

• Initial bonus of 60,000 points worth $600 in gift cards, after you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months
• Earn points on spending on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
• Annual hotel savings benefit.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card⁵

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with a $95 annual fee, but there are no foreign transaction fees to pay when you spend overseas.

The interest rate is 20.74% - 27.74% variable APR, and there’s a balance transfer fee of 5%.

Sign up for a card and you’ll also get the following rewards:

• Initial points bonus of 80,000 (worth $1,000 when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards) when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months
• 5x points on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• 3x points on dining and 2x points on all other travel purchases
• $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit
• Free access to DashPass.

JAL USA card

Last but not least, there’s the JAL USA card. It’s not packed with perks like the other travel rewards cards on our list, and you’ll need to watch out for the fees. But it could be suitable for some travelers to Japan.

The card is provided by Japan Airlines (JAL). In exchange for a $20 (Basic) or $70 (Premium) annual fee,⁶ you can get all kinds of discounts and rewards relating to your flights with the airline.

This includes:⁶

• Earn 1 miles per $1-2 spent on qualifying purchases
• 5,000 bonus miles on your first JAL international flight
• 10% sector bonus miles for every flight
• 5% discount at JAP Shopping Americas
• 10% of JAP Group in-flight shopping
• 10% discount on JAL international wi-fi service.

The card itself offers an APR of 22.74%. You’ll also need to be aware that using your card abroad will cost 3% in foreign transaction fees.⁷

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FAQs

Which credit card is best to use in Japan?

So, what's the best US credit card to use in Japan, and China too for that matter? Ultimately, it might come down to whether or not you’re willing to pay an annual fee, and which rewards you’ll find useful. If you don't benefit from the cashback or discounts, there’s no point paying an extra fee to get the card.

Is Visa or Mastercard better for Japan?

Both are accepted in Japan (although not everywhere), so it doesn’t really matter whether you use a Visa or Mastercard.

What US credit cards work in Japan?

To find the best credit card to use when traveling in Japan, look for a travel rewards card - just like those we’ve looked at here.

There are a couple of key things to look at when comparing options. These are the annual fee, and foreign transaction fees. These will determine how much it’ll cost you to have the card, and to spend while on vacation in Japan.

Is it better to use credit card in Japan?

Credit cards aren’t as widely accepted in Japan as in other countries. In many places, it’s a cash society. This means it’s always useful to have some cash on you, just in case.

So, is it best to use yen or an American credit card in Japan? The simple answer to this is - have both, just in case.

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Sources used for this article:

1. Capital One - Credit Cards - Venture
2. Capital One - Credit Cards - Quicksilver
3. Bank of America - Travel Rewards Credit Card
4. Citi - Citi Premier Credit Card
5. Chase - Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
6. JAL USA Card - About
7. JAL Card USA - Fees

Sources checked on 11-May-2023.