Japanese Yen--How best to buy it .

[ajd]

Perhaps a little off topic, but very helpful. Tokyo coming up in two months time, and the subway sounds quite confronting.

Thanks again.

The subway system isn't that scary While the maps are a bit daunting they're relatively easy to figure out once you try. The most confusing part is when you're interchanging between two different networks which have e.g. separate stations across the road from each other. Other than that, English signage is very common, and on some of the subway lines you'll also get English voice announcements.

Another +1 for the Suica card, it's very useful. Additionally, while each city has one or more of its own prepaid transit cards, unlike in Australia the systems are linked, so you can use a Tokyo Suica in Osaka, for example, with no difficulty.

 

[ajd]

Many of the smaller post offices, while the postal services area closes at 5 or 6pm, the section with the ATMs is open much longer.

Limited operating hours for ATMs are a somewhat common thing in Japan for some reason...

 

[Alh01]

Suica card certainly seems useful for subway. Is it available at airport vendors, or stations or local 7/11 type shops? Just a little confused as to why cash is needed for the subway from the airport.

Thanks to all posters for the useful Tokyo information. I've successfully negotiated money and subways in Seoul & Paris before, so probably shouldn't feel concerned. However age is catching up, so that rapidly moving signs in unfamiliar surroundings are becoming more difficult to recognise. Part of the fun of travel I guess.

 

[ajd]

Suica card certainly seems useful for subway. Is it available at airport vendors, or stations or local 7/11 type shops? Just a little confused as to why cash is needed for the subway from the airport.

Thanks to all posters for the useful Tokyo information. I've successfully negotiated money and subways in Seoul & Paris before, so probably shouldn't feel concerned. However age is catching up, so that rapidly moving signs in unfamiliar surroundings are becoming more difficult to recognise. Part of the fun of travel I guess.

Suica can be purchased from the ticket machines at the stations (they're a bit tricky to use, but they are available in English). I'm not entirely sure if you can buy them from 7/11 or other konbinis, but it wouldn't surprise me - I'm fairly sure you can actually spend your Suica cards there.

I haven't personally taken the train from Narita, but there are several services operated by different companies, some of which may accept the card and others may not.

 

[dajop]

Suica card certainly seems useful for subway. Is it available at airport vendors, or stations or local 7/11 type shops? Just a little confused as to why cash is needed for the subway from the airport.

From memory, Suica card can't be used on Narita Express (as you have to pay supplement for express)but can be on local trains from the airport and Keisei Electric Railway (private railway company that runs trains to Narita airport too), including the Skyliner. Which line you use depends on where you want to go, and how much you want to pay.

Unless of course you're arriving in Haneda then it can be used on the various lines from there, if I remember correctly (If I'm wrong someone will correct me!)

 

[Himeno]

Suica can be purchased from the ticket machines at the stations (they're a bit tricky to use, but they are available in English). I'm not entirely sure if you can buy them from 7/11 or other konbinis, but it wouldn't surprise me - I'm fairly sure you can actually spend your Suica cards there.

You can use the cards almost anywhere. You can only get them from TVMs at stations.

I haven't personally taken the train from Narita, but there are several services operated by different companies, some of which may accept the card and others may not.

Technically you can use them for the express trains from NRT, but the JR Narita Express and Keisei Skyliner are subject to reserved seating and express surcharges which the Suica don't include. If using the express trains, it is easier to just buy a ticket for them.

 

[feezable]

If you can't get to one of the big guys like KVB or UAExchange (who apparently have very good rates sometimes) in Mel or Syd then I've found the best rates available at Amex FX4You, generally a few points better than Auspost, Travelex or the banks and no conversion fees.

Thanks for this tip NoobFlyer. Looking at the rates available this morning, Commbank JPY165000 = AUD2045.29, Fx4You JPY165000 = AUD1990.06.

 

[LadyC]

Thanks for this tip NoobFlyer. Looking at the rates available this morning, Commbank JPY165000 = AUD2045.29, Fx4You JPY165000 = AUD1990.06.

FX4you seem to have pretty good rates. I used them to buy yen back in April and compared against the big banks, travelex and ozmoney (?).

 

[opusman]

In the subway you'll probably find the Yamanote line goes pretty much everywhere tourists want to go, and (presumably because of that) it has signs in English.

 

[Deleted member]

I wouldn't bother with the ATM idea. It was a disaster for us. And there (weren't) aren't very many. Buy cash before you leave. The exchange rate is "much" better here. CC at your hotel will work. Major Department stores too. BUT cash only everywhere else. We enjoyed Japan very much. But cash is king.

