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"What is on the coins?" my friend Dave C. asked when I showed him some Japanese currency I had brought back to Canada. I didn't have a clue! It was time to do some Internet investigating about Japanese coins...

About Japanese Coins

Modern Japanese currency features six coins in everyday circulation: 500, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1 yen. There's no "head" or "tail" on a Japanese coin. Japanese people use Jyan-Ken-Pon (Rock, Paper, Scissors) to decide matters, anyway!

One side of each coin (with the exception of the 5 yen) shows the value in Arabic numerals and the year in which the coin was minted, written in kanji (Chinese characters) or a combination of kanji and Arabic numerals. The year is expressed in the gengou system, which is unique to Japan and relates years to the length of the reign of the emperor at the time. Most of the coins encountered these days are either Heisei (The Era of Achieving Peace under Akihito, emperor since 1989) or Showa (The Era of Enlightened Peace under the previous emperor, Hirohito, 64 years from 1926 to 1989).

The other side of each coin has "Country of Japan" at the top and the value written in kanji at the bottom. There is also a picture of a flower or a tree which is symbolic to the Japanese. An exception is the 10-yen coin, which shows a famous building instead. See below for details.

Thanks to Mr. Yuuichi Nishikawa (yuuichi.nishikawa@boj.or.jp) of the Japanese Currency Museum and the Mint Publicity Officer (pub@mint.go.jp of the Mint Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Government of Japan for providing some of the information listed here.

Old 500-yen coin

Actual diameter: 2.65 cm
Composition: Cupro-nickel
Design: Paulownia, Bamboo, Orange
(minting halted in 1999)
Wood of kiri no ki or the "Princess Tree" has been used to make everything from ceremonial masks to ohashi (chopsticks). It has a grain similar to oak, but is extremely lightweight. The trees bear purple flowers in the springtime. A 500-yen banknote also exists, but is harder to find because it is out of production. Bamboo (take) represents strength and flexibility. Oranges are a sign of rebirth.

Paulownia trees in America
Paulownia trees in Australia
Woodworkers World: Pawlonia

New 500-yen coin

Actual diameter: 2.65 cm
Composition: Nickel Brass
Design: Paulownia, Bamboo, Orange
(issued 01 August 2000)
The size and weight of the old 500-yen coin (above) is almost the same as a Korean coin of much lower value. Problems with vending machine fraud led to the introduction of this gold-colored one, which has a different conductivity. Inside the two zeros are latent images visible only when viewing the coin at an angle. The edge has helically milled ridges to deter counterfeiting.

Japan Mint Bureau: New 500-yen coin
See the latent images
Fighting Fakes
New 500-Yen Coin Could End Vending-Machine Headache
Tokyo Classified Money Talks: Short Changed
On Japan's newest legal tender
Prototype coins problem for mint
Models make it to the street

100-yen coin

Actual diameter: 2.26 cm
Composition: Cupro-nickel
Design: Cherry Blossoms
Is there anything more Japanese than the sakura? Japanese people love to look at cherry blossoms every spring. The flowers can be used in sweets and tea.
Counterfeiters still have a yen for coin crimes
Is a new 100-yen coin next?

50-yen coin

Actual diameter: 2.10 cm
Composition: Cupro-nickel
Design: Chrysanthemum
Kiku no hana is the flower of Japan's Imperial Family. The Emperor is said to sit on "The Chrysanthemum Throne".

10-yen coin

Actual diameter: 2.35 cm
Composition: Bronze
Design: Evergreen Tree and
Uji Byodo-in Hoo-do Temple
(a famous temple in Kyoto)
The pine (matsu) is a divine tree representing constancy, vitality and longevity. Pine branches are an important part of the kadomatsu decoration in family homes during the New Year celebration.

5-yen coin

Actual diameter: 2.20 cm
Composition: Brass
Design: Ear of Rice, Gear, Water, Young Leaves
The industrious Japanese people are powered by rice grown in water-filled tambo (paddies). "Go-en" (Japanese for "5 yen") sounds the same the word for "fate", so people keep this coin for good luck, or offer it when praying at temples and shrines.

1-yen coin

Actual diameter: 2.00 cm
Composition: Aluminum
Design: Young Tree
Like a young tree that becomes big, the value of even one yen can grow!
The imposition of a sales tax in Japan means you will encounter this coin more often than in the past.