Paying utility bills in

Paying utility bills in Japan is interesting. You take your bill, and the necessary cash, to the post office or to the convenience store and pay there. You can't mail a check since there are no checks in the Japanese banking system.

At the convenience store, the clerk scans the bar code on the bill and it's rung up as a sale on the register. You hand over the money, she hands you change and stamps your bill to show you've paid. It's as easy as buying a newspaper if considerably more expensive.