This is an English translation of our Japanese article. The Japanese version and each municipality's and operator's official pages are authoritative. Rates, caps and periods change without notice, so check the official information before relying on any figure here.
Municipal pay apps — digital local currencies funded and run by city and ward governments — return the equivalent of 3% to 30% just for topping up or shopping, making them one of the most dependable household savings available right now. But every municipality designs its own: when, where and how much comes back, and whether non-residents can join, all differ. This article puts the six schemes we have examined individually — five Tokyo wards plus Saitama City — into a single table, then covers the campaigns moving in autumn 2026, which of the four types fits whom, and the pitfalls they share.
1. The easiest year-round option is the 3% top-up reward of Sai Coin and Naka Pay. Among payment-based schemes, Hachi Pay's 8% for verified residents is the highest.
2. October 2026 is crowded: Hoku Pay launches on 5 October (30% premium), Hachi Pay starts a new campaign on 1 October, and Minato Pay's paper vouchers expire on 31 October.
3. All six work only at member shops inside their own municipality. Most are open to non-residents (sometimes at a lower rate).
4. The biggest pitfall is point expiry. Naka Pay's points die at the end of the month after next; Setagaya Pay's at the end of the month six months after award — the rules differ widely from scheme to scheme.
Detailed guides by scheme (all six)
Each scheme's reward mechanics, cap arithmetic, registration steps and pitfalls are examined in an individual article based solely on the official terms.
Tokyo's 23 wards: Hachi Pay (Shibuya) · Hoku Pay (Kita) · Minato Pay (Minato) · Setagaya Pay (Setagaya) · Naka Pay (Nakano)
Saitama Prefecture: Sai Coin (Saitama City)
Six schemes in one table: rates, caps and periods
Line up what triggers the reward (a top-up, a payment or a premium purchase) and where it tops out, and each scheme's character becomes clear.
| Scheme | How the reward works | Approximate cap | Period | Non-residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hachi Pay (Shibuya) | 8% for verified residents, 4% for others, on payments | 8,000 pts/month | 1 Oct 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 (new campaign) | Usable at 4% |
| Sai Coin (Saitama) | 3% on top-ups (2% for cash) | Up to 49,000 yen per top-up | Top-ups to 31 Mar 2027 | Usable |
| Hoku Pay (Kita) | 30% premium (5,000 yen buys 6,500 yen) plus a 500-pt download bonus (first 60,000) | Up to 10 units per person (280,000 units, lottery) | Apply 5–25 Oct 2026; buy 2–22 Nov; expires 31 Mar 2027 | Can use and apply (residents get 1,500 pt for verifying) |
| Minato Pay (Minato) | 20% at small independents, 10% at large stores, in campaign months | 7,000 pts (20%) + 3,000 pts (10%) | Per campaign month (up to 20% in August; up to 2% with a 1,000-pt cap in September) | Usable (10,000-yen grant residents only) |
| Setagaya Pay (Setagaya) | 3% at small independents, 2% at convenience stores etc., on payments | 1,000 pts/month | 1 May 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 | Usable (500-pt verification bonus residents only) |
| Naka Pay (Nakano) | 3% on top-ups | 50,000 yen per top-up; 100,000 yen balance | Top-ups to 31 Jan 2027 | Usable |
Rates and caps are representative values based on official terms and announcements as of 5 September 2026. Hoku Pay figures follow its official announcement of 17 September 2026 (the 1,500-point resident bonus goes to the first 30,000 who verify with a My Number Card). Schemes can end or shrink without notice once budgets run out. Check each individual article and the official pages for exact conditions.
What moves in autumn 2026 (the September–October calendar)
- 1–30 September: Minato Pay is running an up-to-2% reward (1,000-point cap, charged-balance payments only). A far smaller month than August's 20%.
- 1 October: Hachi Pay's new reward campaign begins (8% for verified residents, 4% for others, to 31 March 2027). Details in our Hachi Pay (Shibuya) article.
- 5 October: The Hoku Pay app launches. Applications for the 30% premium Hoku Pay (until 25 October; lottery; up to 10 units per person) and a download campaign (500 points for the first 60,000 users) start the same day. Successful applicants buy between 2 and 22 November. Read our Hoku Pay (Kita) article before launch day.
