Australian Dollars to Yen Conversion

Ive read a few posts about how the best way to get Yen and i am still quite confused.

Has anyone had any personal experience coming from Australia and converting Yen?

I dont own a credit card, but im considering buying a Bopo card (pre-paid credit card). These have a 2.5% transaction fee.

Is my best option to exchange all money need in Australia first or get one of these cards and exchange over there. (We leave for Japan on the 30th of Jan, so any exchange time within Aus must be accounted)


Any help is greatly appreciated

do you have a bank card (NOT a credit card)or can you get one ASAP? If it has the Cirrus and Plus logos you can draw cash in Japan from ATM machines in any 7-11 convenience store and in any Post office. This is by far the most convenient way to get cash tell your bank beforehand that you will be in n Japan!). Usually buying yen or euros, US$ etc. in one's home country is more expensive. You can also carry travellers cheques but not everyplace accept them. Of course you have to pay a transaction fee no matter what you choose.

i do have a debit card, but i dont think it has a symbol on it, ill double check later on though.

With travellors cheques, can you just exchange them for cash? or do you have to buy something with them?


Once in japan, is it best to withdraw all my yen at the airport when i first get there? We are going on an intrepid tour across the country so im not sure how easy it would be

Yes you can exchange your travellers cheques for cash only if you go to a bank. Some hotels accept them to pay for accomodations and will give you change in cash. The good thing about a bank card is that it can be used as a debit card but can also access an ATM to give you actual cash while true debit cards only let you pay as if paying cash. In your case, travelling in the countryside if I understand you, a bank card would be practical as 7-11 are all over the place and open late everyday, unlike the post office that has limited opening hours in small towns

I just double checked and my card DOES have a Cirrus logo on it, although it does NOT have a plus logo?

Its a Westpac card and its got a Cirrus and a Eftpos logo on it.

Does this help me?

OOPS! I should have written "a Cirrus OR Plus logo" either one works.

"Has anyone had any personal experience coming from Australia and converting Yen?

I dont own a credit card, but im considering buying a Bopo card (pre-paid credit card). These have a 2.5% transaction fee.

Is my best option to exchange all money need in Australia first or get one of these cards and exchange over there. (We leave for Japan on the 30th of Jan, so any exchange time within Aus must be accounted)"

On my last trip to Japan I found it very easy to convert Australian Dollars to Yen, or withdraw money at the Post Office.

The machines all had English options.

Rates are actually better here - consider trading to Yen at the Commonwealth (you can do it online) as they have the lowest fee (1% of total trade) and best rates.

Right now its about 100cents = 98yen - so pretty darn good.

You won't have any problems exchanging your currency at any of the exchange booths around Japan also.

Ask Intrepid Travel about opportunities to go to the Post Office and Exchange Booths.

From what i've read, everyone has said the rates over here arent as good as in japan and it usually takes sometime to get the money?

If i was to use my bankcard in japan, what percent commission would they take? (im with westpac, but other banks rates are fine, i just need a general one)

What is the exchange rates like in Sydney airport compared with Kansai airport?
should i exchange money at either of these?

" From what i've read, everyone has said the rates over here arent as good as in japan and it usually takes sometime to get the money?

If i was to use my bankcard in japan, what percent commission would they take? (im with westpac, but other banks rates are fine, i just need a general one)

What is the exchange rates like in Sydney airport compared with Kansai airport?
should i exchange money at either of these? "

1. You can go to the CBA and get your Yen now. No booking, no waiting. No idea why people say there is a wait? Of course, if you are trying to exchange more than $5000 in cash, it's can be an idea to call first. But why not do it online? Takes less than 48 hours.

2. The rates here are usually better (at the banks). In Japan I was losing between 5 and 15 cents per transaction in fees and lower exchange rate.

3. Depends on your bank. Don't forget that on top of the exchange fee, there is the Non-Brank ATM Fee, and International ATM Fee at the very least to add on top of any other basic charges your bank has for using your card for an international cash withdrawl. Using a credit card incurs slightly lower fees in my experience - but who wants to pay interest on a credit card cash advance?

4. Exchange rates at airports are generally 3-10% worse than you would get at a bank. Plus their fees are generally higher (eg a 5% trade fee, rather than 1% at the bank).

oh wow, oh okay.

Well im with westpac, as i mentioned, am i still able to exchange money at a commonwealth bank? Do i just bring in the AUS cash and they'll do it there and then?

Thanks heaps for your help

If Commonwealth bank does foreign exchange, then yes, just walk in, find the appropriate counter and say "I want to change Australian dollars to Japanese yen" and they will do it on the spot, it's pretty much the same anywhere in the world. Very simple.

For latest exchange rates

www.xe.com is the best site

My friend recommended it to me but I haven't tried it yet but you can collect money through commonwealth bank on their website.

You pretty much pay it like bpay then pick up the cash at your nominated branch. The reason why he suggested it to me is that unlike most currency exchanges which charge a percentrage, they charge a flat fee.

So if you feel comfortable carrying large wads of cash on you in Japan this may be the best option. Personally I tend to lose my personal items easily so I'm giving deep thought.