 

[Fifa]

We travel to Japan every year to ski and always use our Citibank debit card with no problems.
I advise withdrawing the majority of your cash at one of the Citibank ATMs just outside arrivals at NRT (not sure of locations at HND though).
For the remainder we use Post Bank ATMs at Post Offices - just be aware that ATMs are not open 24hours.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Really simple....... The ATM'S inside the thousands of Seven 11 store's nationwide in Japan are very good with processing overseas issued cards. I would be withdrawing cash from seven 11 if I was running out of yen.
Yes, not everyone speaks English, and you do not speak slowly but you get by being polite and learning the basic courtesies.

 

[Kevvie]

I wouldn't bother with the ATM idea. It was a disaster for us. And there (weren't) aren't very many. Buy cash before you leave. The exchange rate is "much" better here. CC at your hotel will work. Major Department stores too. BUT cash only everywhere else. We enjoyed Japan very much. But cash is king.

Many thanks for all the responses . The info provided is most useful .

Kevvie

 

[Himeno]

In the subway you'll probably find the Yamanote line goes pretty much everywhere tourists want to go, and (presumably because of that) it has signs in English.

Every train line and station in Tokyo has signage in Japanese and English. Some also have signage in Chinese and/or Korean. (and the Yamanote line isn't part of the subway).

Yamanote is a loop line around Tokyo. It touches the 6 major stations (Tokyo, Ueno, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro and Shinagawa). It hardly goes to "pretty much everywhere tourists want to go". eg, it doesn't to to Tokyo Tower, SkyTree, Disney or Tokyo Big Sight. A number of places "tourists want to go" might be close to the Yamanote stations, but "close" can mean a 2 or 3km walk.

 

[moa999]

On three trips never taken Yen and just used credit/debit cards.

You just need to be a little more careful managing money, and take advantage of 7-11s/ Post-Offices when they appear.

 

[Himeno]

On three trips never taken Yen and just used credit/debit cards.

Yep, no need to get Yen before leaving for Japan. The only reason I took JPY this time was because it was left over from last time (3 weeks before) and I saw no reason to change it back to AUD only to get more JPY 3 weeks later.

You just need to be a little more careful managing money, and take advantage of 7-11s/ Post-Offices when they appear.

Also, not all 7/11 and JP Post ATMs are in the stores. There are some in random places you would normally expect to see ATMs. eg, there are a number of both 7/11 and JP Post ATMs at Sunshine City and Ikebukuro Station with no attached 7/11 store or post office.

 

[Cynicor]

Yeah, no idea where GPH went, but it couldn't have been Tokyo. Never had any cash access issues, paid on CC for most things except small restaurants.

If you take cash you're just going to get ripped off in AU. Only places I change money are in SE Asia.

Citi debit plus, simple. Use the ATMs as mentioned previously, no fees no hassle.

 

[stevied71]

Cash is king.
You don't need a citibank card, setting up a new bank account for a trip can be a hassle plus the ATM fees aren't that huge.
I used a travel card (commbank) loaded it up with Yen and when you need cash, go to a 7/11 or a Citibank ATM (this PDF has the list citibank.co.jp/en/banking/branch_atm/pdf/atm.pdf) - I think there are citibank ATMs at both Narita and Haneda airports.
At the 7/11's I think there was a daily limit, we just got out as much as we could (you will surely spend it).
When you arrive, get a SUICA card (thejapanguy.com/how-to-get-a-suica-card) you can load money onto this. It's for the metro system, but can be used in Buses, Taxis (don't try to close the doors) and at the 7/11 too. The SUICA was Yen 2000, but that had a travel credit of 1500 and the other 500 was refundable (but keep it as a souvenir).
PM if you want a bunch of tips and guides.

 

[Ultimobo]

my partner works at the Post Office - she watches the exchange rates, and buys Au$1000 or so when the rates are good - we just take cash to pay for hotels and meals in Japan - it's a safe country so don't expect to be robbed - you know how they reserve a seat in Japan - they leave their wallet on the seat !

 

[Cynicor]

Cash is king.
You don't need a citibank card, setting up a new bank account for a trip can be a hassle plus the ATM fees aren't that huge.
I used a travel card (commbank) loaded it up with Yen and when you need cash, go to a 7/11 or a Citibank ATM (this PDF has the list citibank.co.jp/en/banking/branch_atm/pdf/atm.pdf) - I think there are citibank ATMs at both Narita and Haneda airports.
At the 7/11's I think there was a daily limit, we just got out as much as we could (you will surely spend it).

Sure, you could also take USD and wander for ages trying to get a bank to change it into yen. But the OP asked for the best way...

The commbank card is as poor as all the rest of them, and regardless if you have a 3 or 6 figure yearly travel spend, the 3-4% adds up. This year alone I've probably saved around $1k on my Citibank card.

On other cards, including travel cards Atm fees ARE quite huge, FX rates are poor and travel cards are as complicated as the 1 minute process to open a savings account online.