Furikomi (振込) is how rent, deposits, invoices and reimbursements move in Japan. The mechanics are easy. The thing that goes wrong is almost always the name.
What you will be given
A set of details that looks like this:
- Bank name (銀行名) and its code
- Branch name (支店名) and its three-digit code — branches matter here as much as the account
- Account type (預金種目) — futsu (普通) ordinary, or toza (当座) current
- Account number (口座番号), usually seven digits
- Account holder name (口座名義) in katakana
The name is the hard part
Japanese bank systems match on the account holder name in katakana, and they match it strictly. A transfer with the right number and the wrong name form will be rejected or held.
What this means for you:
- Ask for the name in katakana, written down. Do not transliterate it yourself.
- Company names carry abbreviations. 株式会社 becomes カ) before the name or (カ after it, depending on position. Copy exactly what you are given.
- Your own name is registered in a particular katakana form too. Know it, because you will be typing it as the sender.
- Long names get truncated by the bank's field limit. If yours is long, ask your bank what form they hold.
Where to do it
Banking app or web
Cheapest, available at any hour, and lets you save recipients so you do not retype katakana every month. Set it up when you open the account rather than when rent is due.
ATM
Most have an English mode; look for 振込 or Transfer. You will enter the bank, branch, account type, number and name in katakana on the touch panel, then confirm the recipient name the machine reads back. Read that confirmation — it is the moment a wrong account is caught.
Cash transfers at an ATM often carry a higher fee than transfers from an account, and some banks restrict cash transfers above a threshold.
Counter
Most expensive and slowest, but the right choice for a large or unusual payment, or when you want a human to check it.
Timing
Transfers made on a weekday before roughly 15:00 generally settle the same day. Later, or at a weekend or public holiday, and it lands on the next business day.
This matters for rent, which is usually due by a fixed date, and for anything with a deadline. Japan now has a faster settlement infrastructure and many transfers do arrive quickly, but do not rely on it for a payment that must land today.
Fees
Fees vary by bank and channel, and are usually lower for transfers within the same bank. Some accounts include a number of free transfers a month depending on your balance or usage — worth checking, because it can be worth more than the interest.
If it goes wrong
Money sent to a wrong but valid account is not simply reversible. The bank must contact the receiving account holder and seek their consent to return it. Contact your bank immediately; recovery is possible but slow and not guaranteed. This is the reason to read the confirmation screen.
The phrases
- 振込をしたいです。 — Furikomi o shitai desu. — I would like to make a transfer.
- 口座名義をカタカナで教えてください。 — Kōza meigi o katakana de oshiete kudasai. — Please give me the account name in katakana.
- 振込手数料はいくらですか。 — Furikomi tesūryō wa ikura desu ka? — How much is the transfer fee?
- いつ着金しますか。 — Itsu chakkin shimasu ka? — When will it arrive?
Where to confirm this
- Our guide to opening a bank account
- Our guide to paying utility bills
- Our guide to sending money overseas
Guides are dated rather than undated: last reviewed 21 August 2026. This is an organisational aid, not legal or immigration advice — always confirm anything consequential with your ward office, the Immigration Services Agency, or a qualified professional.