Japanese Coins

Japanese currency spans back centuries, with the earliest coins dating back to the late 7th and early 8th centuries AD. The earliest coins were oval shaped or round, with square-shaped holes in the center, and inscriptions were in Chinese characters. During the Edo period (1603-1867), rectangular and round coins known as Edo-sen were issued for everyday use. In the Meiji period (1868-1912), new designs were introduced featuring western-style images. Today, Japan's modern currency includes coins of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 yen, along with banknotes of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen