Tokyo Transportation - Subway

Tokyo has a very wide and useful metro system. It has 12 major lines (Asakusa Line, Mita Line, Shinjuku Line, Oedo Line, Ginza Line, Marunouchi Line, Hibiya Line, Tozai Line, Chiyoda Line, Yurakucho Line, Hanzomon Line, Namboku Line) and some smaller private lines also.

The metro running from about 05:00 to about 24:00, so if you are planning to go out late, take into consideration that you may need to go back by taxi.

The metro is especially comfortable for foreigners, because on all the major lines you can find the names of the stations and signs in English, and the some of the workers in the gate booths speak English a little also, so they can help you if you will have a problem.

Map of Tokyo Metro

Here is a link to a very useful Tokyo Transfer Guide, that will guide you that line you should take in order to get to you destination and tell you the fare for this journey.
http://www.tokyo-subway.net/english/

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Traveler's Checks in Japan

Traveler's Checks - are less useful in Japan because they are less accepted in different stores and hotels, but you can always exchange tham to yens in major banks in Japan.

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ATM in Japan

There are many ATMs around Japan, you can find one at every bank and even at convenient shop such as 7Eleven or Family Mart. But you must consider that not all the ATM’s accept credit card issued outside of Japan, especially those in the convenient shops.

Many ATM's that are located in the banks, operate only during banking hours, and this means that you can be stuck without any cash during the weekend.

You can also withdraw money in a post office - you will see a sticker that indicates that following cards are accepted.
Postal services information in English you can find on this site: http://www.post.japanpost.jp/english/news/number_info.htm

Also you can always withdraw money at CitiBank ATM's (see branches) using your foreign credit card .

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Use of Credit Cards in Japan

Credit Cards like American Express, Visa, Diners Club, and MasterCard are usually accepted at major facilities (hotels, large stores, restaurants), but it may not be accepted at smaller shops and discount stores. Japan is still mostly a cash country and that means that even a big city in some shops the procedure of payment using a credit card (even one issued in Japan) will be much longer that paying in cash, just be tolerant.
Other shops, which have point cards (gives a discount on every buy + you can use the points for your next time you visit the shop), may not accept a credit card if you would like to use the point card, or may not give points for your buy if you pay for it using a credit card.

If you travel not to a major cities you should have enough cash, because there you card will probably not be accepted.

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Japan coins

Japan coins are either of 1, 5, 10, 100 or 500 yen.
Following the picture of Japan's coins:

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Japan bank notes

Japan bills are either of 1000, 2000 (rare), 5000 or 10000 yen.

Note that not all metro ticket machines or other vendor machines will accept 10000 or 2000yen notes, so one should always have smaller bills.

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Japan Currency

The Yen, that actually pronounced "en" and has a symbol of ¥ , is Japaness currency.

There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 yen (see images), as well as 1000, 2000 (rare), 5000,10000 yen notes (see images). Note that not all metro ticket machines or other vendor machines will accept 10000 or 2000 yen notes, so one should always have smaller bills.

Money can be exchanged at any of the authorized money exchangers and at banks.

More information you can find in this posts:
Traveler's Checks in Japan
ATM's in Japan
Use of Credit Cards in Japan

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