Japanese Bills

1,000yen Bill	2,000yen Bill	5,000yen Bill	10,000yen Bill

Japanese Coins

1yen Coin	5yen Coin	10yen Coin	50yen Coin	100yen Coin	500yen Coin

While traveling around Hokkaido, cash can be more convenient than credit cards. Although credit cards are widely accepted in cities, small retailers or accommodations may not accept them. The same is for restaurants or souvenir shops in rural areas. It is highly recommended to carry some cash with you,so you won't miss a chance to shop at any store you want to shop from.

While traveling, credit cards can be quite useful for shopping and cash advance and they can be used for ID. While credit cards including VISA,AMEX,and Dinars Club International are usually accepted by many stores, some small retails do not, so please check with the shop staff before you pay. Some shops require a minimum spend, or don't accept installment payments. The exchange rate applied may be the rate on the day you make the expense,so keeping an eye on exchange rates is important.

When you are running out of cash, just go to an ATM. Some ATMs allow you to withdraw money in the local currency of Japan with cards issued outside of Japan.

There is no wide price gap for commodities in Japan although rent and wages varies depending on regions. The following is the list of food, drink and fares in Hokkaido. Major electronics retail stores offer discounts to compete against each other, so useful advice here is go to several stores and check prices before you make a purchase.

In Japan, a 5 % of sales tax applies to most of goods and services such as products selling at shops, restaurant foods, beauty salons and massage services. The prices on restaurant menu are usually tax-inclusive, however, the prices on most clothing, electronic appliances or souvenirs are not. Look for one of these words "" (tax-included) and "" (tax excluded), if you want to know if the price includes tax or not. You may be charged local tax if you stay at a hotel or a Onsen ryokan in Hokkaido and Onsen tax (hot-spring tax) will also be charged if they have Onsen facilities.

Individual tipping is not common in Japan, not even to waitresses, taxi drivers, or bellboys. Rather, in lieu of tipping, a 10 to 15 percent service charge is added to bills at higher-priced hotels and restaurants. No service charge is added to bills at business hotels, pensions, minshuku, youth hostels, and other inexpensive lodgings.

The voltage and the frequency of the power supply in Japan is 100, 50/60 Hz and 2-prong electrical outlets are used. When using electronic products in a hotel, make sure to use the ones fit the description. A power convertor is required to use a PC and charge a digital camera. It is best to prepare one before departing your home,however moderately large hotels might have some available for travelers.

While you are away from home, you probably want to send cards or emails to your family or friends. Japanese postal service is well developed and internet cafes are found in everywhere in big cities. When you send a card from Hokkaido,just take it to the closest post office you can find(won't be any problem finding one!) get a stamp and send through the post office. Although you can buy postage stamps at a convenience store, the shopkeepers usually do not know the postage cost for mailing a card out side of Japan.
You can also send a card by dropping it into a street-corner mailbox if you already know the postage cost and have them ready with you. The post office also handles parcels and sells packaging carton-boxes.
When you want to use the Internet, it is recommended to go to an internet cafe. The rate is relatively low, but they are clean and have good facilities including comfortable chairs. Almost all internet cafes have a drink service.

Though the number of payphones has decreased in recent years due to the widespread use of mobile phones, public phones on the street or in buildings are still available. It is possible to make international calls from most of the payphones in big cities. When using a phone in your hotel room, make sure to check with the front desk before using. Rates for calls made from payphones depend on distance. While you are in Japan, a telephone card can be quite handy in case you don't have or run out of coins.

Taxi is a convenient way to get to whenever you want to go in cities. Like many other countries, you just need to raise your hand to call a taxi. The Chinese characters,"" at the front window with a red light on means the tax is empty. After 10pm, the word "" with a green light on indicates that rates are raised. Most of drivers are nice, but only speak Japanese, so showing a map or written address of your destination can be helpful. The backdoor opens and closes automatically, so no need to open it by yourself. If you want to put your luggage in the trunk, let the driver know. Many drivers help passengers loading/unloading their luggage, but tip is not necessary.

Japanese convenience stores sell a wide range of products. Most of them open late night or 24 hours a day, so it gets really convenient when you just want something to eat, drink or need other goods. Courier delivery services are also available at convenience stores.

Japan's tap water, particularly in Hokkaido, is known for its quality. You can drink it almost everywhere in Japan without worrying about getting sick. Fresh spring water in Hokkaido is quite popular and many people filling their bottles on the mountains are often seen on weekends. Although Japan has good-tasting water, bottled-water has become popular in recent years, too.