I've been living in Japan for 6 years, and must say you have done an excellent job in this video! 7-11 ATM's are the best. The service fees are excellent, and the exchange rates are very good. Many US backs will refund ATM fees back to your bank account. The other bank I've used is Japan Post Bank ATM's, but their service fees are higher. If possible, don't use your credit card for cash advances, fees are much higher. Take care!
You guys are by far the best travel site for Japan. Your information is just so pertinent and succinct - my only quibble is that you guys only do Japan. If there was one channel like yours for each country - it would be insanely great!
Thank you for the clearest and most concise explanation of the best way to access cash in Japan! I've watched several people on UA-cam trying to describe various processes, but no-one else has come close to your level of detail and clarity of advice.
You've explained this so simply - thank you! I hadn't even thought of getting cash this way before, and found currency exchange. I just looked at my bank's rates and fees and this is 100% a better option for me. Love your blogs! ❤
@@TsuyoshiKK Is it possible that this atm fee is only applied to a certain kind of foreigner cards? Because last year when I was in Japan I never had to pay for this fee when I use 7/11 bank.
That was a long time ago. Today it's 110 JPY for 10.000 JPY or less and 220 JPY for more than 10.000 JPY for Visa cards, no matter the time of the day. For Mastercards 7Bank ATMs don't charge a fee.
Thank you for your amazingly well put together video! I’ve seen so many tips about local or USD currency but no one ever explained why and what’s happening behind each choice; until your video. Thank you!
I came here just to say thank you to you guys.. I just came back from my Japan Trip.. your videos help me a lot while studying to make my itinerary for the trip.. keep up the good work!
This is great info. Thank you for making this as a separate video. I just got back from Japan last week and I followed your same advice learned from your past videos. Thank you.
Awesome video! Thank you! I still exchanged some usd to yen with wells fargo that way i have some cash when i land. I like to be prepared, especially since its my first trip outta the country
I am traveling to Japan for 49 days in June/July 2024. Currently, I have purchased a SUICA (in green color, valid for 10 years) for 20,000 Japanese dollars (max amount) with my credit card via Apple Pay, which will be converted to US$ automatically, no transaction fees charged. This SUICA card is widely used in Japan nationally. It could be refilled via Apple Pay, whenever needed. No cash (Japanese dollars) needed, since you can use SUICA as digital cash to pay for transportation/meals/others at places accepting SUICA payments.
Yes, a digital SUICA card is a great way to use less cash while traveling in Japan. We will include IC cards in our next video about the various ways to make payments in Japan.
You can not pay everywhere with Suica, it mainly only works for local trains, Konbinis and vending machines. Most restaurants only accept cash or credit-cards and some even only cash.
Thanks for all the video's you guys do. Very informative and helpful. But having just gotten back from Tokyo and after using the 7 Bank ATM I had to comment. My conversion rate for the 7 Bank atm ended up being 150 yen to the dollar. The current rate was about 158 or higher the past few days. That's definitely not a very good deal. I made sure not to use US dollars. When I was at the ANA terminal there was a currency exchange counter there and the rate was 156-157 which I thought was pretty good. And if I picked up yen at my local band I think it costs me about 2-3 yen less than the current rate.
When you selected yen on the ATM it is in that case your bank that gave you a bad exchange rate. As explained at 1:15 some banks/cards has a flat fee that may be baked in to the conversion rate they use for each withdrawal, while others add 2-5%.
Thank you for the tutorial. I’ve been hearing about this charles schwab, if it’s not too bothersome, would you consider making a video explaining some details and insider knowledge about using the card? 🙏
Hi. Charles Schwab offers an Investor Checking Account, that comes with a debit card that refunds ATM fees. The checking account is linked to a Brokerage Account, but you can use just the checking. Here's the website: www.schwab.com/checking
Thanks again, this did confuse me while traveling in Japan. I used the ATM at Lawson's because it didn't give any option to do conversion in home currency, but it also had a restriction of ¥50,000 per transaction. I really wish we had IC cards here in the US, they're so convenient for public transportation, vending machines, convenience stores, and some shops. 👍
Wonderful video. I would add to check with your bank before you leave to make sure there are no holds on your account that protect it from foreign withdrawals. Also bring phone numbers of your bank to call from Japan if there are any issues.
Yes!! This is so important. I forgot to do this before I left for my last trip and was stuck outside Lawsons on a phone call with my bank for 10 minutes trying to clear up the travel hold 😂 I'll never forget again!
I've been watching your videos in preparation for our Japan trip next month. You put out very valuable information and do so in a very concise and easily understandable way. You obviously put a lot of effort into your videos. Thank you for that! May I have a humble suggestion: While content and editing are great, your sound quality isn't. You seem to use the camera's mic and crank it up/normalize it later. This makes the sound very noisy and roomy. You could easily fix that by using (even cheap) dedicated mics, like clip-on lavaliers. Other than that, keep it up :-)
Sorry about the sound quality. We switched our sound recording set up recently, so hopefully it's fixed. We were having trouble with the RODE mics we wore not staying in place. We've switched to a boom mic, which seems to be working better.
Good advice from a good source. But! There is an even less expensive and more efficient way to use yen for no fees at all. The Wise/Transferwise banking services allows you to set up an account in multiple currencies. You do this before you come to Japan. You then simply either use the physical Wise bank card at an ATM, or have the account in your iPhone Wallet app. No recurring fees.
We do have Wise, as well. When we convert between USD and Yen, there is a small conversion fee. I’m basically not paying any fees when using the ATM, since Charles Schwab reimburses the transaction fee. It comes down to the exchange rate I’m given by Visa, which can be excellent, as it was in this example. Wise could be a good way to take advantage of the fluctuating exchange rate, by purchasing Yen when the rate is really good, before a trip to Japan. 🌸 Heidi
thank you for the great video, if you travel to other countries in Asia , please help to demo ATM withdraw at their local bank ATM, i think it is an interesting subject and make great tutorial videos :)
Thank you for this information. I understand that cash is still quite used in Japan so i thought to bring USD and change it there, but looks like it's going to be Credit cards and ATM...
There are quite a few cash exchange shops nearby or inside stations with good rates. Contrary to the video I’ve found the rates to be very similar between the best in person exchanges and 7-11 atms. Though I prefer the atms, sometimes I do have a bit of gift cash I receive before leaving. The cash exchanges I’ve used like the one in Ueno Station, were maybe taking half a percent more than the atms.
