Lifestyle - May's Japan Money Room

【Feb 3-4, 2026】JAL Domestic Flight Time Sale | Golden Week from ¥8,250

May | ⏱ 2026-02-03 🔄 2026-07-30 | Leave a Comment

Key Takeaways: JAL’s domestic time sale runs Feb 3-4, 2026, covering travel from March 29 through May 6 — the full Golden Week window. Tokyo-Osaka starts at ¥8,250 and Tokyo-Sapporo or Okinawa at ¥9,900. Booking is website-only, paid by credit card or e JAL Points, with purchase due the same day. 📅 Sale Overview Sale Period Feb 3, 2026 (Tue) 0:00– Feb 4, 2026 (Wed) 23:59 Travel Period Mar 29, 2026 (Sun)– May 6, 2026 (Wed) Eligible Flights JAL, JTA, RACDomestic Promo Fares JAL domestic flight time sale is here! Score amazing deals on flights covering the Golden Week holiday period. Tokyo-Osaka from ¥8,250, Tokyo-Sapporo/Okinawa from ¥9,900, and more popular routes at incredible prices. Sale runs for 2 days only – don’t miss out! 🛫 Book on JAL Official Website 🎌 Perfect for Golden Week Travel! Travel period covers March 29 – May 6, including the entire Golden Week holiday […]

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Money-Saving Tips, Lifestyle, Travel for Less

Times Car Share for Foreigners in Japan: License & Sign-Up

May | ⏱ 2026-02-02 🔄 2026-08-04 | Leave a Comment

Key Takeaways: Times Car Share requires a Japanese driver’s license — an International Driving Permit is not accepted for membership, only for car rental. You’ll also need a credit card, a Japanese phone number, and a residence card. Since December 2025, any distance over 20km costs ¥20/km regardless of rental length, so short local trips remain the cheapest use. Times Car Share Japan Complete Guide | Pricing, Tips & How to Get Free Monthly Fee 📖 This Guide Is For You If… You live in Japan and occasionally need a car, but don’t want to own one You want to understand the latest Times Car pricing changes You’re looking for the best way to sign up (with bonus!) You want to learn how to get the monthly fee waived forever Times Car is Japan’s largest car sharing service. Simply put, you can rent a car parked nearby in 15-minute increments.

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FamiPay for Foreigners in Japan: How to Register, Charge & Save

May | ⏱ 2026-01-25 🔄 2026-08-17 | Leave a Comment

Key Takeaways: Foreigners can register FamiPay with a phone number, but credit-card top-ups only work with JCB-brand cards, so most Visa and Mastercard holders charge with cash at the register. Since August 2025, JCB cards other than the Famima Card are capped at ¥20,000 per month for charging, while linking dPoint, Rakuten Point or V-Point brings the base rate to 1.5%. FamiPay is one of the most cost-effective convenience store payment methods in Japan. By strategically combining charging methods, coupons, and point systems, you can achieve over 13% cashback. This guide covers everything you need to maximize FamiPay’s value: charging techniques, POSA card purchase strategies, free coupon acquisition, and comparisons with other payment methods. Quick answer for foreigners Yes — foreigners can use FamiPay (FamilyMart’s QR payment app). Sign up in the app with a phone number. The big catch for foreigners is charging: credit-card top-ups only work with JCB-brand

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Travel for Less, Cash Out, Lifestyle, Money-Saving Tips, Point Deals, Point Reviews, Point Sites, Points & Miles

JRE Bank for Foreigners: 40% Off Shinkansen & How to Open It

May | ⏱ 2026-01-25 🔄 2026-08-04 | Leave a Comment

Key Takeaways: Foreign residents with a residence card can open JRE Bank, which runs on Rakuten Bank’s platform in Japanese only. A ¥500,000 balance on the June 25 or December 25 assessment date, combined with a VIEW card, earns 40% off JR East Shinkansen fares, and the balance alone brings four free Suica Green Car tickets each year. 🚄 JRE BANK Complete Guide Shinkansen 40% Off • Free Green Car Tickets • Exclusive Railway BenefitsThe Must-Have Bank for JR East Users 📖 Visit JRE BANK Official Website 📑 Table of Contents 1. What is JRE BANK? 2. The 4 Main Benefits Explained 3. Benefit Eligibility Requirements 4. How to Use the 40% Discount Tickets 5. How to Use Dokokani Byuuun Coupons 6. How to Use Suica Green Car Tickets 7. Banking Features & Fees ⭐ For Foreigners: Can You Open It? 8. How to Open an Account 9. Current Promotions

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JRE Bank for Foreigners: 40% Off Shinkansen & How to Open It Read More

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【IDARE】: 1.0-2.2% Annual Return Prepaid Card Strategy & Tips

May | ⏱ 2026-01-22 🔄 2026-09-12 | Leave a Comment

Key Takeaways: IDARE pays a variable annual return set by your IDARE Rank, which launched on July 1, 2026 (Platinum 2.2% / Gold 2.0% / Silver 1.5% / Bronze 1.0%, decided by the previous month’s average balance; IDARE advertises it as up to 2.2% equivalent, with the bonus rates applied from August 1, 2026). From the payout on October 1, 2026 the old cap — 20% of the previous month’s deposits — is gone, so you receive the full amount based on your average balance and rank even if you never top up. Foreign transaction fees are 0% only at the top Platinum rank since July 15, 2026 (Gold 1.0% / Silver 2.0% / Bronze 3.0%), and ATM withdrawals abroad aren’t supported. Since June 2, 2026, top-ups no longer count toward PayPay Step. Up to a 2.2% annual return on your balance, and 0% foreign transaction fees at the top

