Unlike in the UK or in the USA, credit / debit card use is pretty limited in Japan. You rarely see anyone paying for anything with a card unless it's more than 100,000 yen, and even then cash is usually the way to go.
Because of this there's a much greater need for ATMs (cash machines or hole-in-the-wall as we call them back home), so in banks you'll find rows of them lining the place.
There's just one problem though - they shut in the evenings and at weekends. Why this is I really don't know. I mean, the whole point of ATMs is that they don't need to be staffed, right? And with Japan's comparitively low crime rate you'd think it would be even less of a problem to have them open 24/7.
Does anyone know the reason for this? I'm guessing it's political.
Thankfully, the past few years have seen ATMs put into most 24 hour convenience stores - but be warned that they often charge a fee if they don't belong to your bank, and always charge outside of standard banking hours.
I wonder - does it cost them more to dial into banking systems at night?!
One very good thing that has changed since I first came here in 2000 is that many ATMs will now accept international visa cards. I remember on that first trip it was almost impossible to withdraw money from my UK bank account.
Is Japan the only place where ATMs shut at night? Is there any other developed country where credit cards haven't caught on?
Joseph
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