Too many coins in Japan? How to use them up and stop collecting them
Checked against 12 official sources. 7 minute read.
What to know first
Japan still gives change in six coins (¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100 and ¥500), and if you pay with notes all day you can end up with 20 or more coins weighing around 100 g. Use three habits to fix it: hand over coins first at every cash payment so the change comes back round; put coins into machines that take them (vending machines, self-checkouts, lockers); and before you leave, spend the rest at a supermarket self-checkout or put them on an IC card at a subway ticket machine that takes top-ups in ¥10 steps (Toei Subway in Tokyo, Yokohama Municipal Subway). Don't plan to change coins back at home: currency exchanges abroad generally don't take them, and Japanese banks need an account and charge to handle coins at their ATMs.
Next step: At your next cash payment, add coins so the change is a round number (the method is in the worked example below).
- Coins in circulation
- ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100, ¥500
- ¥500 coin (2021 design)
- Issued from 1 November 2021; 7.1 g; older ¥500 coins remain legal tender
- Legal tender limit for coins
- Up to 20 coins of each denomination per paymentAct on Currency Units and Issuance of Coins, Article 7
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On this page
Where coins are still useful: situation by situation
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Drinks vending machine | ¥10, ¥50, ¥100, ¥500; not ¥1 or ¥5. What to do: Use up ¥10 and ¥100 coins here; many also take IC cards. If a machine returns a coin, try another machine or pay by card. |
| Subway ticket machine, Toei or Yokohama (topping up an IC card) | Yes: top-ups in ¥10 steps. What to do: The best way to turn odd coins into fare money. Toei machines take any amount in ¥10 steps on PASMO; Yokohama's take coins from ¥10 in ¥10 steps on PASMO or Suica. |
| JR East ticket machine (topping up Suica) | Cash, but JR East doesn't say whether coins count (not stated officially as of 11 October 2026). What to do: Top-ups come in fixed steps of ¥500, ¥1,000, ¥2,000, ¥3,000, ¥5,000 or ¥10,000. |
| Fare adjustment machine (のりこし精算機) | Cash. What to do: Pays a fare shortfall; JR East's also take cash top-ups. |
| Local bus | Cash fare box takes coins; change machine on board. What to do: Pay in coins (Toei and Kyoto City fare boxes give change), or tap an IC card; see our bus guide. |
| Coin locker | Many take ¥100 coins only; newer ones take IC cards. What to do: Keep a few ¥100 coins on luggage days. |
| Supermarket or chain self-checkout | Usually all six coins, in one slot. What to do: A good place to empty a coin purse. |
| Shrine or temple offering box | Any coin. What to do: ¥5 (go-en) is traditional, a play on "connection". |
| Coin laundry | ¥100 coins, sometimes notes or IC. What to do: Prices are posted on each machine; keep ¥100 coins for laundry days. |
| Small restaurants, market stalls, rural shrines | Often cash only. What to do: Coins help you pay exactly. |
| Airport before departure | Charity boxes; IC card top-up. What to do: Last chance to use coins. |
The coins you'll get
¥1: Light silver aluminium. Weight: 1 g.
¥5: Brass, hole in centre. Weight: 3.75 g.
¥10: Bronze. Weight: 4.5 g.
¥50: Silver, hole in centre. Weight: 4 g.
¥100: Silver. Weight: 4.8 g.
¥500: Two-colour (2021 design); older types are gold-coloured nickel-brass (2000–2021) or silver-coloured cupronickel (1982–1999), still legal tender. Weight: 7.1 g (2021 coin); older types 7.0 g and 7.2 g.
The ¥5 and ¥50 are the only coins with holes, which makes them easy to tell apart by touch. The ¥1 is so light it floats on water.
Worked example: why coins pile up, and how to stop it
Five days of paying with notes. You pay for a ¥763 lunch with a ¥1,000 note. The change is ¥237: two ¥100, three ¥10, one ¥5 and two ¥1. That's eight coins from one meal. After five days of this, a typical pocket looks like this:
¥1: 3. Value: ¥3. Weight: 3 g.
¥5: 4. Value: ¥20. Weight: 15 g.
¥10: 7. Value: ¥70. Weight: 31.5 g.
¥50: 2. Value: ¥100. Weight: 8 g.
¥100: 6. Value: ¥600. Weight: 28.8 g.
