Using ATM in Japan: Recently, with the weakening of the yen, there’s been a significant increase in the number of people traveling to Japan. In Japan, unlike in the US or Europe, cash is needed more frequently, which naturally raises questions about how to exchange yen or what the fees are for using an ATM in Japan.
While it is possible to exchange US dollars or Euro for yen either in the US or upon arrival in Japan, this typically comes with higher fees and is not a method I would recommend. Instead, if you find the right ATMs in Japan, you can withdraw yen without any additional ATM fees. Therefore, I suggest using ATMs for cash withdrawals during your stay.
In this post, I’ll introduce some of the many ATMs in Japan that do not charge fees, as well as share my personal experience with those that do. I’ll also provide insights into how much the fees are for ATMs that do have charges, helping you better understand the ATM fee situation in Japan.
If you are interested in information on using ATM in South Korea, I have another post where I shared the details.
Table of Contents
Why you would need cash in Japan
In the US or Europe, it’s easy to get by without carrying cash, as card usage is widespread. However, Japan is a bit different. While many restaurants and shops do accept cards, there are still instances where cash is essential. For example, many subway ticket machines and some restaurant ordering kiosks only accept cash. This means that relying solely on cards during your trip might lead to some inconveniences.
Compared to other countries, it’s not as difficult to use cards in Japan as it is in a place like Vietnam, but it’s also not as easy as in the US, where you can comfortably get by without any cash. Japan falls somewhere in between—cards are generally accepted, but having cash on hand is still advisable.
Fees When Using Local ATMs
When withdrawing cash using a card issued overseas, several types of fees are typically combined and included in the final charge. This can include ATM usage fees, currency conversion fees, and potentially additional charges from your home bank.
- US Bank’s Withdrawal Fee: US banks typically charge around $3 for overseas usage fees when withdrawing from foreign ATMs. However, many debit cards may waive this fee.
- Currency Exchange Fee Charged by US Banks: When exchanging to local currency, a currency conversion fee of around 1% can be applied, depending on the spread. Some travel cards or specific credit cards offer reduced or waived exchange fees.
- Visa/MasterCard/Amex Network Fee: These card networks usually charge around a 1% fee for overseas transactions. Certain cards, however, may waive this fee entirely.
- Local ATM Withdrawal Fees: These fees vary depending on the ATM you use in the foreign country, and it’s always good to check before withdrawing.
Among these, the fee directly related to using ATMs is the fourth one—the local ATM withdrawal fee. Fees 1 through 3 vary depending on the benefits of the debit card you use, so it’s best to prepare by choosing a card that offers the most favorable terms. In my case, I use the SoFi debit card, which waives fees 1 through 3. Therefore, if the local ATM doesn’t charge a fee, I can withdraw cash at the standard exchange rate without any additional charges.
Since the local ATM withdrawal fee is the fourth fee listed, this post will focus exclusively on local ATM withdrawal fees in Japan. We’ll explore how these fees vary depending on the ATM you use, helping you better navigate cash withdrawals during your trip.
Debit Cards with No Overseas Fee
There are some debit cards that the bank waives all/part of the fees for using in foreign countries. Among all, I use SoFi debit card since SoFi is the primary bank I use. It is not the only debit card that waives the fees, but you can consider this card if you are not sure which card you would carry during your trip since you can open SoFi account and make a debit card for free.
ATM fees in Japan
Since cash is often necessary in Japan, ATMs can be easily found throughout airports and cities. While local bank users in Japan typically enjoy fee-free withdrawals from their bank’s ATMs, travelers from the US (or other countries) must rely on cards issued in their home country. Most ATMs in Japan charge a fee for international cards, and the fees vary depending on the bank that operates the ATM.
However, there are some ATMs that waive fees for cards issued outside Japan, making them an excellent option for travelers looking to withdraw yen without additional charges.
For this post, I checked ATM fees using the SoFi debit card, though it’s likely that other debit cards will have similar fee structures. If you use a fee-waiver card and find the right ATM, you can secure yen cash without paying Japan ATM fees.
ATM with no fee
Here are the two fee-free ATMs I personally found after exploring various locations:
7Bank ATM (a.k.a. Seven Eleven ATM)
As a country known for its convenience stores, Japan even has a bank operated by the parent company of 7-Eleven Japan. The connection is obvious from the logo, and you’ll find these ATMs inside every 7-Eleven convenience store.
There are also plenty of these ATMs located on the arrival floors of Haneda Airport, and you can spot them at Narita Airport as well. This makes it easy for travelers to withdraw yen as soon as they land, without worrying about additional fees.
One of the best things about the 7Bank ATMs, besides their easy accessibility, is that they offer fee-free withdrawals when using international cards, including those from the US. In other words, the fourth fee I mentioned earlier—Japan ATM fees—is completely waived. So, if you use a card like the SoFi debit card, which also waives the other three fees, you can withdraw cash at the standard exchange rate with no additional charges. This makes 7Bank ATMs an ideal option for fee-free cash withdrawals in Japan.
