Change

As Lisa mentioned in a comment, men’s wallets do not have change pockets. I don’t even use a wallet, so that problem hasn’t hit me exactly. However, as Lisa points out, unlike in the US, the change in Japan is worth something. It’s not unusual to be carrying around a significant amount of money in the form of coins. Right now I’m carrying 1460 yen in change, which at the moment is worth $15.60.

My solution to having coins rattling around in my pocket is this nifty coin pouch which I was given, free of charge, by a market vendor in Vietnam. The lady gave it to me to cement a haggling deal she was making with Emi over much more valuable merchandise.

Here you can see my change purse, which set the Korean girls all atwitter in class today, along with (from left to right, top to bottom) 1, 10, 50, 100, and 500 yen coins.  Missing from this is the 5 yen coin, which is smaller than a 10, lager than a 50, is copper colored and has a hole through the middle of it.