Why no one tells me that we can sinpley use an atm machine? Everyone was telling me i have to do a money a order for specific yen before arriving to the country and get it either from bank or travek agnecy.
Hello, what if you have a no foreign FX fee credit card and prepay it to attain a negative balance first before using the atm? Would this avoid the cash advance fees and high apr since its your own money owed? Thanks
Thanks for the video. What do you suggest for Canadians who DO NOT have Charles Schwab accounts like Americans do. I use Wise selecting Japanese Yen from my "piggy bank". Is this the best way to withdraw from 711 ATM's?
Do you happen to have a Mastercard debit card? I’ve heard that debit cards that use the Mastercard network are not charged a transaction fee by 7 Bank ATMs in Japan. I’m not aware of which cards in Canada don’t charge foreign ATM fees or reimburse ATM fees. Although we’ve set up a WISE account, we’ve never used it to withdraw from an ATM. There is a conversion fee associated with switching our money into Japanese Yen through WISE, so I couldn’t figure out how it would actually benefit us.
Wise should be okay if you withdraw less than their 350 CAD limit per month, today their exchange rate from CAD to JPY is about 0.7 % worse than Visa's rate. (I don't know how this fluctuates) After 350 CAD of withdrawals per month you pay 1.75 % of the transaction + 1.50 CAD as a fee on top of that; then it's rather meh, but still less than some standard debit cards would charge.
Hey you are a saver ❤ you have explained everything so simply loved your video. I have one question, as your bank was not charging any foreign transaction fee so you choose yen. But lets say my bank charges me so how much will I be paying. That 4% will be charged by 7 eleven and some percentage will be charged by bank for foreign transaction. Is my understanding correct?
Always select Yen when in Japan! I would check with your bank to find out whether your bank charges a fee for using a foreign ATM or foreign transaction fees, and how much those are. In some instances it's worth opening a new checking account for travel.
Do you know which network your debit card uses (Visa, Mastercard, etc)? I heard that even 7 Bank ATMs don't charge a transaction fee if you use a Mastercard debit card.
@@KenshoQuestAeon generally doesn't charge. 7Bank doesn't charge for Mastercard, but does charge for Visa. ATMs in Lawson Station/Family Mart (forgot the bank name) generally do charge. I haven't tried postal bank. Most other banks don't accept foreign cards.
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted. Debit cards with other networks, such as American Express, may work as well. I’ve heard that Mastercard doesn’t get charged the transaction fee at 7 Bank ATMs.
Are there ATM machines that you can insert foreign currency into to convert into Yen? I want to use USD/ cash instead of withdrawing from credit cards … TY
There are Currency Exchange machines that accept USD and other currencies, to exchange to Japanese Yen. Those machines are different than ATMs. There are also Currency Exchange Counters.
Hi, I was wondering if some ATMs are equipped with contactless technology? And therefore if I might be able to get cash using my digital wallet? Thank you for your vids!
I have to be careful with "fee free" currency exchange. The Chase branch in NY would provide a "fee free" exchange, but the exchange rate is 10% more expensive than what I get from Google search. So they just hid the fee, not removed the fee. The MUFG bank in Tokyo, when I had an account, would have a relatively small fee, and an exchange rate spread between the TTB and TTS rate of 2%, which IMHO was pretty good. I suppose they need the buy and sell rates to be different to account for the risk that arises from daytime currency fluctuations.
@KenshoQuest George and Heidi Congrats on your AWESOME YT Channel as a content creator on youtube I really appreciated all your videos, superb quality and content! absolute AWESOME advice! started with your japan videos all the way to your awesome packing tips! Before we had kiddos did an around the world trip and can related a lot to your packing tips :) Now we are taking our first adventure with our kiddos to Japan ;)
@@KenshoQuest Thank you! also RESPECT for traveling with 3 small kiddos and doing home schooling we aren't that courageous. We thought about it many times since I would love to spend 3 months with the kiddos in New Zealand on of our favorite countries of our around the world trip :)
@@KenshoQuest you are going to love it! Its also very kid friendly, plus back in 2011 a lot of folks would walk barefoot in Queenstown :) We actually thought of living there with the kiddos for 1 year but couldn't sort out easly the school system for them and parked that idea ;)
Hello, :) quick question. Unfortunately my physical Chase debit card was stolen and I only have it linked through Apple Pay, can I still use 7 Bank to withdraw money? I'm currently in Mexico and plan on going to Japan in December. Thanks for the videos!
Hi. I've never noticed on option on ATMs in Japan to use a contactless digital wallet to withdraw cash. But I also wasn't looking for that feature. Whenever we've had a debit card closed due to fraudulent activity, our bank was good about sending us a new card in 2-3 days in whichever country we were in. If your physical card was stolen, wouldn't it be best to have that card number canceled and a new one issued?
What is the difference between the credit, saving, and checking account types? You have a credit card that is connected to a single bank account. Why in the world do you need that screen at all? I have seen that screen only in Japan and the US. And it's always very confusing.
Hi. They are three different types of financial accounts. A checking account allows a person to make deposits and withdrawals to pay for every day expenses. A savings account allows for making deposits and storing money, but the number of withdrawals allowed per month may be limited. The money stored in a savings account may earn interest. A credit account doesn't have any money stored in it, instead it allows the person to borrow money from the issuer to make purchases. Some countries refer to "checking" as "current". I have a debit/bank card that allows me to withdraw from either my checking or savings account. Separately, I have a credit card, but I never use that in an ATM, as it would incur "cash advance fees" and a very high interest rate.
It would be good to know what the rates at a foreign exchange counter are like. In much of Asia, cash can be cheaper than an ATM, especially if you don't want a large amount of cash. In Malaysia and Thailand, for example, large denomination US notes can be exchanged at much better rates than any other currency, which can make it much better value. (Esp. in Thailand, which has high ATM fees) 220 yen is not a bad fee, but a fee-free foreign exchange window could be cheaper, depending on the rates. Do foreign exchange companies have their rates online so we can check easily?
I don't know of a website to check Exchange Company rates. But currency exchanges are businesses that need to make a profit to stay in business. They generally either claim to be fee-free but charge a poor exchange rate, or provide a decent exchange rate but charge fees and/or commissions. They aren't going to give such a great rate that they lose money or make nothing at all. Yes, ATM fees in Thailand are high! That's why we opened a Charles Schwab checking account. We were tired of paying a $5 fee from our bank + $6 fee from the ATM, losing $11 each time we used an ATM in Thailand. The ATMs I use here in Malaysia don't charge any transaction fee. They just have a notice that your bank back home might charge a fee.