¥500: 1. Value: ¥500. Weight: 7.1 g.
Total: 23 coins. Value: ¥1,293. Weight: about 93 g.
That's about £6.20 or €7.30 (European Central Bank reference rates of 9 October 2026) in a heavy, jangling purse.
The fix: hand over coins so the change is round. For the same ¥763 lunch:
¥1,000: ¥237. Coins back: 8.
¥1,013 (note + ¥10 + 3 × ¥1): ¥250. Coins back: 3 (two ¥100, one ¥50).
¥1,263 (note + ¥100 × 2 + ¥50 + ¥10 + 3 × ¥1): ¥500. Coins back: 1.
¥763 exactly: ¥0. Coins back: 0.
Japanese cashiers are used to this and the till calculates the change, so you don't need to do the maths perfectly: put the note on the tray, add the coins you think make it round, and the cashier will hand back anything unneeded. A quick rule: match the last digits. If the bill ends in 3, add ¥3 (or ¥13); if it ends in 63, add ¥63 or ¥13.
Clearing the leftover ¥1,293 on your last day:
¥1,270 onto your IC card at a Toei Subway or Yokohama Municipal Subway ticket machine, which take top-ups in ¥10 steps: every coin from ¥10 up goes in. You then spend it on the airport train or a konbini breakfast.
No Toei or Yokohama station on your route? Spend the coins at a supermarket self-checkout or on drinks instead. JR East machines top up in steps from ¥500, and JR East doesn't say whether they take coins.
The last ¥23 in ¥1 and ¥5 coins in a charity box at the airport.
Cash trays and paying politely
At most tills there is a small tray (カルトン, karuton). Put your notes and coins in the tray rather than handing them over, and take your change from the tray or the cashier's hand. Cashiers often count notes back to you aloud; wait a second before leaving. Don't tip with coins; see everyday etiquette.
Why you can't just bank them
Exchanging at home. Currency exchange bureaus generally buy back foreign notes only, not coins. Ireland's An Post, for example, states plainly: "We don't buy back coins."
Depositing in Japan. You need a Japanese bank account, and coins cost extra. Japan Post Bank charges ¥110 to deposit 1–25 coins at its ATMs (¥220 for 26–50, ¥330 for 51–100, maximum 100 coins per deposit, weekdays 07:00–18:00 only), and its ATMs in stations and shopping centres don't take coins at all. At the counter, 1–100 coins are free and 101–500 coins cost ¥550.
Paying a big bill in coins. Japanese law makes coins legal tender only up to 20 coins of each type in one payment, so a shop can refuse a pile of ¥10 coins for a ¥500 bill. This is why self-checkouts and machines are the better place to use up coins.
Carrying them
A small zip coin purse (小銭入れ, kozeni-ire) keeps coins separate from notes and costs a few hundred yen at a ¥100 shop or variety store. Many Japanese people use one, so it's easy to find. A purse with a wide-opening frame lets you see the coins and pick out the right ones at the till.
Paying less in cash in the first place
The surest way to collect fewer coins is to use cash less. Most konbini, chain restaurants, stations and shops take cards, IC cards and mobile wallets, and IC cards pay fares to the yen. When you do need cash, the coin habits above keep your purse light. For how much cash to carry and where cards fail, see cash or card in Japan. For IC card top-ups, deposits and refunds, including the ¥220 refund fee on a standard Suica, see Suica, cards and mobile wallets.
Your next step
1. On day one, buy a small coin purse (a few hundred yen at a ¥100 shop).
2. At every cash payment, add coins so the change comes back as one or two coins.
3. On your last day, spend what is left at a self-checkout or put it on your IC card.
Key facts, checked 11 October 2026
Coins in circulation: ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100, ¥500.
¥500 coin (2021 design): Issued from 1 November 2021; 7.1 g; older ¥500 coins remain legal tender.
Legal tender limit for coins: Up to 20 coins of each denomination per payment (Act on Currency Units and Issuance of Coins, Article 7).
Japan Post Bank ATM coin deposit fee: ¥110 (1–25 coins), ¥220 (26–50), ¥330 (51–100); 100 coins maximum; weekdays 07:00–18:00; no coins at station or shopping-centre ATMs.
Japan Post Bank counter coin handling fee: Free (1–100 coins), ¥550 (101–500), ¥1,100 (501–1,000) (From 1 April 2024; current on 11 October 2026).
