Originally Posted by
dinanm3atl
Thanks for the quick replies.
If there is a 'fee' for using the booths in the NRT airport is it worse if you want to exchange say 1000US? I'll be there for 7 days.
Or is it better to exchange less at a time? I ask because I'd prefer to not be finding or hitting an ATM once a day to get 100US in Yen.
Rates at one of the exchange booths (Mitsubishi UFJ Bank) are here.
http://www.narita-airport.or.jp/exchange_e/index.html
As long as the bank that issued your ATM card does not charge you (or charge only a small set fee like $5 per transaction), you're best off using the ATM.
With the advent of 7-Eleven ATM's, it's no longer a struggle to find ATM's in most cities in Jpn. Chances are there's a 7-Eleven near every major train station (and many along highways), and most of them have ATM's.
What you should do is the following. Roughly estimate how much cash you're going to need for the first half of your trip (ie, 3~4 days). Then take out that amount at an ATM in NRT. You will see over the first few days of your stay how much cash you're spending, get a more accurate idea, and then can adjust accordingly in terms of how much more yen to take out for the last half of your stay. This way, you're not having to use ATM excessive number of times (and be charged any potential fees each time) yet help ensure that you won't be left with a whole lot of yen at the end of the trip (for which you will get dinged if you decide to convert to $ at a booth on your way out of Jpn).
In addition to any foreign ATM charges, make sure you know what your daily withdrawal limits are and then have them increase it if warranted.