Glossary entry

Yen

The yen is the official currency of Japan, written with the symbol ¥ and the code JPY. Everyday prices are usually quoted in whole yen because fractions are rarely used, so a yen amount often looks like a large number to someone used to dollars. When you see a price in yen, a converter turns it into a rough dollar value at a reference rate, while the amount your card is actually charged depends on your issuer's rate and fees. See also: JPY, USD, exchange rate, Bank of Japan, and the guide How to Exchange Yen.