@@KenshoQuest It depends what margins they run at. Superrich Thailand is currently offering 36.56THB for USD at their head office. Google gives the interbank rate as 36.64. A fee of 22c per $100 makes cash just so much better. It's entirely likely your bank will delay and/or use a worse rate on ATM transactions, so cash may even beat ATMs outright. (Superrich has a web site and gives all of its rates at every location.) (I'm commenting as one of the 95+% of people in the world who can't open a Schwab account.)
Great video. If you use a mastercard branded debit cards there is no 220 yen fee as only applies for visa. Realise you got it refunded but for my visa branded card it was not. My back-up card was a mastercard so just moved to that.
Thanks for sharing! I’d heard that was the case for Mastercard debit, but wasn’t sure, since we only have Visa debit. Good to know for anyone who has a Mastercard debit card!
The transaction fee will be charged again whether you use the same ATM or a different 7 Bank ATM. If you have a debit card on the Mastercard network, it might not charge a transaction fee when using 7 Bank ATMS.
Hi. We don't use currency exchanges since they don't usually offer as good of a rate as withdrawing from an ATM. I haven't looked closely at exchanges located in the tourist centers. You could check what exchange rate they are offering vs that day's exchange rate and whether they charge additional fees or commissions.
Thanks for the helpful video. Do you know if it is possible to withdrawal JPY at ATM machines using approximation (touch) of iPhone apple wallet’ digital credit/debit card, instead of physical credit/debit card?
Sorry, I didn't see that option while we were in Japan, but I also wasn't looking for it. Maybe someone else can chime in if they know of ATMs that accept Apple Wallet touch.
Aeon Bank is another good option, just not as prevalent as 7 Bank ATMs. What I’m finding online is that the withdrawal fee for foreign cards in Aeon ATMs depends upon the card issuer www.aeonbank.co.jp/atm/en/page04/ That’s the same case as for 7 Bank ATMs, which I’ve heard don’t charge a withdrawal fee for Mastercard debit cards. I don’t personally have a Mastercard debit to test.
Hi. The only thing I use my debit card for is withdrawing money from an ATM. For purchases I use my credit card or cash. Here’s my video on payment methods in Japan: ua-cam.com/video/QKX8_MsuYFU/v-deo.htmlsi=ymBp_i_60qFh9S2N
Debit cards should be for ATM withdrawals only, for safety reasons. In addition to cash and credit cards, another convenient option for making purchases is an IC Card . But not all stores accept IC Cards . Smaller shops might not accept credit cards, but cash is accepted everywhere.
Hi! Thanks for your videos, they are so helpful! I have a question -- what are the best ways to exchange cash in Japan? I don't have any cards and I'm going to take 3000$ with me for two weeks (hotels are already paid). So -- where should I go to change it to yens?
The concern I am looking at is that i want to get 130k yen but how do I go about this? Should I get some from home? Really the 108k is for the hotel because we are paying later.
Does the hotel require cash payment, not credit card? You might want to bring some cash with you, if you need that much. Also find out how much your bank account allows you to withdraw per day.
Visa website has its own currency conversion calculator. I entered 50,220 yen from JPY to USD with no fee and got $331.397320 for 4/9/2024. The video shows $331.40 that was charged which is exactly the same after rounding to the penny. So maybe this Visa website calculator is perfect for Visa Debit card. Note that if you reverse the conversion from USD to JPY, the rate has about 0.44 yen spread which presumably is the wholesale spread which you never can get around (not at least with a Visa Card). The other puzzle is what about time zone difference? 4/9 in Japan can be 4/8 or 4/9 depending on the time of the day.
Yes, that's a great resources! Here's the website for anyone else who'd like to use it: usa.visa.com/support/consumer/travel-support/exchange-rate-calculator.html
I’ve only used a physical debit card at ATMs in Japan. Next time we’re there I will look to see if there are cardless options. Maybe someone else can share their experience.
I make a purchase at a convenience store to break a 10,000 Yen into 1,000 Yen bills. I cover things like that in this separate video: ua-cam.com/video/QKX8_MsuYFU/v-deo.htmlsi=qCdrwlQBHhoQnYMn
Just make a petty purchase at a grocery or supermarket store. Preferably one that uses a payment machine. Slip your 10k bill into it and you will get your change.
You can visit a Currency Exchange counter in Narita Airport to exchange dollars to Yen. The ATM machine is only for withdrawing cash, not exchanging currencies.
Awesome video! I’m just going to make sure Bank of America won’t nickel and dime me with fees. I will also tell Bank of America to raise my withdrawal limit and make sure they don’t charge transaction fees. Thanks for the much-needed information. I’ll be in Japan in 10 days!!!!!
Hi. I only have Visa debit cards. I've heard that 7 Bank ATMs don't charge a Transaction Fee (110 or 220 Yen) when using a Mastercard debit card, but I don't know for sure, since I don't have a Mastercard debit to try. Keep in mind that your bank may also charge a fee for using a foreign ATM.
Great video! I will send your video to all my friends who are heading to Japan so I do not have to repeat myself :) I also use Charles Schwab's checking account and it is the best!
That is why US banks are so behind. Lots of oversea banks have currency account. You can exchange whatever currency when thr exchange is good and whenever you want and pick up your cash before leaving US. Your trip maybe a year later and you can start looking at the exchange rate and exchange it whenever it drops. Or you go to Japan all the time, you can change to jpy whenever its low.
@asdundab5581 you cant be more wrong. Buying stock can be argued as gambling too. There are numerous times when you have left over oversea money. You can put it in the bank account instead of holding cash under your mattress. A currency account is ideal from a frequent travel perspective and/or someone who does fx exchange due to investment needs. There are people that trade foreign currency. There are also people to plan ahead and exchange currency due to personal trip, investment or business needs. Just because you don't need it doesn't make it a gamble.
@@gngan If you exchange it now just because you think the rate will go down again it's gambling, that's all I wanted to say. I also didn't say that you shouldn't do it.
@asdundab5581 wrong. It's not when you think the rate will go down. It's because the rate WENT down. You'll only know it when you track it for a long period of time (years). If I think the rate will go down further then I would have waited. It's call dollar cost averaging if you get some whenever it reaches your buy price.
