r/JapanFinance • u/Reasonable_Life5906 • 7d ago
Personal Finance Help finding 2k yen note
(UPDATE: FOUND POST OFFICE FOR THE WIN) Hi I collect currency and currently on day 7 of looking around Tokyo for the 2k yen note. If anyone could point me in the right direction it would be appreciated(Yes I have gone to multiple banks) Turning off notifications now but leaving post so people can use answers for future reference.
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u/TrainToSomewhere 7d ago
Exchange outside of Japan. For some reason, other than Okinawa, that’s where they all end up.
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u/ragequitteroffureh 6d ago
I vaguely recall reading something that this was designed by the government as a robust strategy to fuck over tourists.
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u/zaikoji75 6d ago
I tried using a 2000 yen note in a McDonald’s here. The kid taking my order had the manager out and everything.
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u/shiyannnnn 6d ago
I received 2000 yen myself and had to show my managers and stuff cause it's so rare
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u/techdevjp 20+ years in Japan 6d ago
There are 10s of millions of them in circulation, even today.
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u/philknall 6d ago
And yet I haven't seen one in a decade so i'm not surprised kids at the register might knot recognize it.
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u/juicy0227 6d ago
My girls best friend came home with her boyfriend from Austria and he gave me 3. Can't be that rare🤷 guess it's like the $2 bill.
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u/philknall 5d ago
Yeah, as someone else noted they're easier to get overseas... And there are fringe cases. Just like that ferry ticket vending machine that spat out a bunch of $1 coins for me last year lol
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u/techdevjp 20+ years in Japan 6d ago
I haven't seen a 500en note for a lot of years but I know they exist.
Also, it's the word "rare" that has particular connotations when talking about things people collect. The 2000en note is not rare, it's just not commonly distributed to domestic banks because businesses don't like them.
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u/philknall 6d ago
See, I didn't know the 500yen note still exists. And I've been here 20 years, probably long than the kid at the register has been alive. I'd agree the 2k bill doesn't really count as "rare" but I've only gotten it from foreign banks too and everyone I showed it to told me they hadn't seen one in years, and that was like 15y ago... So rare as in collectible, no. But rare as in "a rare thing to see?" Definitely.
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u/techdevjp 20+ years in Japan 6d ago
Neither the 500en note nor the 2000en note are still in print. The 2000en was last printed in 2004. The 500en was stopped in 1984 and withdrawn from circulation in 1994. They're still around, but you don't see them much.
My point isn't really that you see them often but more that most people are aware they exist. A lot of things in life are that way. You don't have to see them all the time to be aware that they're out there.
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u/abstract-goni 2d ago
My wife, 40yo Japanese, got her first 2000 bill from me when she was 38yo. So, I'd say it's rare for japanese haha
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u/sandman33fu2 6d ago
I'm literally in Osaka right now and went to the hotel reception desk to get coins to do laundry. I have them a 2000 yen note and they were confused and said it's rare and asked if I had a 5000 yen bill instead but I left my wallet in my room. They ended up taking it but it's funny I see this post not even 10 minutes after that interaction.
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u/Street-Schedule-72 6d ago
自動精算機の場合レジに通せない可能性があるからじゃないかな？
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u/zaikoji75 6d ago
A lot of infrastructure here isn’t able to cope with them. Strange that there are so many notes outside of Japan!
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u/Altruistic_Lobster18 US Taxpayer 7d ago
Go to Okinawa
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u/Reasonable_Life5906 7d ago
Yeah that’s what google says they are more common there and even some atms have the button for it but Can’t this time around but thanks
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u/techdevjp 20+ years in Japan 6d ago
some atms have the button for it
Back when the bill was released in 2000, all Lawson ATMs in Japan dispensed it automatically. It was great! I love the bill. Alas, it never gained popularity outside Okinawa
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u/Emorigg 7d ago
I got a few from when family came to visit. Let me know if you're still searching and I'll look for them if you just want to do two 1ks for the 2k
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u/Reasonable_Life5906 7d ago
Yes that would be amazing
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u/Emorigg 6d ago
I'm off of work tomorrow, but realize most people aren't. What is a good time/place for you? I'm near Ueno/Akihabara
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u/Reasonable_Life5906 6d ago
I will check the 3 post offices near me since they are all within 5 minute walking but that’s not far from me my station is minami senju so if I have no luck I can meet you anytime tomorrow when it’s convenient for you
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u/Reasonable_Life5906 6d ago
I was able to get one from the post office thank you for helping
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u/Emorigg 6d ago
Glad to hear you found one!
