A traveler can now receive more than one legitimate design for the same yen denomination. The 2024 series is the current issue, while earlier Bank of Japan notes remain valid after the new notes entered circulation.
The three new designs
| Note | Front | Back | Travel cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¥1,000 | Kitasato Shibasaburo | Hokusai's Great Wave | Blue, everyday denomination |
| ¥5,000 | Tsuda Umeko | Japanese wisteria flowers | Purple, middle denomination |
| ¥10,000 | Shibusawa Eiichi | Tokyo Station Marunouchi building | Warm brown, highest current note |
See the real deal
Open the National Printing Bureau’s front-and-back view of each 2024 note.
Official images stay on the National Printing Bureau website and open in a new tab.
¥1,000: science and the Great Wave
The front honors physician and bacteriologist Kitasato Shibasaburo. The reverse uses Katsushika Hokusai's famous Under the Great Wave off Kanagawa, making this the easiest new note for many visitors to remember visually.
¥5,000: education and wisteria
Educator Tsuda Umeko appears on the front. Japanese wisteria flowers fill the reverse, giving the note a strong natural motif and a purple visual identity.
¥10,000: industry and Tokyo Station
Shibusawa Eiichi appears on the front, while the reverse shows the red-brick Marunouchi building of Tokyo Station. This is Japan's highest currently issued banknote denomination.
What changed beyond the artwork?
The redesign combines anti-counterfeit technology with features intended to make denominations easier to identify. The Bank of Japan highlights four especially useful elements.
Universal design makes the notes easier to separate
Each denomination places tactile marks in a different position. The shapes and positions of holograms and watermarks also differ, and the face-value numerals are larger. These are not decorative changes; they help users identify notes visually and by touch.
Are older Japanese banknotes still valid?
Yes. The Bank of Japan explicitly states that existing series remain valid after the 2024 issuance. This includes the previous ¥1,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000 designs that began circulation in 2004. Older valid series may gradually appear less often, but their age alone does not remove their value.
What happened to the ¥2,000 note?
The ¥2,000 note was not part of the 2024 redesign. The version first issued in 2000 remains listed among currently issued Bank of Japan notes. It features Shurei-mon Gate and a scene from The Tale of Genji, and remains valid despite being relatively uncommon.
How to check a note properly
Color and portrait recognition are useful for travel, but they are not a full authenticity test. The Bank of Japan recommends checking the physical security features, including raised print, watermarks and the hologram. If a note appears suspicious, use official guidance or ask a bank rather than comparing it only with a web illustration.