Your video showed a Mizuho Bank window as a foreign exchange counter. The window provides cash exchange at the same rate as withdrawing yen from the ATM next to the window. Whether it's 7 Bank, Mizuho, or Chiba Bank, they all give comparable rates. As the example, you should swap out with a shot of the Travelex counter down the hall.
Thanks for pointing that out. We don’t have a video clip of the Travelex counter. Based on online records, it looks like Mizuho Bank was buying USD at 148.98 Yen per dollar on April 9, which isn’t quite as good as the rate I got from my bank using the ATM.
If you decline conversion (which you generally should) YOUR HOME BANK will do the conversion (and most likely hand that job over to the interbank network (Visa, Mastercard, ...)); so it's very unlikely that you will get exactly the same rate through a Japanese bank for cash as you get through their (or ANY other) ATM. Also keep in mind that the (effective) exchange rate through an ATM can differ if you use another card (essp. if you bank charges forex-fees or if you use a Mastercard instead of a Visa)
About selection of the currency tô be charges with, It does not work like that for every country! I'm brazilian and If I chose yen as the currency, most cards Will convert It to dolars before converting tô brazilian reais and you'd lose money. Beware of that.
Hi. You could use a currency exchange machine or visit a currency exchange counter, such as at the airport or a major train station. We personally never exchange cash in Japan, as it would require bringing a large amount of our home currency with us and we wouldn't get as good of a rate as withdrawing from an ATM. We carry about $200 in emergency money, in case we need to exchange it, but we've never needed to in Japan.
This is amateur tips 😂 What I always do is have a debit card like Wise for example which give you extremely good rates and already exchange yen in my account. So I only pay the withdrawal fee of the atm which is the lowest and you get the best rates.
@KenshoQuest, we also have Charles Schwab but are quite afraid of having the card copied or some kind of atm scams, unfornatetly they have in Europe. Have you faced any issues while in Japan? we are planning to use Revolut but they don't give you back the ATM fees like Schwab.
We have never encountered a card skimmer attached to an ATM in Japan. Especially if you use an ATM inside a 7-Eleven store with a security camera, there is a low chance that someone could have tampered with the ATM. We have had our debit card info stolen when paying in a restaurant in Japan. We used our debit card that one time since our credit card didn’t work. We make most purchases in Japan by credit card, since it’s not linked directly to our bank account. Overall, Japan is a very safe country. 🌸 Heidi
I've been living in Japan for 6 years, and must say you have done an excellent job in this video! 7-11 ATM's are the best. The service fees are excellent, and the exchange rates are very good. Many US backs will refund ATM fees back to your bank account. The other bank I've used is Japan Post Bank ATM's, but their service fees are higher. If possible, don't use your credit card for cash advances, fees are much higher. Take care!
Thanks!
@@KenshoQuestWhat are the types of debit and credit cards companies you can use that wont charge a fee for foreign atms?? Like the one used in video
Also in the video instead of clicking checking is there any diffrence if I click Saving
@@vegitoblue463 It you choose Savings, it will take the money out of your Savings account.
This channel is life saving for anyone looking to travel to Japan.
You guys are by far the best travel site for Japan. Your information is just so pertinent and succinct - my only quibble is that you guys only do Japan. If there was one channel like yours for each country - it would be insanely great!
Thanks! 💕
Thank you for the clearest and most concise explanation of the best way to access cash in Japan!
I've watched several people on UA-cam trying to describe various processes, but no-one else has come close to your level of detail and clarity of advice.
You're welcome! We have lots of videos here on Kensho Quest about Japan travel.
We also used Schwab checking for our trip to Japan. Worked like a charm!
You've explained this so simply - thank you! I hadn't even thought of getting cash this way before, and found currency exchange. I just looked at my bank's rates and fees and this is 100% a better option for me. Love your blogs! ❤
Your videos have been so helpful for me planning my first trip to Japan for my honeymoon. Very glad I found your channel. Thank you!
I’m a Japanese living in the US. This is a very usual information for me too for visiting Japan soon! Thank you very much!😊💖
You're welcome!
Going to Osaka in a month, and this video is excellent. Thank you!
You’re welcome. Enjoy Osaka!
2:02 it depends on the time when you make the transaction. It will be no such a charge if you make transactions on working day 7am-7pm.
@@TsuyoshiKK Is it possible that this atm fee is only applied to a certain kind of foreigner cards? Because last year when I was in Japan I never had to pay for this fee when I use 7/11 bank.
That was a long time ago. Today it's 110 JPY for 10.000 JPY or less and 220 JPY for more than 10.000 JPY for Visa cards, no matter the time of the day. For Mastercards 7Bank ATMs don't charge a fee.
@@LS-zo3crThis fee only applies to Visa cards, there is no fee when using a Mastercard.
You probably just saved me hundreds of dollars. Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Thank you for your amazingly well put together video!
I’ve seen so many tips about local or USD currency but no one ever explained why and what’s happening behind each choice; until your video. Thank you!
You're welcome!
ATMs in Japan are by far the most convenient and relaxing of their kind anywhere in the world
Oh wow what a life saver this video is, $15 may not be a lot but after a few transactions it will add up. Thanks for the info.
You're welcome!
This is the video I needed! Thank you. $5 per transaction is totally reasonable.
I came here just to say thank you to you guys.. I just came back from my Japan Trip.. your videos help me a lot while studying to make my itinerary for the trip.. keep up the good work!
Thanks for letting us know! We’re glad you enjoyed Japan!🇯🇵
Please subscribe for more Japan travel tips! ua-cam.com/users/kenshoquest
This is great info. Thank you for making this as a separate video. I just got back from Japan last week and I followed your same advice learned from your past videos. Thank you.
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know. What was your favorite part of Japan?
Wow! I will be going to Japan in June, 2025 and this video helped me a ton! Thank you so much!
You’re welcome!
Awesome video! Thank you! I still exchanged some usd to yen with wells fargo that way i have some cash when i land. I like to be prepared, especially since its my first trip outta the country
Have a wonderful time in Japan!
Ty for this video, most informative one I’ve seen.
You're welcome! We have lots of videos here on Kensho Quest about Japan travel.
I am traveling to Japan for 49 days in June/July 2024. Currently, I have purchased a SUICA (in green color, valid for 10 years) for 20,000 Japanese dollars (max amount) with my credit card via Apple Pay, which will be converted to US$ automatically, no transaction fees charged. This SUICA card is widely used in Japan nationally. It could be refilled via Apple Pay, whenever needed. No cash (Japanese dollars) needed, since you can use SUICA as digital cash to pay for transportation/meals/others at places accepting SUICA payments.
