Changing dollars into yen – update

As mentioned in a prior entry, my results from two years ago are now somewhat out of date when it comes to the best method to maximize the amount of yen you receive when converting your US$ (and possibly other currencies as well) into Japanese yen.
Here are my results for August of 2009 followed by a brief analysis:
ATM 48,000 yen received / ($503.83 + $5 Wells Fargo fee) = 94.334 on 8.14.09 when market rate was 95.27
SFO 83.12 on 8.13.09 PST
NRT Cash rate of 92.12 on 8.14.09
NRT TC rate of 94.12 on 8.14.09
Post Office TC 46,730/500 = 93.46 on 8.17.09 when market rate was 94.46
I asked at the post office in Japan what their rate was on international postal money orders, and the answer was the same rate as that given for traveler’s checks. My bank (Wells Fargo) won’t let me pull out more than $510 a day.
Conclusion:
1. Do not change US$ into Japanese yen in the USA. You will have far fewer yen to spend on your trip. The rate can be more than 10% worse than the rates offered in Japan. I checked this rate at more than one place in the SFO airport. I think Forex is the company ripping people off in the US airports. As an example, had I converted $10,000 in the US instead of in Japan I would have had the equivalent of US $1,000+ less to spend in Japan!
2. Cash is not good to exchange. Not only do you receive an inferior rate, if you lose it there is no way to get it back.
3. If you can get free traveler’s checks from your bank this is a good option. TCs give you a better exchange rate, and if they are lost or stolen you can get them replaced.
4. International postal money orders are better than TCs if you have to pay for TCs.
5. Wells Fargo is giving the market rate on ATM withdrawals (something they didn’t do with wire transfers). The $5 per withdrawal fee can be painful, however, especially if you have a limit below $500 on daily withdrawal amounts.
A few other items to note… The Japanese post office cash rate was the same as that found at the banks in the airport (i.e., 2 points worse than TCs). Most Japanese banks still do not accept foreign ATM cards. Citibank, Mitsui, and 7 Bank are the only ones that I have found that do. Mitsui and 7 Bank ATMs only give out 10,000 yen notes so if you are trying to get, say, 49,000 yen then they aren’t the way to go. Japanese post offices do accept foreign ATM cards. There are Citibank and 7 Bank ATM machines near the second set of escalators heading down to the Keisei Line in Terminal 1 of the Narita airport. Get your daily ATM withdrawal amount raised with your bank to more than $500 before going to Japan. Withdraw your maximum amount, less frequently, to avoid fees. Credit cards should not be used in Japan now that the credit card companies are all charging at least $3 per transaction plus a 3% foreign currency charge.
Related posts:
- Changing yen into dollars I’ve mentioned before the best ways to convert dollars into yen, but what if you need to go the other way? If you only have a few hundred dollars worth...
- Changing U.S. dollars into Japanese Yen One of the more popular questions in Japanese travel forums on the internet relates to finding the best rates for changing U.S. dollars into Japanese Yen. That being the case,...
- Wells Fargo International Wire Transfer still stinks Before coming to Japan I mentioned how unsatisfied I was with my Foreign Wire Transfer through Wells Fargo Bank. I sent yen to Japan from my U.S. account which had...
- Exchanging USD $ for Yen On our prior trip to Japan I discovered that you can save several percent on currency exchanges by purchasing International Postal Money Orders with US dollars and then changing them...
- Beware of banks ripping you off on foreign currency wire transfers! I had the unfortunate experience of wiring a large sum of money to Japan yesterday to pay for part of my children’s education for the next school year. The amount...




August 31st, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Are exchange rates for TCs at Tokyo banks about the same as the rate at NRT? Also, do you know if prepaid debit cards (like Travel Visa) are accepted at many retail businesses?
August 31st, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Yes on your first question. Not all banks exchange money and those that do have rather limited hours (not open on weekends for instance). They probably don’t speak English in the banks either.
I’d be doubtful on trying to use a prepaid debit card. They may work in some places but I haven’t noticed them.
September 7th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Thanks! My daughter will be studying in Tokyo this year and your blog has been very helpful. She has some Japanese language capability already so hopefully it will not be too difficult for her to communicate with the locals.
