JAPAN 2000 YEN ND 2000 P 103a - UNC - PREFIX AA - RARE

Features

Series: D SERIES

Obverse

Shureimon, a 16th-century gate at Shuri Castle in Naha, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan; Cherry blossom and chrysanthemum motifs.

Lettering:
2000　　　　　　　　　2000
　SA 815862 T
日本銀行券
貳千円
日本銀行

2000　　　(seal)　　SA 815862 T
大蔵省印刷局製造

Translation:
Bank of Japan banknote
2,000 yen
Bank of Japan
(seal)
Manufactured by the Finance Ministry Printing Bureau (Okurasho)

Reverse

Scene 38 "The Bell Cricket" from The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) and a copy of the upper portion of the script in the background on the left.
A portrait of its author, Murasaki Shikibu at the lower right.

Lettering:
NIPPON GINKO　　　　　　　　2000

いるいのつあたに十す
とにとけるまま宮五ゞ
しれなはときひお夜む
げいみひてみつはのし
くのにななたゝしゆ
　わいとらち念てふ
　　そきす二殊は
2000き　　　　　2000 YEN　　紫式部

Translation:
Bank of Japan
Murasaki Shikibu

Watermark

Shureimon Gate

Printer

National Printing Bureau (国立印刷局, Imperial Printing Bureau of Japan), Japan (1871-date)

Comments

Issued as a Series D banknote by the Bank of Japan (Nippon Ginko) on July 19, 2000.  Some wester catalogs categorize it as a commemorative note for the 'End of the 2nd Millennium and the 26th G8 Summit in Okinawa' but is considered a  normal circulation note according to Japanese laws.
Because only few vending machines accept this note and even numbers like 2 and 4 are seen as 'unlucky', this note circulates little in comparison with the other denominations.
An exception is Okinawa where 40% of the 100 million (as of 2013) banknotes were issued.

The intaglio printed tactile mark at the bottom right of the front is the hiragana character に "ni" for two in Braille.