How much cash should I bring to Japan?

Not much. Cards and contactless payment are widely accepted in the major cities. Keep a small amount of yen for cash-only situations such as shrine stalls, traditional market food and some taxis.

Where do I buy a Suica card?

At JR East station counters and ticket machines in the Tokyo area; in Kansai the equivalent is ICOCA. iPhone users can add a mobile Suica to Apple Wallet before the trip and skip the queue.

eSIM or pocket WiFi for Japan?

For solo travellers and couples an eSIM installed before departure is the simplest option. For a larger group sharing one connection, a rented pocket WiFi router can work out cheaper. If you need data on landing, the eSIM is ready before you board.

Can I take a power bank on the plane?

Yes, in carry-on only. Under the rule effective 2026-04-08, passengers are limited to 2 units, may not charge them in flight, and units without a Wh capacity label may be confiscated at security. Check your own airline's policy before flying.

Do I need a voltage converter in Japan?

Almost never for electronics. Japan runs on 100V with Type A sockets, and chargers rated 100-240V work with just a plug adapter. Only a single-voltage 220V appliance such as a hair dryer would need a converter.

Japan Packing Checklist 2026: Cash, IC Cards, Power Banks

Updated: 2026-09-08

The three things most often left off a Japan packing list are a mix of cash and card, a transit IC card, and an eSIM installed before departure. Power banks need attention too: a rule effective 2026-04-08 limits passengers to 2 units, carry-on only, no charging in flight, and each must show its capacity in Wh. Japan also runs on 100V with Type A sockets, so check your plugs before you pack.

Japan packing checklist

!Departure hall at Narita Airport Terminal 1 *Photo: Terence Ong (CC BY 2.5), via Wikimedia Commons*

Category	Item	Priority	Notes
Money	Japanese yen in cash	Must	Small eateries and some shrine amulet stalls are still cash-only
Money	Credit card with no or low foreign fees	Must	Convenience stores, stations and chain restaurants take cards and contactless
Transport	IC card (Suica or ICOCA)	Recommended	Works for trains, buses and convenience-store payments; physical cards are sold in limited numbers at some stations
Connectivity	eSIM or pocket WiFi	Must	You need maps and translation apps the moment you land; install an eSIM before departure
Power bank	Capacity printed in Wh	Must	Unlabelled power banks may be confiscated at security
Power bank	No more than 2 units	Must	New rule from 2026-04-08; excess units may not be allowed on board
Electrical	Plug adapter	Depends	Japan uses Type A sockets at 100V; US plugs fit, Korean, EU, UK and Australian plugs need an adapter
Documents	Passport with sufficient validity	Must	Check your airline's and Japan's requirements before booking

The rest of the list is the usual travel kit. Anything you forget, from toiletries to umbrellas, is sold at the nearest convenience store.

Money: cash versus card

Japan's reputation as a cash-only country is out of date in the big cities, but not gone.

Convenience stores, train stations, chain restaurants and drugstores almost all accept cards or phone-based contactless payment. In major cities you rarely need a large amount of cash.
Shrine amulet stalls, food stalls in traditional markets and some taxis still run on cash. Keep a modest amount of yen in small notes and coins for these.
You can exchange money at the airport or at banks in the city. City rates are usually slightly better than airport rates, so exchange a small amount before departure or on arrival and top up later rather than carrying a lot at once.

Where	Card or contactless	Cash
Convenience stores, stations, chains, drugstores	Yes	Yes
Shrine stalls, market food, some taxis	Often no	Yes

Transit IC cards: Suica and ICOCA

An IC card saves the most time of anything on this list if you change trains often.

Suica is sold at JR East stations in the Tokyo area and ICOCA at stations in the Kansai region. Both work nationwide on most subways, buses and convenience stores, so one card covers a Tokyo-Osaka trip.
iPhone users can add a mobile Suica to Apple Wallet and skip the queue for a physical card. Set it up before you leave home.
Physical cards are sold in limited numbers at some stations, which is another reason to go mobile if your phone supports it.
You can still travel on paper tickets without an IC card, but with frequent transfers the card is clearly faster.

The rule for the rest of the trip is simple: tap in, tap out, and top up at any station machine or convenience store.

eSIM, power banks and plugs

To be online the moment you land, install an eSIM before departure. If several people want to share one connection, a rented pocket WiFi router is the alternative.

!A portable power bank *Photo: Intel Free Press (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons*

Power bank rule effective 2026-04-08. Announced by Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration in line with new ICAO guidance, it applies to passengers departing Taiwan; if you fly via Taipei, or your airline has adopted the same standard, it affects you:

Each passenger may carry no more than 2 power banks.
Power banks go in carry-on only, never checked baggage.
No charging a power bank during the flight, and no using it to power other devices.
A power bank with no Wh (watt-hour) capacity marking may be discarded at security.

Recount your power banks and check the labels before you leave, and confirm your own airline's policy.

Plugs and voltage. Japan uses Type A sockets (two flat parallel pins) at 100V, 50/60Hz.

Your devices are from	Plug fits?	Voltage
US	Yes, no adapter	Fine
Korea, EU	Adapter needed	Multi-voltage chargers fine; single-voltage 220V appliances underperform
UK, Australia	Adapter needed	Same as above

Phone, laptop and camera chargers are almost all rated INPUT 100-240V and work with just an adapter. A voltage converter is only worth packing for a single-voltage 220V hair dryer or styler, and a dual-voltage travel model is lighter.

As a next step, a Japan 5G/4G eSIM starts from about $0.49 (KKday, tracked 2026-07-12). Check the product page for current plans and terms.

General information only. Confirm details with official agencies and local notices.

Compare prices for related tickets

Japan Unlimited Data eSIMCompare

FAQ

How much cash should I bring to Japan?
Not much. Cards and contactless payment are widely accepted in the major cities. Keep a small amount of yen for cash-only situations such as shrine stalls, traditional market food and some taxis.
Where do I buy a Suica card?
At JR East station counters and ticket machines in the Tokyo area; in Kansai the equivalent is ICOCA. iPhone users can add a mobile Suica to Apple Wallet before the trip and skip the queue.
eSIM or pocket WiFi for Japan?
For solo travellers and couples an eSIM installed before departure is the simplest option. For a larger group sharing one connection, a rented pocket WiFi router can work out cheaper. If you need data on landing, the eSIM is ready before you board.
Can I take a power bank on the plane?
Yes, in carry-on only. Under the rule effective 2026-04-08, passengers are limited to 2 units, may not charge them in flight, and units without a Wh capacity label may be confiscated at security. Check your own airline's policy before flying.
Do I need a voltage converter in Japan?
Almost never for electronics. Japan runs on 100V with Type A sockets, and chargers rated 100-240V work with just a plug adapter. Only a single-voltage 220V appliance such as a hair dryer would need a converter.