Suica top-up at JR East machines: Cash; steps of ¥500–¥10,000; ¥20,000 maximum balance; coins not mentioned.
IC top-ups in ¥10 steps: Toei Subway ticket machines (any amount in ¥10 steps, PASMO); Yokohama Municipal Subway (coins from ¥10, PASMO and Suica).
Pocket Change kiosks: Operating; yen notes only (no yen coins); 50 coins maximum per transaction; no fixed fee.
Exchange rate used: €1 = ¥177.34; £1 = ¥209.2 (derived) (ECB reference rates, 9 October 2026).
Sources for this section: Ministry of Finance, coins in circulation · Ministry of Finance, the new ¥500 coin · e-Gov, Act on Currency Units and Issuance of Coins (Act No. 42 of 1987) · Japan Post Bank, ATM hours and ATM coin fees · Japan Post Bank, counter coin handling fee · JR East, Suica top-up · Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei), PASMO top-up · Pocket Change, accepted currencies and FAQ · European Central Bank, euro reference exchange rates
Questions about this guide
Can I top up Suica with coins?
Yes, at Yokohama Municipal Subway ticket and charge machines, which take coins from ¥10 in ¥10 steps for PASMO and Suica. Toei Subway ticket machines also take top-ups of any amount in ¥10 steps (Toei's page describes this for PASMO). At JR East ticket, multi-function and fare adjustment machines you top up Suica in cash in fixed steps of ¥500, ¥1,000, ¥2,000, ¥3,000, ¥5,000 or ¥10,000; JR East's page doesn't say whether coins are accepted (not stated officially as of 11 October 2026). The maximum balance is ¥20,000. A Welcome Suica balance cannot be refunded, so top up only what you'll spend.
Do vending machines take ¥1 and ¥5 coins?
No. Drinks and ticket machines in Japan take ¥10, ¥50, ¥100 and ¥500 coins (and notes from ¥1,000). Use ¥1 and ¥5 coins at staffed tills, self-checkouts or offering boxes.
Will a shop accept a handful of coins?
For normal small purchases, yes. The legal limit is 20 coins of each type per payment, so 15 ¥10 coins for a ¥150 drink is fine; 60 ¥10 coins for a ¥600 bill can be refused.
Are old ¥500 coins still valid?
Yes. The Ministry of Finance confirms that the older ¥500 coins remain legal tender alongside the two-colour coin issued from 1 November 2021. If a machine returns a ¥500 coin, try another machine or pay at a staffed till.
Is there a machine that turns leftover yen coins into e-money?
Not one that takes yen coins. Pocket Change kiosks are still running in 2026 (at stations such as JR Sapporo, JR Sendai and, since August 2026, inside the JR gates at Shinjuku near the East Gate) and turn cash into IC-card credit, gift codes or charity donations with no fixed fee, but for yen they accept notes only; they take coins only in US dollars, euros, Chinese yuan and Korean won, up to 50 coins a time. For leftover yen coins, the working options are a ¥10-step IC top-up at a Toei or Yokohama subway machine, a self-checkout, or a charity box.
Official pages for this guide
The rules in this guide come from the official pages below. Japan, Booked. does not book or submit requests on your behalf.
- Ministry of Finance, coins in circulation
- Ministry of Finance, the new ¥500 coin
- e-Gov, Act on Currency Units and Issuance of Coins (Act No. 42 of 1987)
- JR East, Suica top-up
- Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei), PASMO top-up
- City of Yokohama, PASMO and Suica top-up amounts on the municipal subway
- Japan Post Bank, ATM hours and ATM coin fees
- Japan Post Bank, counter coin handling fee
- Japan Post Bank, press release on the coin fee change from 1 April 2024 (PDF)
- Pocket Change, accepted currencies and FAQ
- An Post, currency buyback
- European Central Bank, euro reference exchange rates
Read next
- How to ride a local bus in Japan: doors, numbered tickets and payingFront or middle door, numbered tickets, the fare screen and change machines explained, with Tokyo and Kyoto fares and when a day pass pays off.
- A practical guide to everyday etiquette in JapanLearn the everyday habits that help you enjoy trains, restaurants and shared spaces while respecting local life.
- Cash or card in Japan: plan your everyday paymentsBuild a practical mix of cash, cards and transport payments for shopping, food and getting around.
