Job Discussion Forums

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

Without a credit card, how should I get all my cash to Japan? Traveler's checks? In US dollars or Yen? I don't want to carry all that cash on me.
Thanks again. Practicalities.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Do you have an ATM card? Overseas cards can be used in some of the machines here. If you can find a good rate, by all means bring some yen cash, but if you don't want to carry a lot of cash, then use ATMs. Traveller's cheques are time-consuming to get cashed, I wouldn't bother with them.

Lyrajean · Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 109 Location: going to Okinawa

Many US debit cards with VISA/MC logo work in the Post Office ATMs under visitor withdrawal. These machines also have english menus so no problems there. Just check your withdrawal limits with your home bank for withdrawing overseas before you get stuck needing to get 10man out of the machine to pay a really important deposit on a rental apartment or something in a pinch and the machine won't give it to you. For example my US Credit union only lets me take out about 4man at once 2 times a week via a Japanese Post Office ATM.

It maybe very hard to find someplace that will cash your travelers's checks. Only the Post Office does here and then only the USPS ones, not bank issued ones as I foudn out the hard way when I got here. They also hold it and wait for the moeny to clear before giving you your cash -so really not a good option.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

It's easier than that in banks in Tokyo at least- pretty much any central city branch will do it, but it can take up to half an hour, goodness knows why. I once cashed a traveller's cheque at a tiny booth in rural Turkey and it was much faster than when I tried it in Japan...