Will my card work in the countryside?
Sometimes, but not reliably. Cities take cards almost everywhere; villages often don’t. Family inns, local buses, and small eateries are frequently cash-only, and some rural ATMs reject foreign cards outright. Treat your card as a backup and cash as the default once you leave the main lines.
How much cash should I carry?
Budget about 10,000 yen per person per day for a rural trip, topped up at post office or 7-Eleven ATMs while you’re still in town. That covers meals, buses, and a cash-only inn with room to spare, so you’re never stranded where no machine takes your card.
| Where | Cards? | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| City hotels & chains | Usually yes | Card fine |
| Family inns / minshuku | Often no | Cash |
| Local buses | Rarely | Coins & small notes |
| Post office / 7-Eleven ATM | — | Withdraw here |