You're standing at a Japanese shrine, the smell of incense thick in the air, and you see everyone tossing a specific, gold-colored coin with a hole in the middle into a wooden box. It’s the 5-yen coin. People call it "go-en." If you look at the exchange rate on your phone, it’s basically pennies. Actually, it’s less than pennies. As of early 2026, the yen has seen some wild swings, but generally, 5 yen is worth about three to four cents in US currency.
It’s tiny. It’s almost mathematically irrelevant to your travel budget. But in Japan, this little piece of brass carries a weight that the exchange rate completely fails to capture.
The literal value: How much is 5 yen in "real" money?
Let's talk raw numbers first. If you want to know how much is 5 yen, you have to look at the current forex market. Historically, the yen has hovered around 110 to 150 per dollar over the last few years. At 150 yen to the dollar, that single coin is worth $0.033.
If you're coming from the UK, it’s about 2.6 pence. For Europeans, it’s roughly 3 cents.
You can’t buy a Snickers bar with it. You can’t even buy a single piece of loose chewing gum at a 7-Eleven. In most modern economies, a coin this low in value would have been phased out years ago, much like the penny is constantly under fire in the States. Yet, the 5-yen coin remains a staple of Japanese pockets. Why? Because the Japanese economy still relies heavily on physical cash, and the tax system (currently at 10% for most goods) often results in prices that require exact change down to the single digit.
Honestly, if you find one on the street, you aren't richer. But you might be luckier.
The "Go-En" pun that makes this coin famous
The real reason people care about how much is 5 yen has nothing to do with purchasing power. It’s a linguistic fluke. In Japanese, the word for 5 yen is "go-en" (五円).
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As it happens, the word for "fate" or "connection"—specifically the kind of karmic connection you have with people or a deity—is also pronounced "go-en" (ご縁).
Because of this, the 5-yen coin is the undisputed king of temple offerings. When you visit a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple, you don't throw a 10-yen coin. Why? Because the word for 10 is "tou," and some people associate that with "tou-en," which can imply your luck or connection is far away. But 5 yen? That’s the "good connection" coin.
What can you actually do with it?
If you're walking into a Lawson or a FamilyMart with nothing but a handful of 5-yen coins, you're going to have a bad time.
- Shrine Offerings: This is the primary use. It’s considered the "correct" amount for a prayer.
- The "Supermarket Adjustment": You use it to pay that annoying 8-yen tax on a 108-yen tea.
- Souvenirs: Many tourists keep them because they look cool. They are one of the few coins in the world with a hole in the center.
The hole isn't just for aesthetics, by the way. It was originally implemented to save on metal costs during the post-war era, but now it serves as a way for the visually impaired to distinguish it from the 100-yen coin, which is similar in size but has a different edge texture.
Why 5 yen feels like more than it is
In Japan, there is a concept called mottainai, which basically means "don't be wasteful." Even though 5 yen is worth next to nothing, you will rarely see them discarded.
Think about the psychology of the 1-yen and 5-yen coins. In the US, people leave pennies in those little plastic cups by the register. In Japan, you’ll see businessmen in $2,000 suits meticulously counting out three 1-yen coins and a 5-yen coin to make sure they give the cashier the exact change. It's a matter of friction. Japan is still a society where coins are a daily reality.
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If you're wondering how much is 5 yen in terms of "buying power" at a vending machine—it’s zero. Vending machines in Japan generally do not accept 1-yen or 5-yen coins. They start at 10 yen. This creates a "coin trap" for tourists. You spend all day getting change from big bills, and by 9:00 PM, your wallet weighs three pounds because it’s full of these yellow and silver discs that the machines won't take.
A quick tip for the "Coin Trap"
Since you can't use them in machines, the best way to get rid of them (if you aren't saving them for a shrine) is at the airport. Most "Don Quijote" stores or airport souvenir shops have automated change machines where you can just dump a handful of coins in, and it subtracts the total from your bill. It’s much less embarrassing than counting them out manually while a line forms behind you.
The Design: Wheat, Water, and Gears
Take a close look at the coin. For something worth three cents, it’s incredibly detailed. The design represents the foundations of the Japanese economy at the time it was minted:
- The Rice Ear: Represents agriculture.
- The Water (horizontal lines): Represents the fisheries.
- The Gear (around the hole): Represents industry.
It’s a tiny history lesson in your palm. On the back, you’ll see two sprouts, which symbolize the growth of Japan as a democratic nation. When people ask "how much is 5 yen," they are usually looking for a currency conversion, but the cultural value is where the "real" money is. It is the only Japanese coin currently in circulation that uses Kanji characters without any Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3). If you can't read Japanese, you only know it's a 5-yen coin because of its color and the hole.
Is it worth collecting?
Unless you find a rare minting error, no.
Some people think older coins are worth a fortune. They aren't. A 5-yen coin from the Showa era (1926–1989) is still just worth 5 yen. However, there are "fude-go" coins—these are 5-yen coins minted between 1949 and 1958. They use a different, more calligraphic font for the characters. Collectors like them, but even then, you're talking about a value of maybe 50 to 100 yen for a circulated one. Not exactly a retirement plan.
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The value is in the gesture. Giving someone a 5-yen coin as a gift is a way of saying, "I hope we have a good relationship." It's common to put one in a new wallet before giving it to someone to ensure the wallet is never empty and the recipient always has "good luck" with money.
Practical steps for your next trip
Now that you know how much is 5 yen, here is how you should handle them when you actually land in Tokyo or Osaka.
Don't throw them away.
It might feel like junk in your pocket, but tossing currency is generally frowned upon. If you really want to get rid of them, find the nearest "Suica" or "Pasmo" card machine in a subway station. Some of the newer machines allow you to top up your transit card with coins. It’s a great way to turn "useless" brass into train fare.
Keep a few for Kyoto.
If your itinerary includes Kyoto or Kamakura, you will be hitting shrines every twenty minutes. You will go through 5-yen coins faster than you think. Keep a small separate pouch for them. When you reach the "honden" (main hall), toss the coin, bow twice, clap twice, and make your wish. You’ve just bought a moment of spiritual connection for three cents. That’s the best ROI you’ll get in all of Japan.
Check the year.
If you're a nerd for details, look for the Year 1 coins (Reiwa 1). These were minted in 2019 when the new Emperor took the throne. They aren't particularly valuable yet, but they mark a specific turning point in Japanese history.
Ultimately, 5 yen is a bridge. It bridges the gap between the hyper-modern world of Japanese tech and the ancient traditions that still dictate how people interact with the world. It’s the price of a prayer and the tax on a bottle of water. It is almost nothing, and yet, it is everything.
What to do next:
- Audit your change: If you just got back from Japan, check your jar. Look for the brass coin with the hole.
- Gift it: If you have a friend starting a new job, give them a 5-yen coin. Explain the "go-en" pun. It's a thoughtful, "expert-level" gift that costs you nothing.
- Use your IC card: To avoid getting these coins in the first place, use an iPhone/Apple Watch Suica or a physical IC card for everything from vending machines to convenience stores. This keeps the physical "go-en" count in your wallet down to a manageable level.