Want to avoid last-minute ATM runs. Do most hostels in Japan take card payments at check-in
I stayed at five hostels in Japan last month and four of them took card. I paid with my DBS Visa debit at The Millennials in Kyoto and Backpackers Hostel K's House in Hakuba. But in smaller places like a traditional inn near Mt. Fuji, they didn’t accept any card. Also be careful some hostels that say “card accepted” still ask you to pay cash if the machine is down or there’s a surcharge. Always safer to ask ahead or carry backup cash.
I stayed at a capsule hostel in Osaka (Capsule Inn Namba) and they were card-friendly. Used my Capital One card at check-in. Also used my Apple Card at another place in Kyoto. But one small guesthouse in Nikko asked for payment in yen only, and they didn’t even have a card machine. Japan still has a weird mix - most places do take cards but it’s not 100 percent. I’d keep at least 10,000 yen cash just in case.
Most of the hostels I stayed at in Tokyo and Hiroshima took cards, but I always double-checked the booking details. At K’s House Tokyo Oasis they accepted my Erste Bank Visa debit card without any issue. But when I stayed at a ryokan-style hostel in Takayama, they wanted payment in cash. Luckily I had some yen, but they did have a sign saying “no cards.” So in big cities you’re fine, but rural places always carry some cash.