Convenient & Cashless: Hokkaido All-in-One Debit Card for ATM & Shopping

The four seasons of Hokkaido showcase elegant charms—cherry blossoms in spring, flowers in summer, autumn foliage in fall, and snow in winter—especially with its culinary delights, natural scenery, and open-air hot springs. The region’s unique northern allure makes it a top choice for Chinese travelers visiting Japan. To make overseas travel more convenient, from now until the end of April, Taiwanese debit cards can be used for both ATM withdrawals and purchases in Hokkaido, Japan, with additional cashback rewards and store discounts on shopping.

According to statistics, in 2008, nearly one-third of all foreign tourists visiting Hokkaido were from Taiwan. In terms of financial services, the Taiwanese Bankers Association and the Financial Information Service Company, in collaboration with nine domestic banks, secured an agreement with Hokkaido Bank in Japan to establish a cross-border ATM withdrawal and payment mechanism. Starting now, Taiwanese travelers can use their Taiwanese debit cards (ATM cards) at designated ATMs in Hokkaido to withdraw cash and make purchases at participating stores. This service helps travelers save on currency exchange fees and the hassle of carrying cash, while also offering more favorable transaction fees.

2010 is the Year of Taiwan-Japan Tourism Exchange, making the launch of Taiwanese debit card services for withdrawals and shopping in Hokkaido especially significant. This cross-border financial collaboration involves nine leading Taiwanese banks: Bank of Taiwan, Land Bank of Taiwan, Taiwan Cooperative Bank, First Bank, Hua Nan Commercial Bank, Chang Hwa Bank, Mega International Commercial Bank, Taiwan Business Bank, and E.SUN Bank. Moving forward, the Bankers Association will continue to expand Taiwanese debit card services to other regions in Japan, further facilitating travel for Taiwanese visitors.

Starting now, six ATMs in Hokkaido support withdrawals using Taiwanese debit cards. These are located at popular tourist spots among Chinese travelers, such as Sapporo, Otaru, Noboribetsu, Hakodate, Asahikawa, and Furano, as well as in major cities like Obihiro, Kushiro, and Kitami. At these locations, travelers only need to carry a single Taiwanese debit card to explore all of Hokkaido, meeting their needs for cash withdrawals and shopping expenses.

When using a Taiwanese debit card for withdrawals and purchases in Hokkaido, Japan, cardholders do not pay any fees. For cash withdrawals, a fee of ¥390 applies for amounts up to ¥30,000 JPY, while withdrawals over ¥30,000 JPY incur a fee of ¥150 plus 0.8% of the withdrawn amount. To celebrate the launch of cross-border debit card services, the nine issuing banks are offering special promotions: from now until April 30, cardholders receive 2% cashback on purchases, with a maximum of NT$5,000 per card per month during the campaign period. Participating stores in Hokkaido are also offering discounts and gifts for card payments.

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