Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just used our Schwab card to take cash out from ATMs. The ATMs in 7-11s and at airports accepted our foreign cards without an issue.

No need at all to get yen in advance. If you're worried, take a bit of U.S. currency, which you can exchange in an emergency.

+1 on Schwab for pretty much anywhere outside the US.

I know ex-pats who have used Schwab as their primary bank for years without issue. You just have to keep your US phone and a US address in their system.

Don't even need a US phone- just port your number over to Google Voice (while physically in the US) and now you have a free US VOIP/text number forever (or until Google decides to charge for it). Also remarkably cheap to call non-US numbers when needed.

And yes Schwab account is great - no minimums, refunds all ATM fees and surcharges. We have one just for travel. Keep $500 in it normally, move a bit more over before an overseas trip, use that to get cash on the trip. Works great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just used our Schwab card to take cash out from ATMs. The ATMs in 7-11s and at airports accepted our foreign cards without an issue.

No need at all to get yen in advance. If you're worried, take a bit of U.S. currency, which you can exchange in an emergency.

+1 on Schwab for pretty much anywhere outside the US.

I know ex-pats who have used Schwab as their primary bank for years without issue. You just have to keep your US phone and a US address in their system.

Don't even need a US phone- just port your number over to Google Voice (while physically in the US) and now you have a free US VOIP/text number forever (or until Google decides to charge for it). Also remarkably cheap to call non-US numbers when needed.

Anonymous wrote:Just used our Schwab card to take cash out from ATMs. The ATMs in 7-11s and at airports accepted our foreign cards without an issue.

No need at all to get yen in advance. If you're worried, take a bit of U.S. currency, which you can exchange in an emergency.

+1 on Schwab for pretty much anywhere outside the US.

I know ex-pats who have used Schwab as their primary bank for years without issue. You just have to keep your US phone and a US address in their system.

Just used our Schwab card to take cash out from ATMs. The ATMs in 7-11s and at airports accepted our foreign cards without an issue.

No need at all to get yen in advance. If you're worried, take a bit of U.S. currency, which you can exchange in an emergency.

Always a better deal to get cash from ATM upon arrival.

Everywhere takes credit cards in Japan. I used 15000 yen in cash only for the week+ I was there and didn't have cash at all for the first three days. You can take cash out from the atm once you get there.

My credit union does sell currency, but not needed.

Have generally taken foreign currency from ATMs as credit union has decent exchange rate. Is it possible for ordinary mortals to purchase yen here easily?

Experience with WISE? They seem to be debit cards, so wonder if they offer the same protection as a good credit card.