She has a regular bank debit card already, but I thought a prepaid one might be a little more secure. Anyway I’ve found that the card companies here will charge exorbitant rates for foreign transactions, both retail and at ATM’s, so we’ll definitely discourage any kind of debit card use unless there’s an emergency. The school will help her set up a bank account locally. Do banks there issue their own debit cards to account holders, as banks do in the United States? It would be nice if she didn’t have to carry cash around all the time.
September 7th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
I’m not sure on your question. Many places don’t take cards of any kind. More and more are taking the train cards (Suica and Pasmo) which you can prepay at any train station.
September 8th, 2009 at 12:55 am
Hi acase,
Thanks for your great advice. I am heading to Japan in about a week and wanted to get this clear. So basically, I go into a USPS(I reside in NJ), purchase a international postal money order and then when I get to Japan I go to their post office to exchange? Thanks again for your help. I will check back frequently before my trip. =)
September 8th, 2009 at 3:05 am
That is correct. The USPS will charge you $3.85 for each $700 money order you purchase. Japan’s post office will give you a rate 1% worse than the current market rate. Compare this to exchanging cash which will always be at least 3% worse than the market rate. Not all Japanese post offices change money though. The larger ones and ones in the airport do though.
If you do the postal money order be sure to have ID on you other than your passport that has your US address and your name on it. Also be sure to have your Japanese address with you written in Japanese.
ATM cards also work great (and can be used at any Japanese post office–not just the large ones) if your bank is charging you less than 1% (mine is).
September 8th, 2009 at 3:40 am
What bank do you bank with to get less than 1% and do you know that rates of other banks?
September 8th, 2009 at 4:33 am
Wells Fargo charges me $5 per ATM withdrawal in a foreign country, and the rate is close to the market rate. They won’t let me pull out more than $510 worth of yen at a time though so it ends up being about a 1% fee.
September 8th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Thank you again acase! One last question, when you said “japanese address” that is the address for example the hotel I will be staying at right?
September 8th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Yes, the hotel or wherever you are staying.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Our bank (Citizens Bank) charges a $2.00 ATM transaction fee, in addition to whatever fee the foreign ATM’s bank tacks on. They didn’t mention a maximum withdrawal amount, but their exchange rate is really high – 3% on all foreign transactions, so frequent use will be out of the question. The prepaid train cards sound like a good option. Are any transaction fees charged when using train cards for retail purchases?
September 8th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
I was anticipating a 3% fee from Wells Fargo too, but that hasn’t been the case–just the $5 per withdrawal. There is no foreign ATM fee in Japan.
There are no fees for using the Suica or Pasmo cards in stores. The cards cost 500 yen, but that 500 yen deposit can be refunded after you finish using the card. The cards are supposed to be refundable if you lose them too, but I’m not sure how that works since they wouldn’t have any way of knowing how much you had on the lost card. Maybe it is only the personalized cards that can be refunded if lost.
September 9th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
We’ll have our daughter try a small ATM withdrawal to see if she might have the same luck. Thanks again for sharing your experiences!
September 16th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Hello,
I’m going to Japan for a year long study in about two weeks and was curious where did you get your International Postal Money Orders exchanged at? I have enough Yen to get me from Narita to Tokyo Proper, and was informed that not all Post Offices will allow you to exchange money at them. I was thinking of going to Tokyo Central Post Office, located at Tokyo Station (Marunouchi District), but was unsure if it really existed or if my info was correct. I am having a hard time finding info about locations of Post offices, and keep on running into a splitting up of the Post. Thanks for your time and information.
Sincerely,
Student Abroad
September 17th, 2009 at 2:55 am
The bigger post offices will all change your money orders into yen as will the post offices in the airport. You can look on their website to see which will do it (but you need to be able to read a bit of Japanese). http://map.japanpost.jp/pc/
The post office must have a o next to 外貨両替. If it has an x next to it then that post office will not change money, TCs, or money orders into yen for you.
