Banks Banks are open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Use of ATMs is usually restricted to between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends, although times vary by bank and district, and some machines do not operate on weekends. All ATMs are closed on national holidays. While many machines have an English-language interface, the documentation is only in Japanese.
Most banks have personnel who have some English language ability and are very eager to help.
Salaries are almost always directly deposited into one's bank account, typically a soogo koza or general deposit account. Checks are rarely used by individuals for any kind of transaction, and you will probably have a hard time finding a place that will accept them. Most transaction payments are done in cash or by credit card. While possible, obtaining a Japanese credit card has proven difficult for most foreigners because they lack a Japanese credit history. It is possible to send money overseas by purchasing a cashier's check at a Japanese or foreign bank or through a dollar-denominated checking account.