Using Rakuten Pay in Japan: Setting It Up and Paying at the Register

Quick answer

Hi, I'm Miya — I help newcomers get comfortable with everyday life in Japan. Rakuten Pay is a code-payment app: you install it on your phone, link a payment source once, and then pay at the register by showing a QR code or barcode. This guide walks you through the setup and the actual paying, step by step, so the first time at the counter feels easy.

What Rakuten Pay is, and what you need

Rakuten Pay is a smartphone app for paying by code — instead of tapping a card, you open the app and let the register read a code. It runs on your Rakuten ID, so you sign in with the same account you use for other Rakuten services.

To set it up you need three things: the app installed on your phone, a Rakuten ID to sign in with, and a payment source to draw from. Once those are in place, everything after is quick.

Linking a payment source

Open the app, sign in with your Rakuten ID, and go to the payment settings to register a card or another supported source. You enter the details once, and the app remembers them for next time — so at the register you're never fumbling for a card.

It's worth doing this at home, calmly, before you're standing in a queue. When the source is linked, the app is ready to pay anywhere it's accepted.

Paying at the register by QR or barcode

At the counter, tell the staff you'll pay with Rakuten Pay, then open the app. There are two common ways it works: the app shows a barcode the cashier scans, or you use your phone to scan a QR code the shop displays. The app usually guides you to the right screen.

After the code is read, the app confirms the amount and you're done — no signature, no PIN in most cases. Keep the screen open until it shows the payment went through, and you'll get a receipt as usual.

Putting your points toward a payment

If you've collected points on your Rakuten ID, the app lets you apply them to a purchase. Before you show the code, there's an option to use points for that payment — you turn it on, and the app puts them toward the total, covering part or all of it.

This is handy for small everyday buys. You choose per payment whether to use points or leave them, so you stay in control of when they get spent.

Where you can use it day to day

Code payment has become common at convenience stores, drugstores, many chain restaurants, and a lot of everyday shops. When a place accepts it, you'll usually see the logo at the register or on the door, and the staff will know the routine.

For a newcomer it's genuinely convenient — you can leave a fat wallet at home and pay for a coffee or your groceries straight from your phone. If you're ever unsure, a quick glance at the register signs tells you whether code payment is an option.

Why a connected line comes first

Here's the part people miss: the app installs on your phone and verifies with a Japanese number, and paying by code needs mobile data at the counter. So a connected line is really the prerequisite that makes all of this work when you're out and about.

If you're still getting set up, adding a Japanese number with Rakuten Mobile is straightforward — you apply online with your residence card, and eSIM-capable phones can connect the same day. Have a look at our setup guide, confirm current terms on the official page, and then Rakuten Pay is ready whenever you are.