April 13: Money in Japan

This post is important for anyone who decides to come visit. Purchases in Japan are cash based. You can probably use a credit card some places (hotels, maybe convenience stores [i struggled not to write conbini there. where is my english going]), but i never have, nor have i seen others do so.

When you go to a restaurant, you always pay cash and usually pay for the whole group as one. you have to ask them to split the bill up betsu-betsu if you want to pay individually, and depending on the group size and if the restaurant is busy, it can be a bit mendokusai (pain in the ass).

This cash-base comes with some inconveniences, and some things becoming more convenient. One big inconvenience is that ATMs have business hours - and if you're outside them, there's no way to get cash out. My bank closes at 7pm (and they charge a fee after 6pm). Also, unlike in Canada, there are many small banks. Mine is based in Kitami (the nearest small city), and only has branches in my area of Hokkaido. Luckily, you can (for a small fee, 108 yen) withdraw money from the ATMs in the many 7/11s found around hokkaido.

Most people have large wallets, full-bill-sized, and carry crazy amounts of cash around. I often get dirty looks from cashiers for my tiny wallet with bills folded into quarters (but don't particularly care). I think the double folding makes it hard for their machines to accept it (most cash registers have automatic feeds for bills, and little conveyor belt things for coins. no chance of a human miscounting). Many places (onsens, ramen shops) use a system where you put money in a machine near the door, it spits out change and a ticket, you give the ticket to a person at the counter and they bring out your food/give you your onsen towel/etc. humans never touch the money there.

There are lots of conveniences of the cash system. Paying with a 10,000yen bill ($100) is quite common, though i try not to do it at family restaurants as it's kind of mendokusai for the staff. I usually do it, again, at convenience stores. such as by buying something that costs 200 yen.

Another huge perk is buying stuff online. I don't have a Japanese credit card, and don't like to use my Canadian one as I don't have easy access to Canadian money to pay for it. But if I buy something on Amazon, I can (and do) choose to either pay for it in cash at the convenience store, or Cash-On-Delivery. Also, you can choose scheduled delivery (as late as 8pm, 6 days a week), so it doesn't get a failed delivery while I'm at work. All in all, very civilized.

Here's a couple school lunches. New school year just started April 1, so these are all the lunches I've had so far. At the BOE today so no Wednesday lunch.

Friday April 8, 2016: 200ml hokkaido milk; fancy congratulatory strawberry jelly with whipped cream; cabbage/cucumber/carrot/ham stuff; white rice with ground (pork?) in a garlic savory sauce. 

Monday April 11, 2016: white rice; 200ml hokkaido milk;"okhotsk fry" - hardboiled quail egg wrapped in cabbage/ground fish and deep fried; cooked spinach and cabbage; miso soup with fried tofu, wakame, japanese leek.

Tuesday April 12, 2016: Miso soup with tofu, carrot, fish meatballs; 200ml hokkaido milk; fried whitefish; cooked spinach, ham, corn; white rice.