September 19th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Awesome! Thanks for the information. I just went out and bought the money orders. I have my name written on them, but antother question has popped up, what address am I suppose to use for the “To” section? My address in the states? or my Dorm in Japan? I will also be staying at a hotel for the first couple of nights, do I use the hotel address? I have them addressed to me, but no location address yet.
September 19th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
I think you can leave the address open.
September 21st, 2009 at 3:22 am
Yes you can. I just did this about a week ago with the advice of acase. Also, a reminder that post office do not exchange money orders on saturday and sundays. So have enough money to bring you through the weekend if you plan on traveling on the weekends.
September 30th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Thanks acase. This article is very helpful. If I want to use my Wells Fargo ATM card at Narita Airport, can I just go to any bank’s ATM machine there and withdraw up to ~$510USD? The Japanese bank won’t charge me any fees but I will incur a $5 fee from Wells Fargo right? Thanks for clarifying!
September 30th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
There are only two ATMs in the airport that will work, Rob–Citibank and 7 Bank. They are near the second set of escalators heading down to the Keisei Line in Terminal 1. Yes on the fees, $5 per withdrawal. Check with Wells Fargo to see how much they will let you pull out. I had to get my limit raised to be able to take out $500 U.S. at a time.
September 30th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Thanks much acase!
October 5th, 2009 at 8:24 am
how much does it cost to stay in a hotel in japan
October 5th, 2009 at 8:27 am
how much would it cost if i took a taxi ride in japan??
October 5th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Hotels are paid for by the person rather than the room in Japan. In some places you can find a very cheap one for as little as 1,000 a person but a more common price would be in the 5,000 to 10,000 yen per person per night range.
Taxi rates vary by time of day (and in some cases location–they are more expensive at night) but just to get in one costs more than 700 yen. After that it is usually at least 100 yen per 500 meters.
October 26th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Hi Acase, if I want to use traveler’s checks, do you know if Narita Airport available for the currency exchange on weekends (Saturday afternoon)? Also, does it follow the daily rate of the exchange operation OR the rate when I purchase my T/C?
October 26th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Saturday afternoon should be fine. It follows the daily rate. The rate when you purchased the TCs is no longer relevant.
November 25th, 2009 at 12:28 am
When you say that “If you can get free traveler’s checks from your bank this is a good option” — do you mean obtaining traveler’s checks in USD (as opposed to JPY)? Also to clarify, if I obtain traveler’s checks in USD and try to convert it in Japan, that would probably be a better option than international money orders? Thanks.
November 25th, 2009 at 2:08 am
Yes, in USD. I don’t think US banks will give you TCs in a foreign currency, or if they will they will charge you several percent for them.
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Dear Acase:
Where are the Japan post office located for exchanging Intr’l Postal money order located in terminal 1 ?
Also where are the banks for TC exchange located in Terminal 1 ?
I found your blog to be super helpful. You’ve saved many of us hours of research.
Peace,
Sal
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
It’s on the second floor. Here is a map: http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/guide/map/airport_map/t1/t1_2f.html
There is a bank right next to the post office.
December 7th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
First off, thanks for the great info. I do have a question. I am going to visit Japan for the first in a couple weeks and then leave in 2 weeks. I had a question about this post:
“…The USPS will charge you $3.85 for each $700 money order you purchase. Japan’s post office will give you a rate 1% worse than the current market rate. Compare this to exchanging cash which will always be at least 3% worse than the market rate. Not all Japanese post offices change money though. The larger ones and ones in the airport do though.
If you do the postal money order be sure to have ID on you other than your passport that has your US address and your name on it. Also be sure to have your Japanese address with you written in Japanese.
ATM cards also work great (and can be used at any Japanese post office–not just the large ones) if your bank is charging you less than 1% (mine is).”
When you say have your ‘Japanese address written in Japanese’, you mean the place I am staying for two weeks (e.g. hotel, friend’s place) or my US address written in Japanese or neither because this does not apply to me? Thanks in advance – Charles
December 8th, 2009 at 12:01 am
The place you are staying for two weeks (hotel, etc.)…
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Hello Acase,
Thank you for such a wonderful and informative post on Yen exchange! When I go to the bank at Narita airport for Travellers Cheque exchange to Yen, are there any fees/charges that the bank assess as I will be a non-customer of that bank? Likewise with the International Postal Money Orders, are there any fees/charges assessed at the bank airport? I went to my local bank and the exchange rates are very bad (much like what you’ve quoted). And all my banks charge 3% atm transaction fee on top of non-bank atm usage. Thanks for your help!!!
