By MOOK Scenic Spots (compiled and reported)
Travelers to Japan often struggle with what to do with leftover coins. To make those coins more useful, Japanese startup Pocket Change has used an innovative service model that employs technology and a self-service philosophy to successfully solve the inconvenience of currency exchange.
Link up nine major Japanese transportation systems, making travel more convenient. (Photo / Pocket Change)
Following last year’s launch of the world’s first service that allowed travelers to convert leftover foreign currency into various types of e-money and shopping vouchers via machines, the service has rapidly expanded. In just one year, it has set up exchange kiosks at 30 transportation hubs, with over 100,000 uses, completely transforming the travel inconvenience landscape. In October this year, the company announced a new currency exchange service, collaborating with Japan’s three major transportation operators (PASMO, Suica, ICOCA) along with a total of nine nationally accepted Japanese transportation IC cards — Kitaca, TOICA, manaca, SUGOCA, nimoca, Hayakaken. This not only allows travelers to convert leftover coins into transportation fares, but also enables them to top up their transportation cards with foreign currency anytime, even when entering or leaving the country.
Thoughtful Traditional Chinese interface makes currency exchange and top-up effortless. (Photo / Pocket Change)
Japanese transportation IC cards are widely recognized among foreign tourists, with an awareness rate as high as 81%, yet only 6.7% of travelers actually use them. Observing Taiwanese travelers — who frequently visit Japan — Pocket Change found that while those who already hold IC cards find them undeniably convenient for nationwide transit and even small payments, they find the “top-up” process inconvenient. The reason is that travelers must go to specific stations or large convenience stores, and the minimum top-up amount is 500 yen.
After operating the machine and confirming the amount, all you need to do is tap your transportation card to complete the process. (Photo / Pocket Change)
To address the inconvenience foreign travelers face in topping up, take Taiwanese visitors as an example: they can use New Taiwan Dollars to top up and convert into transportation funds upon arriving at the airport, and even convert any leftover Japanese Yen into top-up credit before departure for future use. The operation is simple and fast, and the interface is available in Traditional Chinese, allowing travelers to easily exchange and top up without going through manual service counters.
Step 1: On the Pocket Change screen, select the “Transportation E-Money” icon.
Step 2: Insert foreign currency coins or banknotes.
Step 3: Finally, confirm the amount and tap your transportation IC card to complete the process.
To celebrate the launch of Pocket Change’s new service, from October 5 to October 31, travelers can find official coupon codes shared on Facebook and Twitter.
The World’s Cutest Sweeps Grass Debuts – A Romantic Sea of 450 Blooms
》https://www.mook.com.tw/article.php?op=articleinfo&articleid=18950