Japan: current ATM vs bank exchange situation?
I travelled to Japan 7 years ago and only brought euros in cash back then and exchanged everything to yen in a bank. What is the situation now? Are European-issued cards more accessible in Japan? Is it true that 7-Eleven ATMs work with foreign cards? Thanks!
Best Answer
Not much has changed. You can withdraw money from ATMs using foreign debit/credit primarily at post offices (Yucho) and 7-Elevens, but none of the mainstream banks.
I would advise avoiding exchanging money at banks: hours are limited, the process is slow and bureaucratic, and the exchange rates are terrible.
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Is it better to exchange currency or withdraw from ATM?
Using your debit card at an ATM is almost always a better option than using a money exchange service because you will get your cash with just a small international transaction fee (often not more than a couple of quarters) and avoid transaction fees and commissions entirely.Is it better to exchange money in Japan?
For instance, you will get a better exchange rate for yen in Southeast Asian countries than in Japan. But if you are traveling from the United States, definitely wait to exchange your money. You will get a much better rate in Japan for your dollars than in the US.Why is the yen weakening now?
They're selling the yen, buying dollars, in order to have more money in the US where they get better returns. That's why the yen, broadly speaking, is weakening. So there's just less demand for the yen as a currency internationally and more demand relatively for the dollar.Using an ATM in Japan to Withdraw Money VS Exchanging Foreign Currency
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Answer 2
Many banks in Japan accept foreign cards now, although it might be hit and miss sometimes. I've had no problem with bank ATMs at Narita and Haneda airports, as well as with ATMs at larger banks.
My last trip, August 2017, I withdrew cash twice, at Narita airport (a bank ATM, can't remember which, although I think it was Mizuho), and in Ginza, at the Tokyo Mitsubishi bank near the Mitsukoshi department store. In all my Japan trips in the last ten years, I haven't used so far a convenience store ATM, only bank ATMs, without problem.
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