January 2nd, 2010 at 4:26 pm
There are no fees or charges (outside of the 1% difference from the current market rate) for changing traveler’s checks or international postal money orders at any banks or post offices in the airport or anywhere else that I have encountered.
January 14th, 2010 at 3:50 am
Your advice has been so helpful! I was able to get a better rate using TCs I purchased from my bank (for free) when I exchanged in Japan. One problem I encountered though, was that though the bank opened at a certain time, the money exchange office may not open at the same time. I ended up waiting at the bank for an hour for the exchange office to open. Also, I feel that I may have changed too many dollars into yen…any advice on the best way to change yen back to dollars? Thank you!
January 14th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
I would change your remaining yen back to dollars at the airport you depart from in Japan. That way you know you won’t be needing the yen any more, and they will give you a far better rate than any airport in the USA or any bank in the U.S. too.
January 23rd, 2010 at 9:17 pm
What about changing yen into U.S.D? I’ve a Japanese friend in Seattle asking me that.
January 24th, 2010 at 4:53 am
Jill, Do it in Japan for better rates.
March 1st, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Not sure if you still read this but I have a question. I am going to be abroad for 15 months. I have a lot of cash in my bank account (> $25k USD) I’d like to bring as much as would be safe in the form of TC’s (I have 2.5k currently) What is the max in TC’s or Post Office money orders I can bring into the country? And, safety-wise, what would be the max you would recommend?
I’m trying to avoid having to wire the money from my home bank account to a Japanese one, as the exchange rates are awful. I made that mistake with my school payments. How will I get the rest of my money from home, and avoid awful exchange rates and hefty wire fees?
Thanks.
March 1st, 2010 at 2:41 pm
There isn’t a maximum you can bring in the country as far as I know. If you bring in more than about $10k per person you have to declare it by filling out an extra form.
Safety wise TCs and postal money orders are completely safe.
I’ve found ATM withdrawals to be much better than wires and just as good as TCs or international postal money orders. Make sure your maximum daily withdrawal is maxed out (hopefully to over $500 a day) or the bank fee (mine is $5 per withdrawal) will make the effective rate worse than the 1% you’ll be charged on TCs or international post money orders.
http://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/2010/01/wells-fargo-international-wire-transfer-still-stinks/
March 1st, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Thank you for the response! Don’t think I have Well’s Fargo near me. Although I do have a Citibank. I hear they have locations in Japan. Maybe that would be a decent option, depending on what they charge.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I have a Citibank Citigold checking account, which waives the usual 3% fee for foreign ATM withdrawals. I haven’t compared their exchange rates for ATM transactions to the market rate, however. I’ll have to do that the next time I get money out and post. (Maybe next week.)
The downside is, unless you’ve got an incredible amount of money in Citibank, there is a monthly fee of $25 incurred after the first three months. Depending on how much money you withdraw, the fee may be worth it. Or if you’re only going for a short time, maybe you could open it then close when you get back (before 3 months). There could be hidden penalties for that, though. I don’t know. Also, if you have a mortgage with Citibank, there’s a good chance you will qualify for the $25 fee waiver. Look for Citigold on their website if you have questions.
March 8th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
@Laura
Thank you for the information. I was told that I had to have at least $100,000 to even open one. Although the website says differently. I’ll have to call them again and see what hidden fees you might be charged. If not, I honestly can’t think of any other method barring bringing in the max amount I can in cash and getting destroyed on the wire transfer.
March 10th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
@Matthew If you haven’t already, you may want to try another branch. I definitely don’t have $100,000.
In fact, when I opened the account I started with $1000. Good luck.
March 16th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Okay, Citibank (Citigold so no fee included) at an ATM gave 90.22 when the market rate was 90.35.