Credit Card Guide

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JRE POINT for Foreigners: Earn Points with Suica in Japan

May | ⏱ 2026-01-21 🔄 2026-08-04 | Leave a Comment

Key Takeaways: JRE POINT only accrues once you register your Suica in a JRE POINT account — until then the earn rate is 0%. Mobile Suica earns 1 point per ¥50 versus 1 per ¥200 on a plastic card, so a ¥20,000 monthly commute yields about 4,800 points a year instead of 1,200. Points redeem at 1 point = ¥1. 💡 Key Takeaway: JRE POINT is JR East’s unified loyalty program with a basic value of 1 point = 1 yen. However, by using Shinkansen reward tickets or “Dokokani Byuuun!”, you can boost the value to 2-6 yen per point! Save tens of thousands of yen annually on transportation and shopping—an essential money-saving tool for life in Japan. If you live in the Kanto area, commute by JR daily, shop at station buildings on weekends, and occasionally travel by Shinkansen, you’re missing out if you’re not making full use of

Point Activities Guide

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ETC Mileage Service Guide｜Registration, Points & Discounts in Japan

May | ⏱ 2026-01-20 🔄 2026-07-30 | Leave a Comment

Key Takeaways: Registration is free, and NEXCO tolls earn one point per ¥10, with 5,000 points converting to ¥5,000 — the best rate at 10%. Once registered, weekday trips between 6:00–9:00 AM or 5:00–8:00 PM return 30% at five to nine monthly uses, and 50% at ten or more. From FY2026, late-night discounts will require registration. The ETC Mileage Service is Japan’s free highway points system that gives you up to 10%+ cashback on toll fees! Combined with the “Weekday Morning/Evening Discount,” you can get up to 50% back! If you have an ETC card and haven’t registered, you’re losing money. ETC Mileage Service Official Site (Japanese) 📌 What is the ETC Mileage Service? The ETC Mileage Service is a free point cashback system jointly operated by NEXCO East, Central, and West Japan, along with the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Company. Item Details Registration & Annual Fee Completely FREE Point Reward

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d point × Amazon: Earn Up to 2% Cashback on Every Purchase

May | ⏱ 2026-01-17 🔄 2026-08-11 | Leave a Comment

Key Takeaways: Linking a free d account to Amazon Japan earns 1% back on orders of ¥5,000 or more, capped at 100pt per order. Five-star members, who need 5,000 points over the past three months, earn 2% instead. No docomo phone contract is required, and the linking itself takes only a few minutes. Shopping on Amazon Japan and still using just one payment method? With a simple setup—linking your d point account—you can earn up to 2% cashback on your Amazon purchases! And the best part? No docomo phone contract required—anyone can use it for free. 💰 Amazon × d point Maximum Cashback 2% 5-Star Member + Orders ¥5,000+ = Up to 2% Cashback 📌 What is d point? Why Should You Use It? d point is a universal loyalty point system operated by NTT docomo in Japan. Although it’s run by docomo, you don’t need a docomo phone contract—anyone

Online Shopping Guide

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Marriott Bonvoy AMEX Referral｜Up to 111,000 Points (Increased Offer)

May | ⏱ 2026-01-16 🔄 2026-08-08 | Leave a Comment

Key Takeaways: Applying through a referral link and spending ¥1.5 million within six months earns up to 111,000 Marriott Bonvoy points — roughly one night at the Tokyo Ritz-Carlton, and more than the ¥82,500 annual fee. Smaller budgets still work: ¥300,000 in three months returns 19,000 points. Applying directly on the official site puts that same bonus at 45,000 instead of 56,000, for a 100,000-point total. Latest Campaign Alert Marriott Bonvoy AMEX Premium Get up to 111,000 Points Easily earn back the annual fee! Worth ~1 night at Ritz-Carlton ⏰ Campaign period: applications by October 5, 2026 Campaign Highlights Great opportunity – Up to 111,000 points, easily covers the annual fee High value – Worth ~1 night at Ritz-Carlton or ~3 nights at regular Marriott Referral only – Must apply through referral link to qualify We Can Send You a Referral Link The boosted bonus applies only to applications made

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AirWallet New User Campaign｜Get Up to ¥8,000【Jan 2026】

May | ⏱ 2026-01-14 🔄 2026-08-04 | Leave a Comment

Key Takeaways: New AirWallet users can stack four bonuses for ¥8,000 total: ¥500 for a referral code, ¥2,000 for ID verification plus a ¥15,000 top-up by January 28, 2026, ¥5,000 for a first ¥30,000 MUFG Bank top-up by March 31, and ¥500 from the 50% cashback run. Withdrawals back to your bank are free. AirWallet New User Campaign – Get Up to 8,000 Yen 💰 AirWallet New User Campaign Get Up to ¥8,000 in Rewards! AirWallet is a mobile payment app by Recruit Group. New users can now stack multiple campaigns and earn up to ¥8,000 in rewards! This guide explains how to claim each bonus and important things to note. 💡 What is AirWallet? AirWallet is a mobile payment app by Recruit Group that allows COIN+ payments at over 500,000 stores across Japan. ✨ Key Benefits Free Withdrawals — Withdraw your balance to your bank account anytime with zero

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