Planning a holiday to the Land of the Rising Sun? Here are the best credit cards that give you bonus rewards. Plus, learn how to avoid those costly foreign transaction fees.

When holidaying in Japan, choosing the right credit card can enhance your rewards, making your trip even more enjoyable. Many credit cards provide bonus rewards on overseas transactions or travel-related spends, such as flight bookings and hotels, making it a no-brainer to bring your credit cards with you when you travel to Japan. 

Here’s our rundown of the best credit cards to use in Japan, and the rewards you stand to earn. 

Best credit cards to use in Japan

Mastercard credit cards paired with Amaze

Amaze is a digital wallet and payment platform that can help travellers get more out of their holiday spending. 

You can link up to five Mastercard credit or debit cards to your Amaze account, and you can choose which card to pay with at any time. When paying with Amaze, the following happens:

• Credit card foreign currency transaction fees are replaced by Amaze’s own forex-only fee, lowering your overseas charges
• Transaction type is converted to online transactions
• MCC remains the same

Hence, pairing Amaze with a Mastercard credit card lets you lower overseas charges while continuing to earn credit card rewards. And to make the most of your Japan travel expenses, we recommend the following credit cards.

Maybank Family & Friends Card

The Maybank Family & Friends Card offers 8% cashback (capped at S$125) on five chosen categories, with a monthly minimum spend of S$800.

While travel category is excluded, you can earn cashback on five of the 10 options:

• Groceries 
• Dining & food delivery 
• Transport 
• Data communication & online TV streaming
• Retail & pets 
• Online fashion
• Entertainment
• Pharmacy
• Beauty & wellness
• Sports and sports apparels
• Malaysian Ringgit Spend (automatically included on top of your 5 preferred categories)

These categories can be changed every quarter, offering some flexibility according to your spending habits. 

UOB Lady’s/Lady’s Solitaire Card

The UOB Lady’s Card is a rewards card that gives you 10x points (4 mpd) on your preferred spending category (out of seven), one of which is travel. 

Travel spends include all major travel booking platforms such as Agoda, Expedia and UOB Travel, as well as airlines, resorts and duty-free shops. This means you can generate 4 mpd on your plane tickets, accommodation and duty-free purchases during your Japan holiday. 

OCBC Rewards Card

Another credit card that gives you 4 mpd on your Japan travel spend is the OCBC Rewards Card. However, with this card, you can earn bonus rewards only on shopping and at duty-free shops. 

Still, if you’re planning to shop up a storm in Tokyo’s glitzy department stores, or simply want to stock up on your Uniqlo staples, the OCBE Rewards Card makes for a great choice. 

KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card

Next up we have the KrisFlyer UOB Credit Card, which gives you 3 mpd on Singapore Airlines Group (Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Kris+ and KrisShop), dining, online food delivery, online shopping, online travel, and transport (SimplyGo rides and Gojek/Grab, taxi, and limo). The catch is that you need to spend at least S$800 per year on SIA group spends, otherwise the earn rate drops to 1.2 mpd.  

Another benefit of this card is that there’s no cap on bonus miles earned, making it ideal for large ticket items or for purchasing flight tickets for the family. 

UOB PRVI Miles World Mastercard

UOB PRVI Miles Card offers a base earn rate of 2.4 mpd (UNI$6 per S$5 spent) for overseas spends. It also offers 1.2 mpd on local spends, making it one of the highest earn rates for general spending cards. 

You can also boost your rewards when booking hotels and flights via Agoda and Expedia when you book via the dedicated UOB X Agoda or UOB X Expedia links – these transactions will earn you 6 mpd, until 31 Dec 2024. 

HSBC TravelOne Credit Card

The HSBC TravelOne Credit Card gives you 2.4 mpd on all foreign currency transactions. This includes airlines, car rental, lodging, cruise lines and travel agencies, making for a versatile choice that should serve you well throughout your Japan holiday. 

Worth a go: Citi PremierMiles Card, Citi Cashback + Card, Standard Chartered Simply Cashback Card

These three cards don’t exactly offer the most exciting rewards on your travel spends, but they can be paired with Amaze to help you save on those pesky foreign currency transaction fees. Worth a go if you don’t have the other cards on the list. 

Other credit cards to consider 

If you don’t have a Mastercard credit card, the Amaze option is out for you. However, you can still earn some pretty good rewards from your Japan holiday expenses with the credit cards listed below, but take note that there will be a foreign currency conversion fee of 3.25% to 3.5%. 

Understanding Japan credit card usage

Japan credit card adoption rate

While Japan is known for being high-tech, even futuristic, it seems it’s still very much traditional when it comes to credit cards. A 2023 report found that cashless payments made up only 36% of the country’s consumption. This was despite a relatively high credit card adoption rate; in Japan credit card penetration was 69.7%, ranking the country in 4th place globally. 

This means that while credit cards and cashless payments are available, there is still a strong preference for cash. Hence, travellers should remember to carry some cash with them when going out, in case credit card payments are not accepted. 

When can you use credit cards in Japan? 

Generally, you will be able to pay with credit cards in the major metropolitan areas of the country. This includes departmental stores and shopping malls; most accommodations such as hotels, inns and hostels; major franchises such as chain restaurants and cafes; souvenir shops at touristy areas; convenience stores; and museums and castles. 

However, public transportation such as subways, taxis and buses may not always accept cashless payments. It is advisable to ensure you have adequate cash before embarking on your journey. 

When should you use cash in Japan?

When visiting some of Japan’s most famous landmarks such as national parks, temples, gardens and shrines, you should expect to pay using cash. 

The same goes at night markets and street festival stalls; as well as privately run restaurants and family-owned eateries. These places usually operate on a cash-only basis, so be sure to hit up a nearby ATM to withdraw some cash before proceeding. 

What about Japan’s famous vending machines that offer everything from warm canned drinks to fresh bananas and fish stock? While there are some advanced models that accept credit cards, most of them are cash-operated only.

The good news is, ATMs are readily available all over the country. You can find them at convenience stores, malls and subway stations. Bank branches also offer ATMs, and these commonly accept international cards. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What should you do if you need to apply for a credit card in Japan?

To apply for a credit card in Japan, you would need to have a residence permit. Thus, tourists or foreign visitors cannot apply for a credit card in Japan. 

To apply for a credit card at a bank, you will need to bring your passport, a form of identification with a photo (like your driver's licence), your residence card, health insurance card, and the ATM/debit card you wish to withdraw from.

Online applications are also available, but in addition to submitting the documents mentioned above, you may also need to answer several questions such as your source of income, details about your company, and your residence history in the country. 

If you discover you have lost your credit card in Japan, you should immediately lock your card via your mobile app or online banking to prevent unauthorised transactions. You should then contact your card issuer to let them know of the loss and have them send you a replacement card. 

If your credit card was stolen along with your belongings, you should make a police report within 24 hours of the incident. A police report is required if you plan to make a claim against your travel insurance policy, and it will also help indemnify you against unauthorised use of the lost credit card. 

When using your credit card in Japan, be aware that you will be subject to foreign currency transaction fees, which may be as high as 3.5% of the transaction amount. 

Using your credit card to withdraw cash at an ATM will count as a cash advance, which is subject to a charge of S$15 or 8% of the amount withdrawn, whichever is higher. To avoid this, always use a debit or ATM card to withdraw cash.