THELOGICALINDIAN - Among cryptocurrency enthusiasts Tokyo is generally mentioned as one of the best cryptofriendly cities in the apple Recently it has abnormally become accepted for Bitcoin Banknote BCH acceptance which is a cryptocurrency that has the characteristics of the aboriginal Bitcoin BTC as advised by the abstruse architect Satoshi Nakamoto Bitcoin Banknote is meant to be acclimated as banknote for circadian affairs while Bitcoin BTC is not as advantageous as afore with its aerial transaction fees etc
Also read: 5 Key Concepts from Day One at Bitcoin Cash City
Three Days Subsisting on BCH
The Bitcoin Cash association in Tokyo is growing. I am an organizer of the Bitcoin Cash Meetup which currently has 1,500 members. We accommodated up every Wednesday in Tokyo. I am additionally a Association Manager at Bitcoin.com and Satoshi’s Angels allowance with the community’s advance and acceptance of Bitcoin Cash.
Tokyo Survival Channel challenged me to survive 24 hours in Tokyo with alone Bitcoin Cash (BCH) — no authorization currency. This was their rule:
All of the things you buy charge be paid with BCH, or BCH adapted into some affectionate of e-money. No “fiat” (=Japanese yen) can be acclimated during the challenge. Have a accustomed burghal activity in Tokyo.
I told them that it would apparently be accessible to do this, so they upped the claiming to 3 days/72 hours instead. I wasn’t abiding if I could absolutely get through 3 accomplished canicule after application any authorization currency, but I absitively to booty the claiming anyway.
Summary of my challenge
Monday, August 26th
I didn’t appetite to afield use authorization (Japanese yen), because it’s accessible to do, so I absitively to adumbrate my authorization and acclaim cards in the closet, so I couldn’t blow them. I loaded my Bitcoin.com adaptable wallet with 1 BCH (about 32,000 yen worth). My wallet was actual angular (in a acceptable way)! I started to feel a bit afraid accidentally cerebration to myself “Can I absolutely survive after authorization for 3 accomplished days?”
I started with lunch. I was in the affection for article healthy, so I went to Dot RAW to accept their all-you-can-eat salad, soup and cafeteria (3 kinds of dishes) for 1,100 yen. They additionally accept smoothies so I ordered a close blooming smoothie for 800 yen, too. Maybe that was too abounding vegetables. I paid with BCH from my adaptable BCH wallet directly.
Cost: 1,900 yen
Gluten-Free T’s Kitchen beyond from Tokyo Midtown is accepted for visitors who are attractive for gluten-free aliment in Japan. I feel vegetarian/vegan or gluten-free restaurants are still adamantine to acquisition in Japan. This bistro additionally makes desserts that aftertaste so acceptable you can’t acquaint that they’re gluten-free.
Cost: 500 yen
You’re apparently thinking, “Wait, I can use cryptocurrency at a accessibility store?”
The acknowledgment is, yes you can! But indirectly. This is how I did it:
A Japanese barter Decurret has aloof appear a air-conditioned account that lets users allegation some of the best accepted e-money cards/wallets such as Rakuten Edy, Nanaco, and Au wallet with assertive cryptocurrencies (BCH, BTC, LTC, and XRP). Here is their press release for the service.
Being able to top-up these accepted e-money cards agency you can boutique at 400,000 shops for Edy, 490,000 shops for Nanaco, and Au wallet can be acclimated for places that acquire Visa or Mastercard, so that’s a lot of shops. Opening an annual with an barter takes some time, so allurement a acquaintance to buy you “gift points” ability be addition accessible option. Edy and Nanaco are answerable with allowance points.
Cost: 108 yen
I had to book something, so I went to 7-Eleven and acclimated the printer with a Nanaco agenda which was topped-up application BCH through Decurret. Being able to use a printer with cryptocurrency alike alongside was a actual air-conditioned acquaintance for me.
Cost: 660 yen
You anticipate night clubbing or activity to a bar in Tokyo is too expensive? Mezzo is amid appropriate by Roppongi Crossing, with a abundant atmosphere and professional, affable staff. Their drinks and best of the aliment are 500 yen (less than 5 U.S. dollars). They acquire BCH anon from your BCH wallets.
Cost: 500 yen
Bitcoin Cash IPA and Pizza for Dinner at Two Dogs Taproom
Two Dogs Taproom has been a adept Bitcoin adherent activity aback to 2013. They acquire BCH and BTC now, anon from your Bitcoin wallets.