When I made a withdrawal, I checked the exchange rate at the time and found that withdrawing ¥1,000 resulted in a final charge of US$6.48. This confirms that the withdrawal was processed at the standard exchange rate with no additional fees, meaning I was able to exchange and withdraw cash without any extra charges.
Since I withdrew ¥1,000 and was charged US$6.48, the calculation is as follows: $6.48 ÷ 10 = $0.648 per 100 yen. This shows that the final charge was $0.648 per 100 yen. Since the exchange rate from USD to JPY on Yahoo Finance at the time of the transaction was 155.817 JPY/USD, which is equivalent to 0.642 USD per 100JPY, it’s safe to conclude that there were no currency exchange fees (the 1% difference could have been either the fee from Master Card brand or just a bit of difference in exchange rate due as the actual transaction takes place a few days after the moment of withdrawal).
Additionally, because the charged yen amount matches the exact cash withdrawn, there were no additional withdrawal fees typically added to the transaction, confirming a fee-free experience.
AEON ATM
AEON, widely known for operating numerous large shopping malls across Japan, is actually a bank as well. You can even find AEON ATMs in countries like Thailand, and the bank has been expanding its presence, with a new AEON mall recently opening in Hai Phong, Vietnam. AEON is actively growing its brand through marketing and expansion efforts, making it a familiar name not just in Japan but across Asia.
While AEON ATMs aren’t as ubiquitous as 7-Eleven ATMs, they also offer fee-free withdrawals for international debit cards, including those from Korea. Unlike other ATMs, there was no notice about fees during the withdrawal process, and after checking my final statement, I confirmed that there were indeed no additional fees. This makes AEON ATMs another excellent option for travelers looking to withdraw cash without incurring extra charges.
I only tried using AEON ATM with a debit card from South Korea, which is just another international debit card in Japan. At an AEON ATM, I withdrew ¥1,000 and was charged 8,706 KRW. Since the exchange rate at the time was 870.67 KRW per 100 yen, this confirms, just like with 7Bank, that there were no additional fees. The exact exchange rate was applied, showing that AEON ATMs also offer a fee-free experience for cash withdrawals with international cards.
ATMs with fee
Aside from the two ATMs mentioned above, all other ATMs I encountered displayed a certain amount of fees. If you urgently need cash and cannot find either of the two fee-free ATMs nearby, using one of the ATMs with lower fees from the list below can be a good alternative.
LAWSON STATION ATM (MUFG Bank ATM)
In Japan, LAWSON STATION is another convenience store chain as common as 7-Eleven, and it also operates its own ATMs. You can find LAWSON ATMs in each of its stores, and they are readily available in places like Nagoya Airport’s arrival floor. Since LAWSON is not a bank, the actual financial services are handled by MUFG Bank, a major Japanese bank. Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that using a MUFG Bank ATM would likely come with similar conditions to those of LAWSON ATMs.
LAWSON ATMs charge a withdrawal fee of ¥110, which, at the current exchange rate, is approximately $0.70. However, it’s important to note that LAWSON ATMs only allow withdrawals starting from ¥10,000, and you can only withdraw in ¥10,000 increments. So, if you need a smaller amount of cash, you’ll need to find a different ATM.
SMBC ATM
The ATMs with a green background and the letters “SMBC” are operated by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC). These ATMs do accept international debit cards, including those from US and Europe, but they do charge a fee for usage. If you’re using an international debit card, it’s important to be aware that a fee will be applied when withdrawing cash from these ATMs.
For withdrawals of ¥20,000 (approximately US$13) or less, SMBC ATMs charge a fee of ¥110. For withdrawals over ¥20,000, the fee increases to ¥220. So, it’s important to keep these fee tiers in mind when using SMBC ATMs, especially if you’re planning to withdraw larger amounts of cash.
JP Bank
Similarly, the ATMs with a green background labeled “JP Bank” charge a withdrawal fee of ¥220. Keep this fee in mind when using JP Bank ATMs, as it applies regardless of the withdrawal amount.
ATMs that do not accept international cards
Some ATMs did not accept foreign cards at all. From my experience, the Shinkin Bank ATM and another ATM with only Japanese characters (whose name I couldn’t identify) both declined my card. While this doesn’t happen frequently, if you do encounter such an issue, don’t worry—it’s just a matter of the ATM’s limitations. Simply look for another ATM that supports foreign cards.
Conclusion
In this post, I compared the ATM fees charged by different banks in Japan when withdrawing cash using a debit card issued in the US. After testing various ATMs, I found that Seven Bank and AEON ATMs do not charge any fees, while other bank ATMs typically charge between ¥110 and ¥220 per transaction.
Instead of exchanging cash in the US and paying fees upfront, I recommend withdrawing money from local ATMs upon arrival in Japan. To save on fees, aim to use the fee-free ATMs from Seven Bank or AEON whenever possible. This concludes my post on Japan ATM fees—happy travels!