Embossed / unembossed credit card

I was wondering if I'd be OK with an UNembossed Visa Classic in Japan? Mainly in Nagoya and Tokyo. From what I've read it's recommended to have an embossed credit card but what's the practical difference actually? I only need to get CASH from a bank or ATM or whatever place I could get money from in Japan, I won't use it for payments in restaurants and such places anyway.

Any suggestion?

Thank you.

I'm not sure what you mean by an embossed/unembossed credit card.

However, using a credit card to get cash usually involves a high interest cost immediately, at least it does with US credit cards.

You would be better off with an ATM/Debit card that you can use at Post Office ATMs and 7 Eleven stores to get cash....

I haven't heard of unembossed "Classic" Visa cards - are you talking about unembossed Visa Electron?

As long as the card says Plus on the back, and you check with your bank before your trip that it's OK for use outside your country and have your (normally) 4-digit PIN, then it should be OK for withdrawing cash from ATMs in Japan that accept international cards (note that not all do). Consider bank card/debit cards as well.

The difference between embossed and unembossed: You remember the days when the shop clerk used to stick your card into a manual card imprinter in between two sheets of paper, one with carbon, and zap! to get a physical imprint of the card? That's manual imprinting device, and for that, your card needs to be embossed. Unembossed cards can be used at ATM (of course they can read the data electronically), and at shops where the cashiers have electronic card-reading devices.

By now many/most shop cashiers in Japan are capable of reading data off the magnetic stripe on the card (meaning, no manual imprint taken of the embossed numbers) that you should be able to use your unembossed card at any Visa-accepting shops too. But if you try to use it at a shop in Japan, as (I believe) all Visa cards issued in Japan do have embossed numbers on them, the cashier might be surprised for a moment, but Visa card is a Visa card, that's about it.

Thank you.

I am going to open another bank account on Monday (just to make sure at least one card will work in Japan) but still have a question regarding the mentioned one.

By the way, Visa Classic is just one of many types of Visa... Like Electron, Gold, Platinum etc.

The thing I'd forgotten to mention: There is no chip on this card. Is it still not problematic to use such a card in Japan? It works in many countries just alright without a chip, but, let's say, United Kingdom rarely accept these cards due to lack of machines capable of reading all the info including PIN etc. from the magnetic stripe. Chipless cards are slowly being replaced by chipped cards but I won't have chip on this particular Visa.

Um, I know Visa Classic, Visa Gold, Platinum, etc., but it's just that when it came to unembossed card, I was aware only of Electron that could have that feature. That's why I asked. But different types of cards are issued in different countries I guess.

Anyway.... back to your question: I have five Visa cards in my wallet (department store co-brand cards, etc. - that give discounts - that's why I have many), and only two have chip on them. I think the process of changing from chip-less to chip cards is underway, in different degrees, in various countries.

In any case, please check other threads on cash/money issues in this forum - and be sure to bring cash at least to cover the initial part of your trip (I don't know for how long you are staying in Japan) so that you wouldn't be running around constantly to find ATM that accepts your card. Enjoy planning and enjoy your trip! :)

Thank you for your answer. I'll be staying there for 70 days so I don't want to have so much cash with me... Well, I'll open an account in different bank today and hope at least one card will work. ^^

And yes, there are unembossed Visa Classic here...

Den, where are you from?

here in the UK, you're right, chip and pin cards are practically everywhere. But what happens usually if you don't have a chip and pin card is that the machine will identify it and then you would swipe it - i know this cause i use to work in retail and it happened alot.

When I was in Japan last year, my friend bought something in the shops and used her credit card (visa). The store had 2 chip and pin machines lying on the desk but they just swiped her card and made her sign.

I think you'll be fine with your chipless card.

I'm from Czech Republic. Most cards already have chips but machines seem to work for both types.

I'll just take chipless Visa Classic, chipped Visa Electron and chipped MasterCard to make sure something works. I think this should be OK.