Japanese Yen, Do Old Bank Notes Expire?

Yes and no, but I think it'll be a while. Japan still considers 21 bank notes going back to 1885 as legal tender! Bank of Japan list:

[areasevenpro]

I just came back from Fukuoka, and all of the buses had signs stating they do not accept the new bank notes.

[deany]

Aloha John,
On our trip last October we used bank notes from our previous trip in 1999 at a store in Nippori. The cashier looked at the bills, excused herself, and consulted an older associate, who assured her it was okay to accept. Probably thought it was counterfeit since she likely had never seen those old notes before, being that she looked younger than those old notes. We understood and smiled. At least it wasn't a one yen note! The same would happen if someone tried to use an old $2 bill here.

[wendyon]

You misread the National Printing Bureau post... All the notes you said are no longer accepted are just no longer issued. It says right at the top "Banknotes in use but no longer issued". The ¥2, 000 note is still in circulation as it has no replacement.

[ndyajeff]

I tried very hard to get new notes before I left on the 4th of July..

Thank you for doing this research, I ended up taking home a bunch JPY..

Thank you! Save me time and concern...

[ruchan]

I've been to your neighborhood last year in November! I found the contrast between old and new to be perhaps more pronounced than in other areas (seeing these giant buildings dominating the skyline above the small houses is really impressive!). So many hidden gems and such an authentic vibe, really loved it there! I hope the development of the area stays as slow as possible because I would be sad to see all those charming streets go away! Cheers!

[kiyoshitakeda]

Helpful info on past currency and coin issues. Surprised about the one yen note. Thank you for the video.

[mavadelo]

ok, the ChatGPT bit had me actually lol irl. I hope the emergency services were in time and everybody is ok. Thanks for the currency history :)

[victorpatiu]

very appreciative of informing the public that old dynamension moneys were still accepted. very nice!!!👏👏👏.

[lilacbirman]

Oh, I'm happy to know because I have the the old notes from my trip in May. Good to know that I'll be able to use them on my next trip next year!

[stevenwillis]

I think there’s an exception in the legal tender laws that coins and notes over a certain age don’t have to be accepted by stores if they don’t recognise them. The Bank of Japan is absolutely still holding the original deposit for them in its accounts though, so they can still be redeemed at the Bank of Japan office and participating banks (if you’re crazy enough to give away a very collectable note for face value 😅).

[eugeneshimabukuro]

In a related topic… Money that expires is called Digital currency. As in Hong Kong, we are told it is for convenience. But, it will control what you purchase and yes, this currency can expire. The control on your finances is frightening.

[dlphn]

The funny thing is that you can have a $5, 000 usd bill and it is still legal tender in the US despite being only minted in 1878!

[johnlopez]

I was interesting you showing old Japanese currency and exploring some parts of the area that was fun hope you find something great there.

[beyondlover]

Keep it up John! 👍 Can't wait for a new video in your main channel

[erniesbudolab]

I received brand new notes as change when I made a purchase in Okinawa.

[cherylmallow]

Thanks for the info! 😁 We’ve been to Japan twice, most recently in Oct. 2023. We are going back this Oct. 2024 and we were worried our left over Yen wouldn’t be accepted. We have bills and change.

[ramsessilent]

i never understood why anyone would think they would not be! other the the for for counterfiting. thanks for share ! stay awesome!

[supmojo]

Im a tourist and Im glad that Japan will still honor my unspent bills from my last visit.

[KariHaruka]

I'm looking forward to adding the new ¥1000 note to my collection. I am a huge fan of Hokusai's 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa' and I already possess a lot of things that depict the print (from a large replica print, to smaller prints that feature Tokyo Tower and even one that has Pokemon!)

[thelonelyamazonian]

Thanks John for taking us to Tsukishima Monja Dori. It’s what initially made me fall in love with Japan including Tskuda.

Now, will you be taking us to my favourite place, Kiyosumi Shirakawa, please? And, also a lovely stroll along Fukagawa Shiryokan Dori (Shopping Street). 👍

I am eagerly anticipating! 🙏