お金

1,000 yen note
千円 sen en

The face on this note is Natsume Soseki. The back has 2 Tsuru (Cranes) dancing (my interpretation :) ).  

Natsume Soseki was a very famous writer during the Meiji period.  His most famous book is entitled, I am a Cat. (Wagahai wa neko de aru) It is about a cat who spends his time making comments on the way the humans run things.  I think this is mandatory reading in Japanese schools.

2,000 yen note
二千円 ni sen en

(New for the year 2000)

This note was made specially for the new year.  The picture on the front is 'shurei no mon' (the Gate of Shurei) in Okinawa.  The back has a scene from 'Genji Monogatari' (the Tale of Genji).

To the lower right (bottom) is a portrait of the writer, Murasaki Shikibu. She lived in Japan 1000 years ago!

5,000 yen note
五千円 go sen en

Nitobe Inazou's face graces the front.  And Mount Fuji is on the back. Every year thousands scramble to climb this active volcano.  Interesting. 

Nitobe Inazou established a woman's university in Tokyo.

10,000 yen note
一万円 ichi man en

This is, as far as I know, the biggest (in value & is actually slightly longer than all other bills). 

Fukuzawa Yukichi graces this bill.

The birds are kiji (pheasant)