Yes, a digital SUICA card is a great way to use less cash while traveling in Japan. We will include IC cards in our next video about the various ways to make payments in Japan.
@@KenshoQuest Love your videos! Useful information. By the way, award travel (mileage) credit card is also a great way to accumulate mileage.
"Japanese dollar" has to be the most American thing I have heard in my life 😅
You can not pay everywhere with Suica, it mainly only works for local trains, Konbinis and vending machines. Most restaurants only accept cash or credit-cards and some even only cash.
Thank you, very much. This was to-the-point and easy to understand.
You're welcome!
Thanks for all the video's you guys do. Very informative and helpful. But having just gotten back from Tokyo and after using the 7 Bank ATM I had to comment. My conversion rate for the 7 Bank atm ended up being 150 yen to the dollar. The current rate was about 158 or higher the past few days. That's definitely not a very good deal. I made sure not to use US dollars. When I was at the ANA terminal there was a currency exchange counter there and the rate was 156-157 which I thought was pretty good. And if I picked up yen at my local band I think it costs me about 2-3 yen less than the current rate.
When you selected yen on the ATM it is in that case your bank that gave you a bad exchange rate. As explained at 1:15 some banks/cards has a flat fee that may be baked in to the conversion rate they use for each withdrawal, while others add 2-5%.
Great solid advice thanks heaps
Excellent info put forth in clear, easy to understand language. Bravo!!
Thanks!
Thank you for the tutorial.
I’ve been hearing about this charles schwab, if it’s not too bothersome, would you consider making a video explaining some details and insider knowledge about using the card? 🙏
Hi. Charles Schwab offers an Investor Checking Account, that comes with a debit card that refunds ATM fees. The checking account is linked to a Brokerage Account, but you can use just the checking. Here's the website: www.schwab.com/checking
@@KenshoQuestthanks 😊
Oh no ! I always choose my home country currency when using these ATMs.
From now on, I'll choose the Japanese currency option. Thanks .
Very clear explanation, thank you for this helpful video!
You're welcome!
Your videos have been invaluable to me, thank you!
You’re welcome!
Thanks again, this did confuse me while traveling in Japan. I used the ATM at Lawson's because it didn't give any option to do conversion in home currency, but it also had a restriction of ¥50,000 per transaction. I really wish we had IC cards here in the US, they're so convenient for public transportation, vending machines, convenience stores, and some shops. 👍
Thanks for sharing your experience! IC cards are awesome.
Thank you so much for this, I learned a ton!
Wonderful video. I would add to check with your bank before you leave to make sure there are no holds on your account that protect it from foreign withdrawals. Also bring phone numbers of your bank to call from Japan if there are any issues.
Thanks for adding those tips!
Yes!! This is so important. I forgot to do this before I left for my last trip and was stuck outside Lawsons on a phone call with my bank for 10 minutes trying to clear up the travel hold 😂 I'll never forget again!
@@kuri9573 more important is to have skype on your phone so you don't have to pay for those 800 number calls to your bank in the usa.
Outstanding!
excellent details!
I've been watching your videos in preparation for our Japan trip next month. You put out very valuable information and do so in a very concise and easily understandable way. You obviously put a lot of effort into your videos. Thank you for that! May I have a humble suggestion: While content and editing are great, your sound quality isn't. You seem to use the camera's mic and crank it up/normalize it later. This makes the sound very noisy and roomy. You could easily fix that by using (even cheap) dedicated mics, like clip-on lavaliers. Other than that, keep it up :-)
Sorry about the sound quality. We switched our sound recording set up recently, so hopefully it's fixed. We were having trouble with the RODE mics we wore not staying in place. We've switched to a boom mic, which seems to be working better.
Awesome! Totally awesome!🥳
Very helpful. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome! We have lots of videos here on Kensho Quest about Japan travel.
Can I use a Forex Card instead of an International Debit Card and will the same procedure/fees apply?
Sorry, I’m not familiar with Forex Cards. I would contact your card issuer and ask whether there is a fee associated with using a foreign ATM.
Good advice from a good source. But! There is an even less expensive and more efficient way to use yen for no fees at all. The Wise/Transferwise banking services allows you to set up an account in multiple currencies. You do this before you come to Japan. You then simply either use the physical Wise bank card at an ATM, or have the account in your iPhone Wallet app. No recurring fees.
We do have Wise, as well. When we convert between USD and Yen, there is a small conversion fee. I’m basically not paying any fees when using the ATM, since Charles Schwab reimburses the transaction fee. It comes down to the exchange rate I’m given by Visa, which can be excellent, as it was in this example. Wise could be a good way to take advantage of the fluctuating exchange rate, by purchasing Yen when the rate is really good, before a trip to Japan. 🌸 Heidi
@@KenshoQuest Exactly, I stock up (from Euro) when 1000 yen is below 6 euro. Saving money makes me watch your video's even more!
Thank you SO MUCH for this upload!!! Very helpful
You’re welcome!
thank you for the great video, if you travel to other countries in Asia , please help to demo ATM withdraw at their local bank ATM, i think it is an interesting subject and make great tutorial videos :)
Thank you for this information. I understand that cash is still quite used in Japan so i thought to bring USD and change it there, but looks like it's going to be Credit cards and ATM...
There are quite a few cash exchange shops nearby or inside stations with good rates. Contrary to the video I’ve found the rates to be very similar between the best in person exchanges and 7-11 atms. Though I prefer the atms, sometimes I do have a bit of gift cash I receive before leaving. The cash exchanges I’ve used like the one in Ueno Station, were maybe taking half a percent more than the atms.
Such detailed information. Appreciate it
The exchange rates at Narita aren't that bad, same as Haneda.
Why no one tells me that we can sinpley use an atm machine? Everyone was telling me i have to do a money a order for specific yen before arriving to the country and get it either from bank or travek agnecy.
Hello, what if you have a no foreign FX fee credit card and prepay it to attain a negative balance first before using the atm? Would this avoid the cash advance fees and high apr since its your own money owed? Thanks
I don’t know. I would carefully check the terms and conditions for your particular credit card.
awesome advice. thank you so much, subscribed !
You’re welcome!
Excellent information thank you
You’re welcome!
where to find the best currency exchange local what do you think about exchanging in HND airport thanks
Sorry, we use the ATM rather than exchanging currency. I don’t know which Currency Exchange locations have the best rates.
