Banking

Rakuten isn’t just an e-commerce site — it’s a full financial and lifestyle ecosystem. Foreigners who set up the Rakuten stack can save ¥50,000–150,000+ per year through points. The Rakuten Ecosystem Explained Rakuten offers interconnected services where using multiple products multiplies the points you earn: Service Benefit Rakuten Card 1% cashback (1pt per ¥100) on everything Rakuten Bank Higher interest rate (0.1%) when linked to Card Rakuten Mobile Discount + points boost Rakuten Market (楽天市場) 1–15%+ points on purchases Rakuten Securities Monthly investment earns points Rakuten Pay Mobile payments with points Rakuten Travel Points on hotel bookings Rakuten points (楽天ポイント) are worth ¥1 each and usable across all services. ...

Wise (formerly TransferWise) is the single most useful financial tool for foreigners in Japan. Whether you’re sending money home, receiving payments from abroad, or managing multiple currencies — Wise solves it cheaply and simply. What Is Wise? Wise is an online financial service that lets you: Send money internationally at the real exchange rate (not the bank’s inflated rate) Hold money in 40+ currencies in one account Receive payments in foreign currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, etc.) with local bank details Spend globally with the Wise debit card (Mastercard) Setting Up Wise in Japan Step 1 — Create Your Account Go to wise.com or download the app Register with your email address Verify your identity: passport + residence card photo required This typically takes 24–48 hours for verification. ...