Universal Studios Japan Accepts Cashless/Smartphone Payment?

BigLeviathan on 18/01/2025 - 20:31
Last edited 19/01/2025 - 09:10 by 1 other user

Hi, we are travelling to Japan in April.

Wonder if anyone here know if Universal Studios Japan (USJ) accepts cashless / smartphone payment (using either virtual credit card / virtual debit card)?

I went to their (website)[https://www.usj.co.jp/web/en/us/service-guide/theme-park-services/shopping], it stated:

Cashless Payment
Service Content
Cashless payments with "WAON," "iD," and "QUICPay" are accepted.

Location
Accepted at various facilities inside the park. (Please note that some facilities do not accept electronic money.)

I'm not sure if the one used on my phone has this "iD" or not

Thanks in advance!

Travel Asia Japan Universal Studios Universal Studios Japan

Comments

  • vorsprung on 18/01/2025 - 20:35
    +2

    Might not help answer your specific question, but I found Japan big on cash. I carried cash everywhere. I have been to USJ twice, but always had cash and didn't pay attention to whether or not any cashless payments were accepted.

    • 87percent on 19/01/2025 - 08:27

      They’re big on cash, but still accept tapping card.

  • star-ggg on 18/01/2025 - 20:53
    +2

    They'll take tap visa/MC. I drove around Hokkaido last year and every museum/place of interest I visited allowed tap to pay. Even the ones < 1000 yen entry fee. Most places I went to accepted CCs. Only needed change for public transport, vending machines and the occasional cash only place.

    • BigLeviathan on 18/01/2025 - 21:00

      Thanks for your reply, with the public transport (specifically train), don't they accept suica card? unless I am mistaken….

      • star-ggg on 18/01/2025 - 22:02
        +1

        Yeah can use suica for PT

  • Gehirn on 18/01/2025 - 21:30
    -1

    No you need a japanese sold phone.

  • donga100 on 19/01/2025 - 01:49
    +1

    Yes you can. Cashless payments with "WAON," "iD," and "QUICPay" are a different method of payment to credit card, more like a prepaid digital wallet. Almost all credit card terminals in Japan will accept NFC/tap payments, particularly in a place like Universal Studios.

    • BigLeviathan on 19/01/2025 - 08:46

      Thank you, appreciate it

      • Gehirn on 19/01/2025 - 10:01
        +1

        Those apps are only available on japanese app stores.
        Your phone most likely doesn't have FeliCa either.

        • donga100 on 19/01/2025 - 11:20

          Yeah, sorry if that wasn't clear. You don't need any of those apps to pay by credit/debit card.

          • donga100 on 20/01/2025 - 23:28

            @donga100: Further tip, you sometimes need to tell the cashier that you want to use paywave/nfc. It is referred to as "touch", pronounced 'ta-chee'. They often just set the terminal to require card to be inserted as the default option.

  • hentabara on 19/01/2025 - 11:12
    +3

    Yes. I used visa / mastercard for 95% purchases in Japan. Including USJ.

  • scamNscoot on 19/01/2025 - 12:58
    +2

    I just returned from a three-week trip to Japan, where I visited USJ (Universal Studios Japan). Yes, they do accept cards, but you’ll need to carry a physical card since tap-and-go isn’t available everywhere. For convenience, you can use a Suica card for tap-and-go payments almost anywhere. Simply add the Suica card to your iPhone and top it up using your Australian bank card. Since COVID, Japan accepts cards almost everywhere, but cash is still king in regional areas.

  • knasty on 19/01/2025 - 15:11
    +1

    I used a Macquarie Debit Card in Japan; there's a much higher card acceptance now than when I was there 5 years earlier. Places like DIsney and USJ accept card widely. That said I still took out cash from 7-11 Bank machines as well just to be on the safe side and managed the cash balance such that I was able to use the last of it to buy part of the train tickets to the airport for the return journey.

    • BigLeviathan on 19/01/2025 - 18:57

      For the atm cashout, did you use macquarie debit card too? Thanks

      • knasty on 19/01/2025 - 20:42
        +2

        Yes. At 7-11 bank no fees from either 7-11 or Macquarie and you get wholesale MasterCard rate. Just ensure you choose to pay in jpy and not AUD (the screen is very clear that if you choose to pay in AUD you will pay a ~4% FX fee, for nothing).

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