Thanks for the video. What do you suggest for Canadians who DO NOT have Charles Schwab accounts like Americans do. I use Wise selecting Japanese Yen from my "piggy bank". Is this the best way to withdraw from 711 ATM's?
Do you happen to have a Mastercard debit card? I’ve heard that debit cards that use the Mastercard network are not charged a transaction fee by 7 Bank ATMs in Japan.
I’m not aware of which cards in Canada don’t charge foreign ATM fees or reimburse ATM fees. Although we’ve set up a WISE account, we’ve never used it to withdraw from an ATM. There is a conversion fee associated with switching our money into Japanese Yen through WISE, so I couldn’t figure out how it would actually benefit us.
Wise should be okay if you withdraw less than their 350 CAD limit per month, today their exchange rate from CAD to JPY is about 0.7 % worse than Visa's rate. (I don't know how this fluctuates) After 350 CAD of withdrawals per month you pay 1.75 % of the transaction + 1.50 CAD as a fee on top of that; then it's rather meh, but still less than some standard debit cards would charge.
So clear! thank you!
You're welcome!
What are the types of debit and credit cards companies you can use that wont charge a fee for foreign atms?? Like the one used in video
We use Charles Schwab. I'm not sure which other companies don't charge foreign ATM fees.
Hey you are a saver ❤ you have explained everything so simply loved your video.
I have one question, as your bank was not charging any foreign transaction fee so you choose yen.
But lets say my bank charges me so how much will I be paying.
That 4% will be charged by 7 eleven and some percentage will be charged by bank for foreign transaction.
Is my understanding correct?
Always select Yen when in Japan! I would check with your bank to find out whether your bank charges a fee for using a foreign ATM or foreign transaction fees, and how much those are. In some instances it's worth opening a new checking account for travel.
Aeon ATMs charge no fee. Just went on a trip this May and found this out. Wish we had known sooner!
Do you know which network your debit card uses (Visa, Mastercard, etc)? I heard that even 7 Bank ATMs don't charge a transaction fee if you use a Mastercard debit card.
@@KenshoQuestAeon generally doesn't charge. 7Bank doesn't charge for Mastercard, but does charge for Visa. ATMs in Lawson Station/Family Mart (forgot the bank name) generally do charge. I haven't tried postal bank. Most other banks don't accept foreign cards.
Can you use a regular debit card to take out cash? Or does it have to be a visa debit?
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted. Debit cards with other networks, such as American Express, may work as well. I’ve heard that Mastercard doesn’t get charged the transaction fee at 7 Bank ATMs.
Very informative. Thank you..
You're welcome!
Are there ATM machines that you can insert foreign currency into to convert into Yen? I want to use USD/ cash instead of withdrawing from credit cards …
TY
There are Currency Exchange machines that accept USD and other currencies, to exchange to Japanese Yen. Those machines are different than ATMs. There are also Currency Exchange Counters.
Hi, I was wondering if some ATMs are equipped with contactless technology? And therefore if I might be able to get cash using my digital wallet? Thank you for your vids!
I didn’t notice if there were any, but it wasn’t something I was looking for. Sorry. I would bring a physical debit card, in case you don’t find one.
I heard that the wealthsimple cash card also does not have an FX fee when taking out money from the ATM. Has anyone tried this or know if its true?
I have to be careful with "fee free" currency exchange. The Chase branch in NY would provide a "fee free" exchange, but the exchange rate is 10% more expensive than what I get from Google search. So they just hid the fee, not removed the fee. The MUFG bank in Tokyo, when I had an account, would have a relatively small fee, and an exchange rate spread between the TTB and TTS rate of 2%, which IMHO was pretty good. I suppose they need the buy and sell rates to be different to account for the risk that arises from daytime currency fluctuations.
Have you watched the video?
@asdundab5581 gee thanks for your insightful comment. Really adding value to the discussion.
@KenshoQuest George and Heidi Congrats on your AWESOME YT Channel as a content creator on youtube I really appreciated all your videos, superb quality and content! absolute AWESOME advice! started with your japan videos all the way to your awesome packing tips! Before we had kiddos did an around the world trip and can related a lot to your packing tips :) Now we are taking our first adventure with our kiddos to Japan ;)
Thanks so much! Have a wonderful time in Japan. It's a very kid-friendly country to visit.
@@KenshoQuest Thank you! also RESPECT for traveling with 3 small kiddos and doing home schooling we aren't that courageous. We thought about it many times since I would love to spend 3 months with the kiddos in New Zealand on of our favorite countries of our around the world trip :)
@@MeetCarolas I’m still dreaming of going to New Zealand someday!
@@KenshoQuest you are going to love it! Its also very kid friendly, plus back in 2011 a lot of folks would walk barefoot in Queenstown :) We actually thought of living there with the kiddos for 1 year but couldn't sort out easly the school system for them and parked that idea ;)
Hello, :) quick question. Unfortunately my physical Chase debit card was stolen and I only have it linked through Apple Pay, can I still use 7 Bank to withdraw money? I'm currently in Mexico and plan on going to Japan in December. Thanks for the videos!
Hi. I've never noticed on option on ATMs in Japan to use a contactless digital wallet to withdraw cash. But I also wasn't looking for that feature. Whenever we've had a debit card closed due to fraudulent activity, our bank was good about sending us a new card in 2-3 days in whichever country we were in. If your physical card was stolen, wouldn't it be best to have that card number canceled and a new one issued?
What is the difference between the credit, saving, and checking account types? You have a credit card that is connected to a single bank account. Why in the world do you need that screen at all?
I have seen that screen only in Japan and the US. And it's always very confusing.
Hi. They are three different types of financial accounts. A checking account allows a person to make deposits and withdrawals to pay for every day expenses. A savings account allows for making deposits and storing money, but the number of withdrawals allowed per month may be limited. The money stored in a savings account may earn interest. A credit account doesn't have any money stored in it, instead it allows the person to borrow money from the issuer to make purchases. Some countries refer to "checking" as "current".
I have a debit/bank card that allows me to withdraw from either my checking or savings account. Separately, I have a credit card, but I never use that in an ATM, as it would incur "cash advance fees" and a very high interest rate.
Hi! Do you know if the charges in 7bank at Osaka airport is the same as in 7-11 shops? Thanks!
Hi. I’m not sure, as it’s been a while since we’ve been through KIX. The ATM fees are probably similar.