- 31 October: Deadline for the paper vouchers included in Minato Pay's 10,000-yen grant to all residents. If any are still in your drawer, spend them. See our Minato Pay (Minato) article.
Four types: which one fits you
The six schemes fall into four types by what triggers the reward. If more than one operates where you live, work or shop, sorting them by type is the efficient way to use them.
| Type | Schemes | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Top-up type (the reward locks in when you load money) | Sai Coin, Naka Pay | People who want zero effort. The right move is to top up only what you will spend, in the month you spend it |
| Payment type, year-round (thin but steady, purchase by purchase) | Hachi Pay, Setagaya Pay | People who regularly use independent shops and restaurants in the ward |
| Payment type, campaign bursts | Minato Pay | People who can bunch large purchases into the campaign months |
| Premium issue type (buy first, receive the markup) | Hoku Pay | People who do not mind applying and entering the draw. Its 30% is the highest of the six |
Sai Coin has one strength the others lack: municipal taxes and water bills can be paid by invoice inside the app. Combined with the 3% top-up reward, that is effectively a 3% discount on tax bills, so Saitama residents get the most value by directing it at fixed costs before shopping (see our Sai Coin article and our guide to cashless tax payment).
Shared pitfalls (a pre-use checklist)
- Point expiry: Naka Pay's points die at the end of the month after next, counted from the top-up month (use does not extend them); Setagaya Pay's at the end of the month six months after each award; Hachi Pay's one year after last use — the rules differ widely. Spend points, do not hoard them.
- Shops only inside the municipality: all six work only at member shops within their own ward or city. They do not work one ward over.
- Where a My Number card is needed: resident verification (Hachi Pay, Setagaya Pay), credit-card top-ups (Naka Pay) and all top-ups (Sai Coin) require identity verification with a My Number card.
- Budgets end schemes early: every scheme runs on municipal money. Once the budget cap is hit it can end or shrink without notice, and premium types are lottery or first-come.
- Points and tax: ordinary rewards tied to payments are treated much like discounts, while campaign points count as occasional income — but within the 500,000-yen annual special deduction no tax arises. Most users do not need to file anything.
FAQ
Can I use a municipal pay app outside the ward or city I live in?
In most of the six, using the app itself does not depend on your address. Hachi Pay drops to 4% for non-residents, and resident-only extras (Setagaya Pay's 500-point verification bonus, Minato Pay's 10,000-yen grant) are limited to locals. Using the scheme of the town where you work or often shop, from outside, is entirely realistic.
Which scheme has the highest reward rate?
In instantaneous terms, Hoku Pay's 30% premium (5,000 yen buys 6,500 yen worth) is the largest; among payment types, Hachi Pay's 8% for verified residents is the highest. But premium types are limited in units and drawn by lot, and payment types plateau at their monthly caps. The steadily reliable options are the 3% top-up rewards of Sai Coin and Naka Pay.
Are the points taxable?
Ordinary point rewards tied to shop payments are treated much like discounts and are in principle not taxed. Points received in campaigns are classed as occasional income, but as long as they stay — together with your other occasional income — within the 500,000-yen annual special deduction, no tax arises, and the great majority of users need not file a return.
Sources
- Hachi Pay (Shibuya): Hachi Pay official site (Japanese) / Shibuya City — digital local currency programme (Japanese)
- Sai Coin (Saitama City): Saitama City — Minna no App (Japanese)
- Hoku Pay (Kita): Kita City — digital local currency "Hoku Pay" (Japanese)
- Minato Pay (Minato): Minato Pay official site (Japanese)
- Setagaya Pay (Setagaya): Setagaya Pay official site (Japanese) / Setagaya City's guide (Japanese)
- Naka Pay (Nakano): Nakano City — Naka Pay (Japanese) / Naka Pay official site (Japanese)
Rates, caps, periods and eligibility change with fiscal years, budgets and council votes. This article is general information based on official publications; confirm individual applicability with each scheme's own office.
