EasyTicket With summer vacation season approaching, have you started getting ready for your trip to Japan? Right after flights and lodging, the next thing that trips people up is your JPY exchange and overseas ATM strategy. EasyTicket has put together a single table comparing the fees and ATM perks of the three most popular Japan travel cards — Travelog, Travel Wallet, and SOL Travel.
To cut to the chase: carrying two cards together is safer than relying on just one. We’ll explain why in detail below.
The 3 Japan Travel Cards at a Glance
All three cards share the same basic structure: prepaid foreign currency cards. You buy yen in advance through the app, then use it for payments and ATM withdrawals once you’re in Japan. The difference comes down to where — and how much — in fees each one charges.
| Item | Travelog (Hana) | Travel Wallet | SOL Travel (Shinhan) |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPY exchange fee | 0% (4 currencies always free) | 0% (USD·EUR·JPY) | 0% (major currencies) |
| Overseas payment fee | Waived | Waived | Waived |
| Free ATM withdrawal in Japan | Seven Bank · AEON Bank | AEON Bank | Seven Bank · AEON Bank |
| Annual fee | None | None | None |
| Issuance requirement | Hana Bank account required | No bank restriction | Shinhan Bank account required |
All of these cards also give you a 100% discount on the exchange rate spread (the bank’s currency margin) when you convert money. That’s what makes them so much better than exchanging cash at a bank branch.
Which Card Wins on JPY Exchange Fees?
Travelog: The Widest Range of Always-Free Currencies
Travelog always offers fee-free exchange on USD, EUR, JPY, and GBP, and waives fees on other currencies during promotional periods too. For yen specifically, you get a 100% exchange rate discount, so you’re unlikely to come out behind compared to exchanging at a regular bank.
Travel Wallet: Easy to Sign Up For
Travel Wallet can be issued to anyone, even without an account at a specific bank. Since the JPY exchange fee is also 0%, it’s plenty competitive if you’re mainly using it for payments. The catch is the ATM withdrawal limit, which we’ll cover below.
SOL Travel: The Draw Is Japanese Convenience Store Cashback
On top of waived exchange fees, Shinhan Card’s SOL Travel offers 5% cashback (up to a combined 5,000 KRW per month) on purchases at FamilyMart, Lawson, and 7-Eleven in Japan through December 31, 2026 (source: Shinhan Card). That’s a nice bonus if you stop by convenience stores often.
Japan ATM Withdrawals: The Catch You Might Not Expect
Even though every card advertises “free withdrawals,” the partner ATMs differ by issuer. The two ATM networks you’ll run into most often in Japan are Seven Bank (at 7-Eleven) and AEON Bank (at MINISTOP and AEON Mall).
Free ATM Access by Card
- ✅ Travelog: No machine fee at either Seven Bank or AEON Bank
- ✅ SOL Travel: No fee at either Seven Bank or AEON Bank
- ⚠️ Travel Wallet: Free at AEON Bank only — Seven Bank charges a machine fee (110 yen daytime / 220 yen at night and on weekends)
With Travel Wallet, a 2% fee applies to any withdrawals beyond $500 (about 700,000 KRW) per month. If you’re planning a long stay or large withdrawals, pair it with Travelog or SOL Travel.
Which Card Fits Your Trip?
💰 Short 4-Night, 5-Day Trip to Tokyo or Osaka
→ One Travelog card is all you need. It covers both payments and ATMs, and offers the most consistent exchange rate discount.
🎯 If You’re Short on Time to Apply
→ Travel Wallet. You can apply through the app without visiting a bank, and delivery is fairly quick. Use it mainly for payments, and stick to AEON Bank for ATM withdrawals.
🍙 Travelers Who Stop by Convenience Stores Often
→ SOL Travel. It checks all three boxes: exchange, ATMs, and convenience store cashback.
📌 The Safest Combination
Bring two cards: Travelog + Travel Wallet (or SOL Travel). Use one purely for payments and keep the other as an ATM backup, so you’re never stuck even if a card is lost or you hit a withdrawal limit.
Pre-Trip Checklist ✅
- Get your card issued and delivered at least a week before departure (Travelog and SOL Travel take 3–5 business days)
- Load yen into the app ahead of time (weekday mornings tend to have better exchange rates)
- Confirm your 4-digit PIN is registered for payments and ATM use
- Turn on contactless (tap) payment — compatible with Japan’s IC card terminals
- Save a screenshot of your card issuer’s customer service number in case of loss
- Use ATMs during convenience store business hours (daytime) when possible to avoid nighttime fees
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. The yen is weak right now — is it okay to load up in advance?
A. We wouldn’t recommend betting on exchange rate swings. Loading money in smaller amounts right before your trip is the safest approach. Both Travelog and Travel Wallet let you top up in 1-yen increments through the app.
Q. Are there places in Japan that don’t accept card payments?
A. Quite a few small restaurants and shops still only take cash. We’d recommend carrying around 5,000–10,000 yen in cash per day just in case.
Q. What do I do with leftover yen I didn’t spend?
A. You can convert it back (yen → won) through the app. That said, some cards apply a spread of around 1% on reverse conversions, so the best approach is to only load what you’ll actually use.
Q. Can I just pay with a regular credit card in Japan?
A. You can, but it comes with a foreign transaction fee (around 1.0–1.2%) plus a card network fee (1%). That works out worse than using a prepaid travel card.
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The Bottom Line: Two Cards Beat One
All three cards hold up well for travel in Japan. But because the ATM partnerships differ, carrying just one could leave you stuck in front of an ATM late at night. Using Travelog as your main card with Travel Wallet or SOL Travel as backup is the safest way to run your Japan travel cards. Don’t let exchange fees eat into your trip this summer.
If you’d also like to save on flights, check out our tips for booking cheaper international flights as well.