It would be good to know what the rates at a foreign exchange counter are like. In much of Asia, cash can be cheaper than an ATM, especially if you don't want a large amount of cash. In Malaysia and Thailand, for example, large denomination US notes can be exchanged at much better rates than any other currency, which can make it much better value. (Esp. in Thailand, which has high ATM fees) 220 yen is not a bad fee, but a fee-free foreign exchange window could be cheaper, depending on the rates. Do foreign exchange companies have their rates online so we can check easily?
I don't know of a website to check Exchange Company rates. But currency exchanges are businesses that need to make a profit to stay in business. They generally either claim to be fee-free but charge a poor exchange rate, or provide a decent exchange rate but charge fees and/or commissions. They aren't going to give such a great rate that they lose money or make nothing at all.
Yes, ATM fees in Thailand are high! That's why we opened a Charles Schwab checking account. We were tired of paying a $5 fee from our bank + $6 fee from the ATM, losing $11 each time we used an ATM in Thailand. The ATMs I use here in Malaysia don't charge any transaction fee. They just have a notice that your bank back home might charge a fee.
@@KenshoQuest It depends what margins they run at. Superrich Thailand is currently offering 36.56THB for USD at their head office. Google gives the interbank rate as 36.64. A fee of 22c per $100 makes cash just so much better. It's entirely likely your bank will delay and/or use a worse rate on ATM transactions, so cash may even beat ATMs outright. (Superrich has a web site and gives all of its rates at every location.)
(I'm commenting as one of the 95+% of people in the world who can't open a Schwab account.)
Great video. If you use a mastercard branded debit cards there is no 220 yen fee as only applies for visa. Realise you got it refunded but for my visa branded card it was not. My back-up card was a mastercard so just moved to that.
Thanks for sharing! I’d heard that was the case for Mastercard debit, but wasn’t sure, since we only have Visa debit. Good to know for anyone who has a Mastercard debit card!
Fees are charged when obtaining the maximum withdrawal amount a second time...from the same physical ATM? or the same network?
The transaction fee will be charged again whether you use the same ATM or a different 7 Bank ATM. If you have a debit card on the Mastercard network, it might not charge a transaction fee when using 7 Bank ATMS.
First time in Japan ATM seven eleven charges too much my experience I should bring my from my bank in yen no charge paid fee here is too much
Do you know if cash exchanger got good rates from USD to Japan Yen? The cash exchanger located in the tourist centers located in Tokyo.
Hi. We don't use currency exchanges since they don't usually offer as good of a rate as withdrawing from an ATM. I haven't looked closely at exchanges located in the tourist centers. You could check what exchange rate they are offering vs that day's exchange rate and whether they charge additional fees or commissions.
@@KenshoQuest thank you 🙏. Your info is so helpful and appreciated!
Thanks for the helpful video. Do you know if it is possible to withdrawal JPY at ATM machines using approximation (touch) of iPhone apple wallet’ digital credit/debit card, instead of physical credit/debit card?
Sorry, I didn't see that option while we were in Japan, but I also wasn't looking for it. Maybe someone else can chime in if they know of ATMs that accept Apple Wallet touch.
How about Aeon Bank, which claims to have fee-free ATMs? (That would be a solution for everyone, not just Schwab customers.)
Aeon Bank is another good option, just not as prevalent as 7 Bank ATMs. What I’m finding online is that the withdrawal fee for foreign cards in Aeon ATMs depends upon the card issuer www.aeonbank.co.jp/atm/en/page04/ That’s the same case as for 7 Bank ATMs, which I’ve heard don’t charge a withdrawal fee for Mastercard debit cards. I don’t personally have a Mastercard debit to test.
Hello! When you make purchases other than an ATM, do you always use a debit card instead of a credit card? Thank you.
Hi. The only thing I use my debit card for is withdrawing money from an ATM. For purchases I use my credit card or cash. Here’s my video on payment methods in Japan:
ua-cam.com/video/QKX8_MsuYFU/v-deo.htmlsi=ymBp_i_60qFh9S2N
Debit cards should be for ATM withdrawals only, for safety reasons.
In addition to cash and credit cards, another convenient option for making purchases is an IC Card . But not all stores accept IC Cards . Smaller shops might not accept credit cards, but cash is accepted everywhere.
Might have to open a Schwab account next time before I head to Japan.
Fidelity does some too
Hi! Thanks for your videos, they are so helpful! I have a question -- what are the best ways to exchange cash in Japan? I don't have any cards and I'm going to take 3000$ with me for two weeks (hotels are already paid). So -- where should I go to change it to yens?
Hi. There are currency exchange counters at airports and major train stations. Banks will also exchange foreign currency.
You can exchange it at the airport. But $3000 for two weeks, with hotel already paid , is a bit much.😮
Is 7-11 transaction fee a recent thing? I remember in 2019 there were no fees when I withdrew, making 7-11 ATM's my go-to for getting cash.
It depends which type of card you use. There is a fee for Visa cards. There might be cards on other networks that don’t get charged a fee.
Ok but if your card is a credit card and it didnt re emburse the fees and stuff it would be better to just exchange cash?
I never use a credit card in an ATM machine. If I didn’t have a debit/bank card then I would exchange cash at a Currency Exchange.
The concern I am looking at is that i want to get 130k yen but how do I go about this? Should I get some from home? Really the 108k is for the hotel because we are paying later.
Does the hotel require cash payment, not credit card? You might want to bring some cash with you, if you need that much. Also find out how much your bank account allows you to withdraw per day.
@KenshoQuest you can pay in cash. That's why I asked
Visa website has its own currency conversion calculator. I entered 50,220 yen from JPY to USD with no fee and got $331.397320 for 4/9/2024. The video shows $331.40 that was charged which is exactly the same after rounding to the penny. So maybe this Visa website calculator is perfect for Visa Debit card. Note that if you reverse the conversion from USD to JPY, the rate has about 0.44 yen spread which presumably is the wholesale spread which you never can get around (not at least with a Visa Card). The other puzzle is what about time zone difference? 4/9 in Japan can be 4/8 or 4/9 depending on the time of the day.
Yes, that's a great resources! Here's the website for anyone else who'd like to use it: usa.visa.com/support/consumer/travel-support/exchange-rate-calculator.html
Can I use apply pay to withdraw cash on 7 bank atm? It’s not safe to use physical card to insert
I’ve only used a physical debit card at ATMs in Japan. Next time we’re there I will look to see if there are cardless options. Maybe someone else can share their experience.
