Tokyo Travel Forum

I WILL CHANGE SOME AT AT THE AIRPORT BUT IF THERE IS ANOTHER PLACE TO CHANGE $$'S PLEASE LET ME KNOW

THANK YOU !!

not a good idea changing them in japan. either change them in advance or use atms but beware.not every japanese atm accepts foreign cards only those at the airport do, then the ones in the post offices.

JAL

ops.last reply (JAL) was wrong forum.

I don't know what your local currency is, so the standard travel rule of "Conduct currency exchange in the nation with the weaker currency" doesn't apply. In general, I would advise against changing your money within Japan, there isn't any competition for foreign exchange on the consumer level so the rates are never very good. If you must, you can use a hotel, post office, or bank, but I think after doing it once you won't want to go through the ritual again (Changing your money in a bank will amuse you with the lengthy process that places emphasis on detailed service rather than speed). Withdrawing from an ATM is the best bet, don't fear, most ATM's are connected to at least one of the International services (Plus, Cirrus, etc...).

If you rely on just ATMs, do have two cards with you in case one company has problems. Otherwise, bring cash (it's very safe to carry cash in Japan). Also be sure to call your credit card companies before you leave home to inform them of your travel plans. or they likely will block the use of your credit cards.

Most hotels can exchange your currency, unless you are staying in very small inns or hostels. I've always found the hotels to offer decent exchange rates so I've never felt the need to use the banks.....except for once many years ago and it was a very long, detailed process!

Whenever I go back to Japan, I take out some cash from ATM at airport. In case your ATM card or the ATM machine in Japan limits the amount you can take out in a day, you may want to bring more than 1 cards.
In cities, ATM machines operated by Post Office (available in Post office and some shopping centers) work the best with foreign issued ATM/credit cards.

I'd like to clarify what appears to be confusion about ATM's. Just about any conveneience store (Lawson, 7-11) has an ATM in it and they work with every card I have. The days of having to go to a post office or needing to use the ATM during regular banking hours, at a bank branch, are long gone.

they didnt seem to have been long gone when we were in japan last year. and from what other people experienced.

here is what the japan-guide.com says:
Many automatic teller machines (ATMs) in Japan do not accept credit, debit and ATM cards, which are issued outside of Japan.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2208.html

Never had a problem in Lawson's, 7-11 etc. last year all over Japan

well,thats good for you..we did,in fukuoka, a big city there were exactelly 2 or so places where you could pull out money with a foreign visa card.
we lost 2 hours finding an atm in the citybank.