Furikomi: A Step by Step Guide to Bank Transfers in Japan

 Living in Japan often involves managing your finances through local ATMs. While many Japanese ATMs now offer English menus, these typically cover only basic functions like deposits and withdrawals. To make a furikomi (bank transfers in Japan), you’ll likely need to navigate the Japanese-language menu. 

Though you can make bank transfers with a teller, most branches close around 5 p.m., which can be inconvenient if you’re still at work. While rent and utility payments can be set up for automatic bank transfers, there are times when you might need to make a manual transfer, such as if you miss a deposit or overlook a bill.

1. Making a BankTransfer

Photo: Abigail Navarra

Often, bank transfers don’t have an English menu.

You’ll need your bank book or cash card to make a bank transfer in Japan. Some ATMs also accept cash for transfers, but banks like Japan Post Bank require a payment slip if you pay with cash.

Prepare Your Materials: Have your bank book or cash card ready. If you’re using cash, ensure you have a payment slip (required at some banks, like Japan Post Bank).

Access the Transfer Menu: On the ATM’s welcome screen, look for the options labeled お振り込み (ofurikomi) or ご送金 (gosoukin). These options will take you to the bank transfer menu. You’ll typically see a fraud warning after selecting this menu.

Japanese	English	Romaji
お振り込み	Transfer	Ofurikomi
ご送金	Remittance	Gosokin

Step 2: Funding the transfer

Photo: Abigail Navarra

For Japan Post Bank, this is your second screen.

The next screen will vary depending on the bank. It might ask whether you want to fund the transfer from your account or deposit cash directly. Some ATMs allow cash transfers but limit these transactions to ¥100,000 (10万円).

On this particular screen (above), you can see:

Japanese	English	Romaji
ゆうちょ口座へのご送金	Remittance to Japan Post account	Yuu cho kouza e no go soukin
払込専用カード	Payment card	Haraikomi senyou kaado
他行口座へのご送金	Remittance to another bank account	Takou kouza e no go soukin

After your selection, you will likely need to:

• Insert Your Cash Card or Bank Book: Follow the prompts to insert your cash card or bank book.
• Enter Your PIN: When prompted, enter your PIN number.

3. Searching For The Bank and Branch

Next, you must enter recipient-specific details, such as bank, branch and account number.

Bank Search

Photo: Abigail Navarra

Most banks list their partner banks and major banks for easy access.

After selecting your payment method, you must search for the right bank and branch for the transfer. Some ATMs will immediately list the names of major banks in Japan on the bank selection screen. You can search for other banks by pressing the “その他” (sonohoka) or “others” button.

Major Japanese Banks
Mitsubishi UFJ	三菱UFJ銀行	mitsubishi UFJ ginkou
Sumitomo Mitsui (SMBC)	三井住友銀行	mitsui sumitomo ginkou
Mizuho Bank	みずほ銀行	mizuho ginkou
Resona Bank	りそな銀行	risona ginkou

Branch Search

Photo: Abigail Navarra

Sample katakana keyboard for reference.

Once you select the correct bank, you must specify the branch name. For most banks, this is the physical location of the branch. You might need to enter the branch name in katakana, so it’s helpful to write down both the katakana and kanji versions of the branch name beforehand.

To switch to the alphabet input, look for the 英字 (eiji) button for English letters.

If you’re transferring to a Japan Post Bank account, they have a different naming branch system. They provide an online converter to convert the account number into most banks’ format. It will also give you the branch name and bank codes.

Account Type

The ATM will ask for the recipient’s account type. Most Japanese banks offer two types of accounts: 

• Futsuu (普通):  A regular account,
• Touza (当座): A current/checking account.

Account Number

Next, you will usually need to enter the following information:

• Account Number [口座番号]
• Amount to be Transferred [金額]
• Your Phone Number [電話番号]

If you make a mistake, you might also have the option to edit the sender name (ご依頼人名, goiraijinmei) Sometimes, you may need to add a reference number before or after your name.

After each entry, the ATM may display a confirmation screen. If you need to correct any mistakes:

1. Look for the [戻り, modori] button to go back. 
2. If all the information is correct, press the [確認, kakunin ] button to confirm. 
3. If you need to restart the process, press the red [取消, torikeshi] button to return to the first screen.

4. Finalizing The Transfer

Photo: iStock/ Yusuke Ide

An atm receipt will typically look like this.

After entering all the information, you will get a summary screen. The list of information to check might include the following:

Japanese	English	Romaji
金融機関名	Financial institution name	Kinyuukanki-mei
支店名	Branch name	Shiten-mei
口座科目	Account type	Kouza kamoku
お受取人名	Recipient name	Uketori jinmei
送金金額	Amount to be transferred	Soukin kingaku
料金	Transfer fee	Ryoukin
ご依頼人名	Sender information	Go irai jinmei
電話番号	Sender phone number	Denwa bangou
送金予定日	Date of transfer	Soukin yotei bi

Ensure all the information is correct before proceeding to the final step. Press the button labeled [確認, kakunin] to confirm the transfer. You can cancel the transaction up to this point if needed. Once confirmed, the transfer will be finalized and processed. Note that there will be a transfer fee if you send money to another bank.

Remember to:

• Verify all entered details for accuracy.
• Review the amount to ensure it matches your intended transfer.
• Confirm recipient information, including the account number and name.

After finalizing the transfer, you may be prompted to print a Furikomi card for future use. This option is convenient if you make regular payments to the same bank account. The Furikomi card stores all the entered information, making future remittances quicker. 

The machine will then print your receipt; if you opt for a furikomi card, it will also be included. Remember to retrieve your card or bank book.