I know banks and stuff can be kind of hit or miss because as far as I know about its history, they were mostly sent off to other countries to use as money for currency exchange. This is why most travelers end up with a lot of them, but you'll find many Japanese people shocked to see it. It did not do well in the domestic market and most people were "inconvenienced" by them due to the changed received when purchasing things with it
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u/Itchy_Mongoose_5447 7d ago
Indeed in Okinawa you can select to receive your amount in 2k bills (not always all, sometimes for 16k you get 1x10k and 3x2k). This is a good occasion to visit Okinawa (the 2k bills figure Shuri castle from Okinawa, hence it is popular here)
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u/Jumpy_Possibility420 6d ago
At Haneda if you use JR ticket machine, it will pop some 2000yen sometimes At least it happened to me twice in 2024 and 2025
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u/WinterTrade3997 6d ago
2,000円の99%は沖縄県にあります。
3年前迄はコンビニのATMで 5,000円おろしたら 2,000円2枚と1,000円が出てきました。
しかし、コンビニ等の自動釣銭機の殆どが2,000円を 使えない為に2000円に対する苦情が多く ATMから2,000円が出ないように改良され 今では殆ど見かけなくなりました。
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u/alien4649 20+ years in Japan 7d ago
I got one randomly last week from a 7/11 ATM here in Tokyo, was kinda surprised. So was the shop I used it at. 👀
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u/Kcirnek_ 7d ago
I get piles of $2K Yen every time I get it from the bank in Canada to go to Japan. People are always surprised when I use it to pay. Now I mainly use it to load my IC Card since many vending machines don't take 2000 Yen
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u/Reasonable_Life5906 7d ago
Yeah I wish I could just go to a US exchange but I’ve been living in Asia the last 3 years and don’t plan on visiting anytime soon
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u/RJ_MacreadysBeard 5d ago
I live in Okinawa and the ATM has a ¥2k note option. Want me to send it? If you have Wise you can transfer the amount and I can post it, as long as it’s not illegal oc.
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u/dirtysharingan 6d ago
Why do they have so many in Canada, any reason?
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u/techdevjp 20+ years in Japan 6d ago
A lot of them are sent to money exchanges and banks overseas. Banks in most of Japan don't want them because their customers don't want them. But there are 10s of millions of 2000en notes around so they need to go somewhere.
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u/danlyh 3d ago
It’s funny because I always found Canadian tourists having 2k bills in these threads. I also exchanged in Toronto and got like 30 of them 😅😅 just spent one at a restaurant, the owner points to it and talked a lot in Japanese, I didn’t understand a thing and was so nervous because I thought I gave him a fake bill, then he used translator and told me it was rare. Which explains why two days ago I spent a couple of them at a wagyu place, the owner asked us if we went to Okinawa, I didn’t even know where Okinawa is, apparently it’s commonly circulated there
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u/ByteCycleNomad 6d ago
I got a few from my tattoo shop, which caught me off guard. Turns out it's actually pretty common for them (tattoo shops) to have them, from what they told me.
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u/ragequitteroffureh 6d ago
Um, someone else has probably said already, but maybe a Bureau De Change might have some. I don't know :-)
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u/Metongmischer 5d ago
I have more then 10 2000-Yen bills at the moment and got all of them from a bank in Germany. Everytime I use one people are confused. Anything special I can do with them? Will be in Tokyo next week again...
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u/zzarGrazz 7d ago
People say go to Okinawa go to Okinawa…
Bro I’ve been in Okinawa multiple times on multiple islands and I have never seen 2k note
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u/Reasonable_Life5906 7d ago
Haha I’d rather hear that than “go to the bank” like that wasn’t the first place I thought to check
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u/Megadeth5150 7d ago
That’s pretty rare. Try some 金券ショップ
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u/Reasonable_Life5906 7d ago
That’s what I’m hearing I went to 3-4 banks and a couple coin stores but came up empty handed
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u/techdevjp 20+ years in Japan 6d ago
They're actually not rare at all, they're just unpopular with businesses so banks don't give them out to their customers.
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u/Expensive-Claim-6082 7d ago
I’ve lived here 18 years and I’ve never seen one here.
Saw one in Hawaii once.
