Kotaki Okane (Coin Money)

Last week I was talking to Colleen's sister about currency when she mentioned a British women coming into her job and being mystified by the lack of a $1 coin - or you know, one that actually gets used. Apparently the US is in the minority in only having change for such small amounts. Quite the opposite, I'm still struggling to adjust to how much coin I'm always hauling around. Japan doesn't have paper money until you hit the 1000Yen mark - around $10. In the States, I always had enough change to fill that little pocket in my jeans, but never much more. Here, from day one I've had to carry a coin purse.

Today I didn't want to eat the stuff around the house and thought I'd go grab something, but opened up an empty wallet. But then I whipped out the coin purse & found 1790Yen (or $15.16 per today's exchange rate). The coins aren't heavy at all and I never realize how much I actually have. It adds up fast but is also ridiculously hard to keep track of how much you have. I'm sure I've lost more than one 500Yen coin already. I'll take paper any day.

1790Yen: (1) 500, (11) 100, (2) 50, (8) 10, (1) 5, (5) 1:


BTW: Lunch = Salad & String Cheese with a Coke (very Japanese!)

Mike