They additionally accomplish Bitcoin Cash branded IPA, which is their best seller. Don’t balloon to try Coinspice pizza, which is sponsored by crypto account outlet. If you pay with BCH, you get Bitcoin Cash IPA for a happy-hour price. Even admitting they acquire Bitcoin (BTC) as well, I chose to use BCH because it’s abundant cheaper to use. When I paid the bill with BCH, I spent 0.08 yen which is beneath than one-tenth of a penny, but if I acclimated BTC, I would accept paid 100–200 yen on top of my bill. Two Dogs’ buyer told me that cipher absolutely pays with BTC anymore because of its aerial fees.
Tipping in Japan isn’t common, but it’s fun to tip agents in BCH, so I added addition 300 yen on top of my bill.
Cost with tip: 3,350 yen
The night club Jokers is about 20 accomplish abroad from Two Dogs Taproom. They acquire BCH anon from your BCH wallets.
Cost: 1,000 yen
It was about 1:30 a.m. and I was accepting athirst again… In the backward hours of the night, the choices are added bound for a acceptable meal if you appetite to buy with bitcoin banknote (BCH) directly, so I absitively to use one of those cards that I topped up with BCH application Decurret. I ordered a takeout “Summer Chicken Curry” from CoCo Ichibanya with Edy.
Cost: 985 yen
In the morning I was a bit afraid if I would be able to survive with no authorization for 72 hours, but by the end of the day, I accomplished there are so abounding places that I can absorb cryptocurrency anon and indirectly.
Crypto Survival Challenge: Day 2
Tuesday, August 27
I was still abounding from the backward night back-scratch from yesterday, so I skipped breakfast.
I charge some coffee in the morning, so I went to Family Mart and paid for an algid coffee with Edy. Nice and easy!
Cost: 100 yen
I had cafeteria with my non-crypto job colleagues.
I told them that I couldn’t use fiat, so we absitively to go about that accepts Edy or Nanaco. They anticipate I’m a awe-inspiring Bitcoin alarmist who can’t stop talking about Bitcoin all the time, but they’re nice abundant to buck with me. We absitively to go to Gusto, which is a ancestors restaurant alternation in Japan that accepts Edy.
When we were about to adjustment food, however, the aide told me they alone accustomed Edy through a QR code. Since I acquire an iPhone I couldn’t install the Edy app, and Gusto didn’t acquire the Edy card. I challenged this bearings by acceptable one of my colleagues to acquire BCH for me so she could pay on my account with JPY. The peer-to-peer barter of Bitcoin was fabricated in a few seconds. I had a hamburger and salad.
Cost: 1,023 yen
Lawson accepts Edy.
I adulation Natural Lawson because they accept so abounding kinds of high-quality articles including amoebic wine, coffee, snacks, vegetables, etc., in accession to circadian essentials all accessibility food have. They alike advertise amoebic natto.
Cost: 100 yen
After work, I was appetite article sweet. I chock-full by Dean & Deluca at Tokyo Midtown for a adorable attractive allotment of cake. They accustomed Edy.
Note: If you appetite to alone absorb BCH for desserts, places I mentioned afore like Gluten Free T’s Kitchen and Dot RAW serve desserts as well.
Cost: 583 yen
Time for a little shopping.
I went to UNIQLO and purchased 3 pairs of socks. They acquire Edy!
Cost: 1,069 yen
Hmm, I assumption they don’t acquire Edy or Nanaco…
I was thirsty, so bought a canteen of baptize from Mini Stop, which is addition alternation of accessibility stores, with Edy.
Cost: 91 yen
I remembered that I bare to buy eye drops, so I bought a canteen at Matsumoto Kiyoshi, which is apparently the better biologic abundance alternation in Japan. They acquire Edy.
Side Note: I heard Japanese eye-drops are accepted souvenirs amid some people.
Cost: 198 yen
So actuality came the big claiming — how could I pay for busline with cryptocurrency?
Decurret’s admiral hinted this year that they’re cerebration about abacus crypto for charging Suica, which is one of the two above agenda money cards acclimated for busline issued by JR East. Unfortunately, it hasn’t happened yet, so what to do? I couldn’t anticipate of an accessible way to get about this challenge. Asking a accidental drifter to acquirement a admission and I will pay them BCH did not complete like an accessible or fun affair to do. I asked a acquaintance to buy and allegation PASMO for me afterwards sending him 4,000 yen account BCH. I accept not affected authorization so far.
Had a nice red wine, adorable tapas plate, and peppermint tea and paella for dinner. They acquire BCH anon from your BCH wallet.
I bought a Japanese book about blockchain technology at Book 1st application a Nanaco card!
Side note: “Digital Gold” by Nathaniel Popper is a recommended book if you appetite to apprehend an absorbing history of Bitcoin.
Cost: 1,998 yen
Don Quijote is like Walmart. They accept all kinds of things from circadian consumables to affair items, electronics, etc. I generally acclaim this abode for gift arcade for my adopted accompany who are visiting Japan. I bought a blooming tea flavored amber snack.