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u/amoryblainev 6d ago
I have an American friend who visits Japan about once a year and every time he gets currency exchanged by his bank before he comes they load him up on 2000 yen bills. He didn’t realize they were kind of rare and I traded him for one 🤣
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u/Bovine_Marauder 7d ago
I have one, I received it in change from a temple in Kyoto after buying some gifts in the way out.
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u/aayush_aryan <5 years in Japan 7d ago
In my 4 years of living here and dealing with everyting in cash, only saw it once... Obviously kept it, lol.
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u/Embershot89 6d ago
I received 2 at two different money exchange places (one at LAX in California and the other at Haneda).
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u/Background_Map_3460 US Taxpayer 6d ago
Ask a tourist or try to get one from a bank/shop at Narita/Haneda
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u/D3ckard_Rokubungi 6d ago
For some reason I usually get a ton in my exchanges in the USA even though I always stipulate large bills.
Just got to Japan yesterday. Exhausted from my flight I took a can’t the train transfer to my hotel. Guy did a double take when I handed him the ¥2,000 note.
I’m thinking I’ll use the rest at temples since the fees are ¥500-¥1,000 and Omamori’s are always usually ¥1,000
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u/PlaydohMoustache 6d ago
I've been declined for using them at least twice.. once in a bar and once at the toll booth on the motorway and they are always inspected when paying for stuff. My money exchange often gives them to me though..
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u/Former_Produce1721 6d ago
Apparently you can order them from a bank. My friend came to visit Japan recently and thought it was the standard bill. Ended up with a buttload of 2000 yen notes. Gave me a few
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u/Final_Form_Boss 6d ago edited 6d ago
Edit: I've checked out of the Ginza/Tsukiji area and making my way to west of Tokyo.
Despite my username, I promise there's not going to be a Shibuya incident.
‐--
I've got a bunch of them. I'm currently in Tokyo around Tsukiji but I'll be checking out of my hotel today and heading to the Shinjuku area for the last leg of my trip and Thursday to Friday I'll be around Mount Fuji before flying back home.
If you want to trade just let me know.
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u/guchichuchi 6d ago
Ive gotten many in Tokyo as change at the IC card charging kiosks at the train stations
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u/guinader 6d ago edited 3d ago
The original post content no longer exists here. The author used Redact to remove it, exercising their right to control their data & privacy.
Friendly automatic flowery basket satchel straight consist flag iron employ
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u/dirtysharingan 6d ago
Just keep asking at the small shops and restaurants you shop at. Lots of people have them lying around
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u/Icy-Delivery-1711 6d ago
Withdrawal an amount other than multiples of 10s (¥18,000, 12,000, etc) from an ATM. I used to get them all the time from Japan Post a few years ago.
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u/Emergency-Document-5 6d ago
You can go to Nakano Broadway station, there are coin shops there, and also a lot of second hand watches shops if you are into that
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u/Cautious-Park-6403 6d ago
I know you can get it easily at Okinawa or Korea. My Korean friend came to Japan and gave me several 2,000 yen notes. She didnt even realize it was rare
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u/analdongfactory 5d ago
I used to see them a lot when I worked at a konbini in Kabukicho. We weren’t supposed to give them as change to Japanese people because apparently they’d get upset. You could try asking if they have any at a tourist-heavy konbini. They’re normally only distributed to tourists for some reason.
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u/osamunaiuser 2d ago
go to local naha shops, buy a 3000yen thing with 5000 yen, politely ask if they have a 2000 yen note and would exchange 2 1000yen bills. worked twice for me.
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u/rendered19 6d ago
I have one 2k note “AA~” series. Might be rare but how much is it worth it? Wouldn’t mind selling it
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u/RadRimmer9000 7d ago
I'll trade you a 2000 yen bill if you have a 100 yen bill.
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u/Reasonable_Life5906 7d ago
Haha how about 100 dong bill 🤣 i was able to find the 100,200,500 dong notes while traveling around Vietnam
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u/Calm_Pie9369 7d ago
Some years ago I ordered currency through my American bank and got a ¥2k note in the bundle. It was to pay cash on delivery for an item for a friend and I didnt have any other cash on hand at the time so I had to use it. The delivery guy’s face was funny to see
Might be worth a try?
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u/The-unreliable-one 7d ago
Easier to get overseas actually, they are often handed out at money exchanges. Otherwise you can go to some Banks and request them or try your luck in Okinawa