- Suica, cards and mobile wallets for your Japan tripChoose between a phone-based wallet and a physical card, then fit it alongside your other travel payments.
Sources and how this guide was checked
Published · Based on official sources · no affiliate links
Official sources
These official sources explain the rules and conditions used in this guide. Live availability and your own booking, admission or service outcome still need to be confirmed for your trip.
- Ministry of Finance, coins in circulation
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Coins in circulation.
Last checked - Ministry of Finance, the new ¥500 coin
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: ¥500 coin (2021 design).
Last checked - e-Gov, Act on Currency Units and Issuance of Coins (Act No. 42 of 1987)
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Legal tender limit for coins.
Last checked - JR East, Suica top-up
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Suica top-up at JR East machines.
Last checked - Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei), PASMO top-up
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: IC top-ups in ¥10 steps.
Last checked - City of Yokohama, PASMO and Suica top-up amounts on the municipal subway
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Japan Post Bank, ATM hours and ATM coin fees
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Japan Post Bank ATM coin deposit fee.
Last checked - Japan Post Bank, counter coin handling fee
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Japan Post Bank counter coin handling fee.
Last checked - Japan Post Bank, press release on the coin fee change from 1 April 2024 (PDF)
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Pocket Change, accepted currencies and FAQ
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Pocket Change kiosks.
Last checked - An Post, currency buyback
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - European Central Bank, euro reference exchange rates
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Exchange rate used.
Last checked
About this guide
Where coins still work in Japan, how to pay so your change comes back round, the 20-coin rule, and how to clear leftover yen before you fly.
Checked against official sources on 11 October 2026. Facts checked against the Ministry of Finance, Japan Post Bank, JR East, Toei Subway, Yokohama Municipal Subway and Japanese law on 11 October 2026. Japan, Booked. is independent and this page has no affiliate links.
How we checked this
Sources and limits of this guide
These dated notes show what each source supports, and what you still need to check yourself.
If columns are cut off, scroll sideways. Keyboard: focus the table, then use Left/Right Arrow keys.
| Question | What we found | Where it comes from | What this means for your trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coins in circulation | ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100, ¥500 | Ministry of Finance, coins in circulation | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| ¥500 coin (2021 design) | Issued from 1 November 2021; 7.1 g; older ¥500 coins remain legal tender | Ministry of Finance, the new ¥500 coin | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Legal tender limit for coins | Up to 20 coins of each denomination per payment | e-Gov, Act on Currency Units and Issuance of Coins (Act No. 42 of 1987) | Checked 11 October 2026; Act on Currency Units and Issuance of Coins, Article 7. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Japan Post Bank ATM coin deposit fee | ¥110 (1–25 coins), ¥220 (26–50), ¥330 (51–100); 100 coins maximum; weekdays 07:00–18:00; no coins at station or shopping-centre ATMs | Japan Post Bank, ATM hours and ATM coin fees | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Japan Post Bank counter coin handling fee | Free (1–100 coins), ¥550 (101–500), ¥1,100 (501–1,000) | Japan Post Bank, counter coin handling fee | Checked 11 October 2026; From 1 April 2024; current on 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Suica top-up at JR East machines | Cash; steps of ¥500–¥10,000; ¥20,000 maximum balance; coins not mentioned | JR East, Suica top-up | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
Based on official sources, linked below.
Guide updates Reviewed
When this guide was checked and what changed
- First published
- Last checked
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- What we checked
- Ministry of Finance, e-Gov, JR East, Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, City of Yokohama, Japan Post Bank, Pocket Change, An Post and European Central Bank, checked 11 October 2026.
- Latest update
- : First published: where coins still work, the six coins, paying so change comes back round, the 20-coin rule and clearing leftover yen before you fly, checked against official pages on 11 October 2026.
The date above reflects when these checks were last run. If an individual source was rechecked later, you’ll see that date next to it below. Other copy edits are listed in the update history.
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Update history
- First published
First published: where coins still work, the six coins, paying so change comes back round, the 20-coin rule and clearing leftover yen before you fly, checked against official pages on 11 October 2026.
If an operator, organiser or product changes in a way that affects the guide, we check it again sooner. Reader reports help us spot what to investigate, and we verify them against current official information before publishing. Read our update and corrections policy. See every guide's review schedule. Suggest an improvement to this guide.