March 18th, 2010 at 11:51 pm
Hi acase,
Thank for the post and it was very helpful! i was wondering what is the maximum U.S dollar that i can bring to Japan? and what is the maximum Yen that i can bring to japan. I just don’t want to do some extra paper work when it was asked on the form. Do you think is it better just bring U.S dollars to Japan to exchange it? I don’t really know how the TC works, can you give me a little knowledge about it, please?
April 4th, 2010 at 2:48 am
Hi Acase,
Would you know which bank at NRT Terminal 2 has the best rates for US$ T/C to Yen or are they all the same?
April 4th, 2010 at 3:45 am
They are all the same. As mentioned above, the rate is better for TC or International Postal Money Orders than it is for cash.
April 30th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Hey Acace,
Thanks for all of your great help. I was curious as what my options are for the weekends with respect to exchanging the International Money Orders. I only see the ATM’s office open on Saturday, as the actual ‘Post Office’ is closed during the weekends, what about holidays as well?
I see there are two parts of the ATM description, one is the ATM and one is called ‘Contact Savings’. I hope the CS is not the one where the exchange is needed to be made.
April 30th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Sorry, Acase…(its a little early I guess)
I think wells fargo charges a flat 3% transaction fee with the $5 atm fee now….Let me know what you think.
thanks,
Jason
April 30th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Let me correct myself, that would be for a purhase…not a ATM withdrawal i guess…wow, thats a steal!!!!
thanks! I hope i interpret that right!!!!
April 30th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Jason, you are interpreting it correctly. I’m still getting market rates (with a $5 ATM fee) via ATM withdrawals from my Wells Fargo account at Japan’s post offices. Most are open on weekends and holidays from at least 9 until 5. Some larger ones open earlier and close later. The ATMs all close at night which is strange.
The International Money Orders cannot be exchanged when the post office is closed. Even some post offices that are open on weekends don’t offer money changes on those days. For a list of which post offices are open on the weekends and what services they offer see this website:
http://map.japanpost.jp/pc/?para=1&service=23
The branch needs to have a circle next to 外貨両替・トラベラーズチェック and the 貯金窓口 must be open (under the ATM tab) during the hours you visit.
April 30th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Acase,
Thanks you so much! Thats what I feared, I guess I will have to wait during the week to exchange my int money order; or more depending on the closures due to the golden week. however, should i use the JP bank (post office) atm or the citibank or seven bank atms to use my wellsfargo atm card for a withdrawal? earlier you mentioned the later two, i can find all three i guess. just curious what your preference is?
again you are a life saver!
-Jason
April 30th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
I always use the post office because you can withdraw in 1,000 yen bills. My limit is $510 which means about 47,000 yen. If I go into any other bank (or 7-11) the most I can withdraw is 40,000 yen as they don’t dispense 1,000 yen bills. At the post office I can withdraw the full 47,000 yen amount.
May 1st, 2010 at 7:06 pm
can you cash your travelers checks at the 7-banks?
May 1st, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Jessica,
An actual 7 Bank? Probably (although I’ve never seen one). At an ATM in 7-Eleven? No.
May 6th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Great post! I have a question for you. I am able to get no-fee TC’s through American Express in NYC. I am traveling to Osaka via 4 hour stop in Narita. Where’s the best place to exchange the TCs in Narita without having to leave the secured area? The flight to NRT is on Continental Airlines, which arrives in Terminal 1. If the best option is after passport control, can I leave and then re-enter?
May 6th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Mike, I’m not sure. You may have to wait and change the TCs in Osaka for the best rate. There are some money exchange places within the secured area, but I don’t know if they will give you a rate as good as a post office or bank which you can get to outside the secured area.
My advice would be to check with them first. If they are something like BUY TC at 93 and SELL TC at 95 then go for it. If not (i.e., they are like BUY TC at 91 and SELL TC at 97), see if you can leave the secured area to cash in your TCs and return through security. If you can’t leave then wait until Osaka.
May 7th, 2010 at 12:04 am
Hey MIke:
I know this is totally unrelated to the post, but I was just wondering what is the best way to get a temporary phone while in Tokyo?? Are there specific rental services or things I should be looking for or staying away from?
