Visa, Mastercard, or AMEX?

[zeroshiki]

VISA is by far the most dominant card brand. There's not really any downside to getting a mastercard since most retailers support at least the top 2. There are quirks here and there like the Costco example. I know Amazon gives 5 times less points to Rakuten Mastercard purchases for example. But for the most part, you'll be covered.

[AntarcticFinance]

VISA is by far the most dominant card brand. There's not really any downside to getting a mastercard since most retailers support at least the top 2. There are quirks here and there like the Costco example. I know Amazon gives 5 times less points to Rakuten Mastercard purchases for example. But for the most part, you'll be covered.

Thanks, that's really helpful. I went ahead with a Mastercard since I already have two VISA cards so should be covered, and as you say at the very least MC should be accepted everywhere. My main card is VISA anyway.

[RetireJapan]

Just a data point: my main card is an Amex, and it's quite rare that I can't use it (normally in a smaller shop). Carry a Visa as a backup.

[Tkydon]

5% how? I have a SMBC Prestia Visa card with vpoints and cash back is 1% I thought? I use both visa touch and ID

https://www.smbc-card.com/mem/cardinfo/ ... 001629.jsp
https://www.smbc-card.com/nyukai/card/g ... erless.jsp

+1% points via Tsumitate at SBI

Prestia is the SMBC Trust Bank Card
https://www.smbctb.co.jp/en/product/creditcard/

[Tsumitate Wrestler]

5% how? I have a SMBC Prestia Visa card with vpoints and cash back is 1% I thought? I use both visa touch and ID

https://www.smbc-card.com/mem/cardinfo/ ... 001629.jsp
https://www.smbc-card.com/nyukai/card/g ... erless.jsp

+1% points via Tsumitate at SBI

Prestia is the SMBC Trust Bank Card
https://www.smbctb.co.jp/en/product/creditcard/

SMBC has tons of different offerings, including the Amazon series. They all have different benefits.

[mikele3]

I might be wrong, but VISA and Mastercard share the same network, they should both work on the same POS, all the time.

I use VISA for the most here in Japan while I use Mastercard for shopping in foreign currencies or when traveling abroad as it has a better exchange rate AFAIK (last time I checked, a few years ago, it was 2.16% fee for currencies exchange with VISA and 1.63% with Mastercard)

[TokyoWart]

I might be wrong, but VISA and Mastercard share the same network, they should both work on the same POS, all the time.

I use VISA for the most here in Japan while I use Mastercard for shopping in foreign currencies or when traveling abroad as it has a better exchange rate AFAIK (last time I checked, a few years ago, it was 2.16% fee for currencies exchange with VISA and 1.63% with Mastercard)

Visa and Mastercard operate on different networks and there will be places that accept one but not the other. A simple but significant example is Costco which accepts Visa but not Mastercard at its US warehouses.

[mikele3]

Visa and Mastercard operate on different networks and there will be places that accept one but not the other. A simple but significant example is Costco which accepts Visa but not Mastercard at its US warehouses.

I stand corrected

[RetireJapan]

Visa and Mastercard operate on different networks and there will be places that accept one but not the other. A simple but significant example is Costco which accepts Visa but not Mastercard at its US warehouses.

Ironically Costco Japan only accepts Mastercard, not Visa

[danny15]

Thanks for everyone's input. Maybe I will get Mastercard then this time to diversify and in case I shop at Costco.

I heard that MC is less common than Visa in Japan, not sure if that's true. Are there any potential disadvantages going with Mastercard in Japan that anyone is aware of?

The only benefit of MC that I can see is for Costco. If you are 100% sure that you will never shop at Costco, then might as well get VISA since it is the most accepted