I've used 7-11 ATMs in Japan many, many times. I've had no issues with using my physical Mastercard Debit card.
any idea on how to exchange large bills into smaller ones and coins?
I make a purchase at a convenience store to break a 10,000 Yen into 1,000 Yen bills. I cover things like that in this separate video: ua-cam.com/video/QKX8_MsuYFU/v-deo.htmlsi=qCdrwlQBHhoQnYMn
Just make a petty purchase at a grocery or supermarket store. Preferably one that uses a payment machine.
Slip your 10k bill into it and you will get your change.
How exchange dollar to yen in Narita airport from atm machine?
You can visit a Currency Exchange counter in Narita Airport to exchange dollars to Yen. The ATM machine is only for withdrawing cash, not exchanging currencies.
Awesome video! I’m just going to make sure Bank of America won’t nickel and dime me with fees. I will also tell Bank of America to raise my withdrawal limit and make sure they don’t charge transaction fees. Thanks for the much-needed information. I’ll be in Japan in 10 days!!!!!
You’re welcome! Have a wonderful time in Japan!
BoA will likely charge out-of-network fees and will very likely charge about 3 % forex fees.
Thankyou!
You’re welcome!
What do you think of using visa or master card debit cards?
Hi. I only have Visa debit cards. I've heard that 7 Bank ATMs don't charge a Transaction Fee (110 or 220 Yen) when using a Mastercard debit card, but I don't know for sure, since I don't have a Mastercard debit to try. Keep in mind that your bank may also charge a fee for using a foreign ATM.
Great video! I will send your video to all my friends who are heading to Japan so I do not have to repeat myself :) I also use Charles Schwab's checking account and it is the best!
Thanks for watching and for sharing!
What about the use of REMITLY?
We've never used it!
What currency app are you using. Thanks
It’s called “My Currency Converter”
Can we insert cash .idont hve a debit or credit
No. You cannot insert foreign cash into an ATM in Japan. Instead, you can use a Currency Exchange machine or visit a Currency Exchange Counter.
Is it nationwide money bec im not from usa
Hi, do they accept Revolute card ?
Hi, we don't have a Revolut card so we don't know for sure. However, Japan is not on the list of countries where it won't work.
That is why US banks are so behind. Lots of oversea banks have currency account. You can exchange whatever currency when thr exchange is good and whenever you want and pick up your cash before leaving US. Your trip maybe a year later and you can start looking at the exchange rate and exchange it whenever it drops. Or you go to Japan all the time, you can change to jpy whenever its low.
That would just be gambling against the conversion rate.
@asdundab5581 you cant be more wrong. Buying stock can be argued as gambling too. There are numerous times when you have left over oversea money. You can put it in the bank account instead of holding cash under your mattress. A currency account is ideal from a frequent travel perspective and/or someone who does fx exchange due to investment needs. There are people that trade foreign currency. There are also people to plan ahead and exchange currency due to personal trip, investment or business needs. Just because you don't need it doesn't make it a gamble.
@@gngan If you exchange it now just because you think the rate will go down again it's gambling, that's all I wanted to say. I also didn't say that you shouldn't do it.
@asdundab5581 wrong. It's not when you think the rate will go down. It's because the rate WENT down. You'll only know it when you track it for a long period of time (years). If I think the rate will go down further then I would have waited. It's call dollar cost averaging if you get some whenever it reaches your buy price.
Your video showed a Mizuho Bank window as a foreign exchange counter. The window provides cash exchange at the same rate as withdrawing yen from the ATM next to the window. Whether it's 7 Bank, Mizuho, or Chiba Bank, they all give comparable rates. As the example, you should swap out with a shot of the Travelex counter down the hall.
Thanks for pointing that out. We don’t have a video clip of the Travelex counter. Based on online records, it looks like Mizuho Bank was buying USD at 148.98 Yen per dollar on April 9, which isn’t quite as good as the rate I got from my bank using the ATM.
If you decline conversion (which you generally should) YOUR HOME BANK will do the conversion (and most likely hand that job over to the interbank network (Visa, Mastercard, ...)); so it's very unlikely that you will get exactly the same rate through a Japanese bank for cash as you get through their (or ANY other) ATM. Also keep in mind that the (effective) exchange rate through an ATM can differ if you use another card (essp. if you bank charges forex-fees or if you use a Mastercard instead of a Visa)
About selection of the currency tô be charges with, It does not work like that for every country! I'm brazilian and If I chose yen as the currency, most cards Will convert It to dolars before converting tô brazilian reais and you'd lose money. Beware of that.
So even with the conversion markup fee, it comes out better if you select Brazilian Real?
@KenshoQuest for most cards, yeah. It's important to check how the company makes the conversion
Always bring enough Cash. Cards are for emergency
How do you exchange cash?
Hi. You could use a currency exchange machine or visit a currency exchange counter, such as at the airport or a major train station. We personally never exchange cash in Japan, as it would require bringing a large amount of our home currency with us and we wouldn't get as good of a rate as withdrawing from an ATM. We carry about $200 in emergency money, in case we need to exchange it, but we've never needed to in Japan.
This is amateur tips 😂
What I always do is have a debit card like Wise for example which give you extremely good rates and already exchange yen in my account. So I only pay the withdrawal fee of the atm which is the lowest and you get the best rates.
any advice for under 18 credit card users?
This video was was too confusing. I get the whole always pick local currency, but I couldn't follow your explanation why.
If you don't choose the local currency, the ATM charges a conversion mark-up fee of 4% of the transaction. So you'll pay an extra 4%.
@@KenshoQuest I got that, but I didn't understand why?
@@Call_Me_DavidMy guess is it’s because you made the ATM work more so you might as well compensate it for the labor. 😂
@KenshoQuest, we also have Charles Schwab but are quite afraid of having the card copied or some kind of atm scams, unfornatetly they have in Europe. Have you faced any issues while in Japan? we are planning to use Revolut but they don't give you back the ATM fees like Schwab.
We have never encountered a card skimmer attached to an ATM in Japan. Especially if you use an ATM inside a 7-Eleven store with a security camera, there is a low chance that someone could have tampered with the ATM.
We have had our debit card info stolen when paying in a restaurant in Japan. We used our debit card that one time since our credit card didn’t work. We make most purchases in Japan by credit card, since it’s not linked directly to our bank account.
Overall, Japan is a very safe country. 🌸 Heidi
@@KenshoQuest Thank you Heidi :)