You tap your phone, buy a drink, and walk away. So easy. But here is a small question. In a cashless age, do we still need cash?
The answer is not as simple as yes or no. In Japan, cashless payment is growing fast. METI said cashless payments reached 58.0% of consumer spending in 2025. And at Expo 2025 Osaka, the whole site used cashless payment only. So, yes, the cashless world is very real now. (meti.go.jp)
But now, let’s slow down and look at one normal day.
Imagine Aya. In the morning, she buys coffee at a convenience store with her phone. At lunch, she pays by card at a big supermarket. Everything is smooth. Then, in the evening, she stops at a small local festival. She wants yakisoba. She reaches for her phone again.
But this time, she needs coins.
That kind of moment still matters. In a Bank of Japan survey from March 2025, some people said they use cash when other payment methods are not accepted. People also said cash is good because the payment finishes right away, many places accept it, and cash can help stop overspending. (boj.or.jp)
So, is cash still necessary? Maybe not all day, every day. But it is still useful. Cashless payment is quick and easy. Cash is simple and strong. When one does not work, the other can help.
Maybe that is the real answer. In modern life, smart people do not choose only one. They keep a little cash, just in case.