May 23rd, 2010 at 9:36 pm
answer to the unrelated post – I just rented a mobile via rentafonejapan.com. they seemed to have good reviews and rates.
May 23rd, 2010 at 9:38 pm
hi ACASE. thanks for the detailed reviews – you have convinced me to get TCs! In case I need to exchange more – will postoffices accept citibank atm cards?
May 24th, 2010 at 3:36 am
Citibank ATM cards should work fine in Japanese Post Offices. I don’t have one, but I haven’t heard of an ATM card that didn’t work.
May 24th, 2010 at 6:17 am
Acase,
In thinking further down the line…what will be the best route of changing back your extra YEN to Dollars when you are leaving Japan, say at Narita Airport to be most specific? I want to make sure to sell them back to Japan not when I get back to the USA, if you use the same logic…
Thanks a bunch,
Jason
May 24th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Your best bet is not to sell any back as you’ll get hit with the fee again. Only pull out enough on your last withdrawal to get you to the airport and maybe a bite to eat.
But if you do have yen left, and aren’t planning another trip to Japan in the near future, then the airport in Japan will give you a better deal than in the U.S. You’ll be charged about 3% for the conversion in the airport and the rates shouldn’t vary from one place to the next.
May 24th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Thank you very much! I hope the dollar grows stronger in the time I have to go change back some money…
June 4th, 2010 at 9:34 am
Acase,
I checked with my bank and they do give out free TC. I will be leaving for narita in 2 weeks. I am wondering if you can tell me exactly where to change my TC in Terminal 1. I will be taking the hotel free shutter bus. thanks in advance…
June 4th, 2010 at 9:42 am
Acase,
Btw, my flight arrive in narita around 3:30 – 4:00pm on a tuesday…
June 4th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Ling,
You have lots of choices. Here they are: http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/guide/service/list/svc_11.html#t1
June 4th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Thanks…
June 21st, 2010 at 3:18 pm
What about withdrawing money from a post office location using a BECU ATM card?
June 21st, 2010 at 6:35 pm
I’m not familiar with a BECU ATM card but if it is widely accepted then it shouldn’t be a problem. I have yet to hear of an ATM card that does not work at a Japanese post office ATM.
July 7th, 2010 at 5:53 am
acase,
Thank you for putting all the information up. We have a 17-year-old kid traveling to Takamatsu for a 3-week stay as a student ambassador and were wondering about currency exchanges, where the best places to get yen are and all the little details. She will be staying with host families, but it is good for her to be more aware of how things work there. The information you provided as well as all the questions and answers are very educational.
July 10th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
Hi Acase!
Thanks for this great post. I have a question regarding ATMs. I currently have an account under First Hawaiian Bank, which is not a credit card but a checking card. It is a mastercard, not visa. Is this card good to use in ATMs in Japan? I have tried checking first hawaiian’s main bank website but there is little to no information regarding withdrawals from international ATMs. Thanks!
July 11th, 2010 at 1:06 am
Mastercard works as do any cards with a Cirrus or Plus logo on the back. http://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/en/ias/en_ias_index.html
July 14th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
Hi,
I’m in Japan right now, doing an internship for the summer. I am going to be taking around 300,000 yen (around $3000) back to the US with me, and I’m trying to find the best way to exchange yen to dollars. I don’t have a Japanese bank account, and I have BOA. I saw your earlier posts recommending to exchange at the airport. Do you mean at the post office at Narita? Wouldn’t I get a better deal at a post office outside of the airport for example (maybe even outside of Tokyo?) Is there any way I can get an international postal money order in japan if I don’t have a japanese bank?
Thanks!
Colin
August 10th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
Hi acase,
I have Wells Fargo as well. So if I withdraw from a postal/ 7 bank ATM in Japan I’ll get roughly the market rate minus the withdrawal fees? I looked at the exchange rate for ordering money for Wells Fargo and it’s currently 3-4 yen below market value, so I’m looking for a better rate than what their order rate is.
August 11th, 2010 at 10:24 am
Yes, and the fees for Wells Fargo are $5 per transaction so if you take out the equivalent of $500 at a time you are looking at 1%–not too bad.