American Express: Leave home without it
 

Japan as a whole is a cash-based society. I learned that lesson after visiting Tokyo and Misawa for two weeks this past September. Credit cards are not nearly as widely accepted as they are here in the states, and Travelers' Checks are basically useless even in high profile tourist areas like Mt. Fuji. Be warned. You may be uncomfortable carrying around a lot of cash, but it's necessary and so much more convenient.

What about ATM's? Did you use them?

ATMs are hard to find, rarely have instructions in English, often do not accept american bank cards, and are usually locked up after business hours. Visa is accepted in many places now, but in Japan, cash (and a lot of it)is a necessity.

PLUS you may see look at a map and see BANK on it and then show up too see that it has gone bankrupt..

what the hell does that mean?

I found that cash was the most convenient. One good thing to do is just withdraw plenty of cash from an ATM each time you are in a major airport or train station (like Kyoto) where there are ATMs that accept US cards. I also didn't have any trouble cashing/exchanging travelers checks at a major bank in Kyoto. More remote locations may require more advance planning to make sure you have enough cash. But even in Takayama we didn't have trouble finding a bank with an ATM that accepted our card. I would recommend asking at the local tourism office if you're in a bind; they'll point you in the right direction.

After living in Japan for two years, would offer the following advice for anyone visiting... don't bother bringing your check book... VISA is the most widely accepted credit card although limited to major stores and some restaurants, don't bother with Diners Club, Am Ex, etc... and never pass up an ATM. ATMs are usually only open during bank hours which are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A few are open for a couple hours Saturday morning, but those are rare. Make sure you have CIRRUS ATM card. And don't worry about limits... it's not like the U.S... I've taken out up to $5000 US with an ATM card in a single transaction. Never had a problem carrying cash... takes a while to get used to, but never left home for a day out shopping without $1000 at least. A final comment... if you use a bank ATM and it doesn't have English prompts and the bank is open... the bank clerks will help you.

I agree with the title of your query (American Express: Leave home without it). In my travels around SE Asia the past three years, American Express cards are the least liked. Many places flat out refused to honor them. Visa was the card of choice. Mostly, however, in Laos and Cambodia and Myanmar, cash (US dollars) was king! I was a walking bank but generally felt secure in those countries....

AMEX charges a higher rate to the merchants who accept it, I believe, than Visa/MasterCard. I think that's why it is accepted less.

Visa ATM locator -worldwide<BR>www.international.visa.com<BR><BR>Loc ate ATM's (i.e. Tokyo) and print out before you depart.