They acquire Rakuten Edy.
Cost: 149 yen
Wall Street House is amid abutting to Two Dogs Taproom and Jokers in Roppongi’s “BCH District,” area there are about 6 BCH-friendly shops on one block.
The bar is abundant for a quick alcohol afterwards dinner. From the adverse table, you can adore the active streets of Roppongi while you adore your cocktail.
They additionally action 200-yen abatement if you pay for a alcohol with BCH.
Cost with discount: 1,000 yen
Yukizaki, a affluence watch and adornment aggregation that has added than 15 shops in Japan, accepts BCH as payment. While it’s too abundant money for this challenge, it would be adamantine to canyon up if I bare a new watch.
Crypto Survival Challenge: Day 3
Wednesday, August 28th
I formed from home in the morning, and I didn’t appetite to leave the abode but I was hungry. It would accept been nice if I could use crypto to get aliment delivered with casework like Uber Eats. This is article that is absolutely missing.
This pop attractive abode is absolutely an accurate Indian back-scratch restaurant. Downtown B’s uses acceptable capacity to accomplish delicate-tasting curry, which is not spicy.
I ordered a “Grill Lunch Set” that comes with tandoori craven and a drink.
Cost: 1,000 yen
I was active backward for my beard cut appointment, so I absitively to booty a taxi. They accustomed Edy.
Note: Some taxis alone booty banknote (fiat) so back you get in be abiding to ask them what they accept.
Cost: 1,850 yen
I was active backward for my arrangement at the beard salon Mint, which is one of the few salons that acquire BCH directly.
The affable buyer and agents gave me a actual balmy welcome. Their salon has a spa-style allowance area they accord a array of beard analysis services. Just audition about the spa card fabricated me feel relaxed.
After a haircut, they gave me an herbal attic cleansing and moisturizing beard analysis followed by a close and accept beating — I was absolutely relaxed. I’d like to appear aback actuality for added spa treatments soon. The absolute bill was 10,220 yen but I got 20% barometer discount.
Cost with barometer discount: 8,170 yen
BASHI is a nice comfortable bar that started accepting BCH in August 2019. The Bitcoin Cash Meetup that I advice alike met on day three of my challenge. We accustomed 20 bodies and discussed capacity alignment from basal advice on Bitcoin Cash to contempo advance on BCH development, etc. It’s a actual affable association in Tokyo, so amuse accompany us if you adulation Bitcoin!
Cost: 2,900 yen
After lots of talking and laughing, I headed to Sheesha bar No.5 with a friend.
We ordered 2 drinks and one sheesha (guava and birthmark flavor). This abode accepts BCH directly.
Karaoke is included. They accept a abundant appearance from the windows. Very Tokyo-ish. There’s additionally 500 yen per being table charge.
Cost (for 2): 5,500 yen
The 72-hour claiming was about over… I acclaimed it with a baby bag of chocolate-covered accolade (Takenoko no sato) from the accessibility abundance Daily Yamazaki.
Cost: 140 yen
Can you Enjoy Tokyo with Only Bitcoin Cash?
I’d say active on bitcoin banknote for three canicule is doable, and there are a lot of means you can use bitcoin banknote in Tokyo anon and indirectly. You can calmly acquisition restaurants, nightclubs, and confined (some acquire karaoke inside) that acquire BCH directly, but you will acquire a adamantine time application transportation, postal and commitment services, etc. with cryptocurrency.
Also, I’d like to allocution about the “hidden costs”. As abundant as these e-money cards are useful, advantageous with cryptocurrencies anon instead of activity through these casework is abundant bigger in the bigger picture. If you accelerate BCH anon to a shop, for example, there is about no fee for you or the shop, while if you pay with a acclaim agenda or e-money card, shops are answerable 3–5% for the acquittal account alike if it’s chargeless for you to use those services. And the irony is that best shops reflect this fee in the artefact prices so that they don’t apart money, which agency us consumers are alongside “paying the price” for these big-ticket acquittal account fees. There is a acumen why cost-efficient businesses like Saizeria (family restaurant) don’t acquire e-money agenda payments.
Credit agenda services, e-money cards, or authorization are apparently actuality to break for best than we think, and there are allowances from application those forms of money, too during the transition. There are abounding added merchants I capital to acquaint but three canicule was too abbreviate for that. You can acquisition recommended shops that acquire BCH anon actuality at Bitcoin.jp.
Enjoy Tokyo with Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and let us apperceive your fun experience!
How to acquisition food and restaurants that acquire Cryptocurrency:
Go to Marco Coino. They accumulate the best adapted advice about shops that acquire Crypto payment.
This commodity was originally appear by Akane Yokoo here.
Images credits: Akane Yokoo.
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