Convert Korean Won to Japanese Yen
Convert your Korean won (KRW) budget into Japanese yen (JPY) at the mid-market rate, and see roughly how far it will stretch in Tokyo, Osaka, or Fukuoka.
🔒 Unit conversions are computed in your browser (exchange rates via public API only).
What drives the won-yen rate and the 'weak yen'
The yen swings heavily on the Bank of Japan's long-running ultra-low interest rates and the gap between Japanese and foreign rates. When other countries keep rates high, there is more pressure to sell the low-yielding yen, so it weakens and buys fewer won, feeding the 'weak yen' trend. In times of global market stress, though, the yen is treated as a safe-haven and can strengthen again. For travelers, a weaker yen means the same won budget buys more yen, easing the cost of a trip to Japan.
Turning a won budget into yen, read in units of 100
Japanese prices usually come in round 100 or 1,000 yen figures, so it helps to anchor on 'how many won per 100 yen.' If 100 yen is around 900 won, for example, a 100,000 won budget is roughly 11,000 yen, and a 500 yen convenience-store lunch reads as about 4,500 won. The figure here is the mid-market rate published by the Export-Import Bank of Korea around 11 a.m. on business days, so real exchange or card payments add a spread and fees on top. It is safer to plan your budget with a little cushion above the on-screen rate.
Paying in Japan: cash alongside IC cards and QR
Japan still leans on cash, and plenty of old-school eateries, vending machines, ryokan, and small shrine shops take cash only. That said, transit IC cards like Suica and PASMO, QR apps like PayPay, and contactless credit cards are spreading fast in the cities, so it works well to put big purchases on a card and cover small ones with cash or an IC card. When paying by card, choose to be billed in yen to avoid DCC, which slaps on a poor built-in rate. Most prices include or add 10% consumption tax, and with your passport you can claim tax-free refunds at duty-free stores.
Frequently asked questions
Is the yen rate shown here the same one banks use to exchange money?
No. This screen shows the Export-Import Bank of Korea's mid-market rate. Banks, airport counters, and card issuers add a spread and fees, so buying yen in practice costs a bit more than the figure here. Airport and cash exchanges carry the widest spreads, so it often pays to compare city banks, private exchangers, and travel cards.
How much can a given won budget cover in Japan?
It depends on the rate, but as a rough guide, if 100 yen is around 900 won then a 500,000 won budget is roughly 55,000 yen. With a bowl of ramen near 1,000 yen and a base subway fare near 200 yen, you can ballpark a day of food and transit. Since real exchange and payments carry fees, it is wise to budget a little above your raw calculation.
How often does the rate change, and does it update on weekends?
This tool caches a rate the server fetches once a day, and the mid-market rate is re-published around 11 a.m. on business days. On weekends and holidays there is no new quote, so the last business day's value stays in place with its reference date shown on screen. Treat it as the day's reference rate for planning a budget, not a live second-by-second quote.