ATMs in Japan

On 2007-11-29 22:38:15 -0800, Alfred Molon <alfred_molonm> said:

> I just realised that I withdrew cash with my Citibank card only in
> Citibank branches in Japan. Do ATMs of other banks in Japan accept
> international ATM (Maestro, Cirrus) cards?

I used a bank card at a bank that was not my own. Quite probably a
citibank to tap funds from a Wells Fargo account. Additionally I used
an ATM card (from Wells Fargo as well) at various post office ATM's.
There were a few other places I found I could use my card. In Kyoto
across from the train station a store on the corner had an ATM machine
down-stairs that took US cards. I've also heard that you can use them
in 7-11's which are many and growing.

But I've also heard that recent changes will allow for greatly expanded
use of ATM's in many places in Japan in the future.
--
Thank you and have a nice day.

"Donald Newcomb" <DRNewcomb@NOT.attglobal.net> wrote in message
news:47516c08@kcnews01...
> "Alfred Molon" <alfred_molonm> wrote in message
> news:MPG.21b963ce197e9dd98b81d@news.supernews.com. ..
>> I just realised that I withdrew cash with my Citibank card only in
>> Citibank branches in Japan. Do ATMs of other banks in Japan accept
>> international ATM (Maestro, Cirrus) cards?
>
> International ATMs are a bit of a problem in Japan. I tend to use the ATMs
> in the post offices. Your bank may have a webpage that helps you locate
> ATMs
> overseas. I also check the airport websites before I fly to learn exactly
> where I can find the aitport's international ATM on arrival. That way I
> don't have to hunt around or ask anyone.
>

I have to say that I was worried about this problem when I went to Tokyo for
the first time a couple of months ago. I ended up just taking cash.

Cheers,
George W Russell
Bangalore

"Alfred Molon" <alfred_molonm> wrote in message
news:MPG.21bbb4e148929ce698b821@news.supernews.com ...
> In article <firr8r$6er$1@registered.motzarella.org>, grusl says...
>>
>> I have to say that I was worried about this problem when I went to Tokyo
>> for
>> the first time a couple of months ago. I ended up just taking cash.
>
> It seems it's a good idea to carry a Citibank card. They have branches
> with ATMs in many countries.
> --

Unlikely as I have HSBC cards. I'm not taking on yet another bank and its
charges!

Cheers,
George W Russell
Bangalore

It is sort of nice to have some Yen in your pocket when you get off the
plane. American Express will get you some money to your home address in 48
hours. Then you don't have to jet lag fumble about for a machine.
https://www210.americanexpress.com/B...br=2539481999I


"gtr" <xxx@yyy.zzz> wrote in message news:2007113017030116807-xxx@yyyzzz...
> On 2007-11-29 22:38:15 -0800, Alfred Molon <alfred_molonm> said:
>
>> I just realised that I withdrew cash with my Citibank card only in
>> Citibank branches in Japan. Do ATMs of other banks in Japan accept
>> international ATM (Maestro, Cirrus) cards?
>
> I used a bank card at a bank that was not my own. Quite probably a
> citibank to tap funds from a Wells Fargo account. Additionally I used an
> ATM card (from Wells Fargo as well) at various post office ATM's. There
> were a few other places I found I could use my card. In Kyoto across from
> the train station a store on the corner had an ATM machine down-stairs
> that took US cards. I've also heard that you can use them in 7-11's which
> are many and growing.
>
> But I've also heard that recent changes will allow for greatly expanded
> use of ATM's in many places in Japan in the future.
> --
> Thank you and have a nice day.
>

On Sun, 02 Dec 2007 00:22:04 GMT, john_kulp@m (John Kulp)
wrote:

>On Sat, 1 Dec 2007 13:34:26 -0700, "Steve Cain" <sscain@ecentral.com>
>wrote:
>
>>It is sort of nice to have some Yen in your pocket when you get off the
>>plane. American Express will get you some money to your home address in 48
>>hours. Then you don't have to jet lag fumble about for a machine.
>>https://www210.americanexpress.com/B...br=2539481999I
>
>What for? You can easily get yen when you arrive at far better rates.

Because even if you know where an ATM is located in the airport you're
arriving at, there's always the possibility it may not be working just
at the very time you need it most.

I always use ATMs to get cash when I travel, but I still try to arrive
with at least a small amount of local currency on me. At least I then
have enough cash to get me to my hotel if problems like that happen.
The easiest way to do that is to keep some left-over cash from your
previous trip to use the next time you go back to that country.

The last thing you need when you're tired and arrive somewhere late at
night is to have to drag your bags around looking for an alternative
place to get hold of some cash.

Chris

On Sun, 2 Dec 2007 10:28:51 +0100, Alfred Molon
<alfred_molonm> wrote:

>In article <0gg4l35i1nbro1mgf8a1nqrnfgo41lnu4d@>, Chris Blunt
>says...
>
>> Because even if you know where an ATM is located in the airport you're
>> arriving at, there's always the possibility it may not be working just
>> at the very time you need it most.
>
>For that unlikely event I carry some Euro bills with me, which I then
>change at one of the currency exchange counters at the airport.
>
>IIRC this has happened so far only once, at the airport in Marrakech
>(Morocco), when on that day the ATMs were out of order. I changed a
>small amount (50 Euro) which allowed me to take a taxi into town, where
>I could withdraw cash from other ATMs
>
>Even in the unlikely event that the ATMs were not functional and the
>currency counters were all closed, you could find a taxi driver willing
>to accept Euro or dollars or willing to bring you into town to the next
>ATM.

Maybe, but the argument put forward for not changing any money before
you leave home was that you'd get a better rate when you arrive. I
doubt very much that the exchange rate a taxi driver would give you
would be anything like as good as you could get almost anywhere else.

It seems common sense to me to make sure you have at least a small
amount of local currency on you when you arrive just in case of the
unexpected.

Chris

On Wed, 5 Dec 2007 07:58:16 +0100, Alfred Molon
<alfred_molonm> wrote:

>In article <017cl3dnod6m4m0alhifks9j6tpht2dlbu@>, Chris Blunt
>says...
>
>> But what ridiculously poor rate of exchange are you going to get if
>> you try to pay a taxi driver with that? Why not just take some local
>> currency so you can pay him with that?
>
>Because you can get it at the airport exchange counter in the rare event
>the ATMs do not work.

You can IF there's a currency exchange service there, and IF you can
find it, and IF its still open when you arrive. I prefer not having to
mess around doing all that just after I've got off a long flight, all
to save a few cents. I just want to head straight for a taxi and get
to my hotel as soon as possible. Traveling is tiring enough as it is
and a little forethought is all it takes to make it that bit easier.

Chris

On Dec 5, 9:48 am, Alfred Molon <alfred_mo...m> wrote:
> How many international airports do not have currency exchange counters?
In my expereince, approximately zero.

> As for the difficulty in finding them, they usually are in the arrivals
> hall.
They are usually 10-20 meters wide, in a prominent and easy-to-find
location, well-illuminated, with huge signs that say something like
"CURRENCY EXCHANGE" or "CAMBIO" .Many of them are surrounded by ATMs
from the major banks. In addition, I have usually seen lots of other
ATMs in other parts of the airports.

The shops in the international airports will usually accept major
foreign currencies and give change in the local currency. Of course,
the exchange rate is not very good (still better than getting foreign
currency from AmEx or BofA), but this would be my third choice if the
ATMs did not work and there were no currency exchange counters.