Short answer
Carry ¥300–500 in cash. Mobile payment covers almost everything in cities, but cash is what works at market stalls, small temples, rural transport and in the first hours before your wallet is set up and verified.
Where cash still wins
- Small market stalls and street food carts
- Rural attractions, village transport and mountain areas
- Temple donations and small entry fees
- The first day, before verification completes
How much
¥300–500 is enough for a typical trip as a buffer. Bring small notes — change for a ¥100 note is a real friction point at a stall.
Withdraw from an ATM at the airport on arrival rather than exchanging at home, where the rate is usually worse.
What cash does not solve
Cash will not book a high-speed train online, reserve a museum slot or pay for a DiDi. Treat it as a fallback layer, not a strategy.
Related guides
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Official sources
Policies and booking channels change — check the official channel before you rely on it.