Bank of Japan banknotes

Bank of Japan banknotes, known domestically as Nihon Ginkō-ken, are the official paper currency of Japan, denominated in Japanese yen. They are issued by the Bank of Japan, a centralised bank established in 1882 under the monetary reforms of Matsukata Masayoshi to supersede the former system of decentralised national banks of issue. The central bank was granted sole authority over note issuance, releasing its earliest paper money between 1885 and 1887 as notes convertible into silver in denominations from 1 to 100 yen.

Across their history, Bank of Japan notes have spanned face values from 0.05 yen (5 sen) up to 10,000 yen. Banknotes denominated below 1 yen were formally abolished in 1953, and denominations under 500 yen were discontinued by 1984, though discontinued issues produced between 1946 and the 1980s remain valid currency. High-denomination notes first emerged in the 1950s, beginning with the 1,000-yen denomination in Series B, followed by the 5,000-yen and 10,000-yen notes of Series C. Modern circulation centres on the 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000-yen denominations across Series D, Series E, and Series F.

Modern Bank of Japan banknotes feature portraits of prominent individuals from the Meiji period and later, drawn from authentic photographs to hinder counterfeiting. Distinguishing security features include the EURion constellation, which made its debut on Series D and continues on subsequent issues. A commemorative 2,000-yen note released in 2000 depicts Okinawa's Shureimon gate on the front and author Murasaki Shikibu with a scene from The Tale of Genji on the reverse. The Series F notes, designed with portraits of Kitasato Shibasaburō, Tsuda Umeko, and Shibusawa Eiichi, represent the first issues to include English lettering, displaying the words "Bank of Japan" on the front face.