What cash plans should I make before I leave?

  • We suggest that you obtain about $300 US worth of Japanese Yen (roughly ¥30,000–35,000) before you leave. Best to do this through a bank.
  • Check your credit cards’ price limits and commission charges.
  • Tell your credit card company that you will be traveling outside your home country.
    If your bank is not informed in advance, when you use your credit card, you may find it blocked, because unauthorized use in another country flags the bank’s fraud protection. If you let your bank and/or your credit card company know before your trip, they will note your account and thus prevent a fraud alert when you use your card in Japan.
  • Prepare for emergencies. Set up (or learn the specifics of) an emergency method to receive money from your family, such as Western Union.