Experience with Prepaid Travel Cards in Japan

[uzza]

Hey Guys,

Heading to Japan in a few months and I wanted to see if anyone had experience using one of the Prepaid Travel Cards over there (CBA, ANZ, or Travelex). I'm not traveling for long enough or regularly enough to justify a 28 Degrees card I don't believe, so I'm thinking a travel card should do the trick. I realise Japan has a weird unlinked system of ATM's for foreign card except the post office, 7/11, and Citibank so I was hoping someone may have used a travel card over there and could report back on how straight forward it is to get cash out at one of the three places mentioned. I'd hate to load it on and get over there, only to find that it doesn't work!

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[cosi]

I never had a issue using ATM's in Japan especially at the Post Office.

I also comfortable with carrying cash.

This official web site will answer many of your questions

Japan National Tourism Organization | Arrange Your Travel | Essential Info | Money

Good luck and enjoy the experience.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Take cash and lock in your rate?

 

[uzza]

Thanks for the responses (and that link!) guys! I guess if CBA and ANZ issue the cards with Yen as a standard currency then surely they should work there, I might take a mix of cash and card to be sure.

In response to sprouce, the card locks in the rate when loaded - I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying all my spending money in cash for the entire time. All it takes is to be pick pocketed/hotel robbed and its gone. I'd much rather have it on a card, no matter how safe the country.

 

[thewinchester]

I never had a issue using ATM's in Japan especially at the Post Office.

Of course you had no problems - you were using post office ATM's.

To save me re-typing this all, here's the first few paragraphs from my Asia 2010 TR, Chapter 8 - Understanding Tokyo.

Getting cash
This wasn’t as easy as we’d assumed. Having been denied by a number of ATM’s, I went searching online to understand this later that day.

It turns out that Japan, on top of being a predominantly cash society, and thanks to the comprehensively informative site Japan Guide only has limited ATMs that accept overseas issued cards. Let's just say I found this one out the hard way.

Tip: If you haven’t drawn enough of your home currency to exchange before arriving, keep a lookout for either a 7 Eleven with an ATM, a 7 Bank ATM, Citibank, Japan Post ATM’s, or Shimsei. These are the ones you can use with overseas cards, and 7 Eleven/7Bank has the biggest network and easiest to find – about 2,400 ATMs just in the Tokyo area. Most of these ATMs won’t charge additional fees for use.

Tip 2: If you ever get stuck wanting to know something and you either have internet access or don’t like your Hotel Concierge/Staff, then Japan Guide is your number one resource. Here you can find answers to some of the most complex questions, and there’s a forum to ask them in if you can’t. Make sure to bookmark this site before you leave.

In future, please refrain from giving inaccurate and incomplete advice.

 

[cosi]

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....er/259-asia-2010-chapter-8-understanding.html.

In future, please refrain from giving inaccurate and incomplete advice.

Please explain

 

[Davo70]

...I might take a mix of cash and card to be sure.

Good decision uzza. Don't rely on one form of payment. IMO this is absolutely the #1 golden rule of money management while travelling abroad.

 

[medhead]

I never had a issue using ATM's in Japan especially at the Post Office.I also comfortable with carrying cash..

In future, please refrain from giving inaccurate and incomplete advice.

Not sure how that is inaccurate, it seems like a perfectly accurate description of Cosi's experience. What do you know about that experience that makes you say it was inaccurate?

 

[Zippy7]

All it takes is to be pick pocketed/hotel robbed and its gone. I'd much rather have it on a card, no matter how safe the country.

You didn't say where in Japan you would be travelling to - I lived in Tokyo a few years ago, and travelled around a little bit. You could survive with a lower proportion of cash in Tokyo (carding the rest).
Seen some people get drunk, lose their wallet, and it gets returned to them with all the cash intact.

It was noticeably harder to get by with less cash outside of major cities. And in those places, you might not be able to access the money on your card...

For a lot of the eateries, cash is your only choice. You could dine at a high end restaurant and pay by cc, but you'll pay many times more for the food!
The other thing you can do is to put half your cash in another wallet/pocket, or just spread the cash into a couple of pouches (neck pouch, wallet, sock, etc).

 

[uzza]

You didn't say where in Japan you would be travelling to - I lived in Tokyo a few years ago, and travelled around a little bit. You could survive with a lower proportion of cash in Tokyo (carding the rest).Seen some people get drunk, lose their wallet, and it gets returned to them with all the cash intact.It was noticeably harder to get by with less cash outside of major cities. And in those places, you might not be able to access the money on your card...For a lot of the eateries, cash is your only choice. You could dine at a high end restaurant and pay by cc, but you'll pay many times more for the food!The other thing you can do is to put half your cash in another wallet/pocket, or just spread the cash into a couple of pouches (neck pouch, wallet, sock, etc).

I'll be in Tokyo, based there and will take some day trips.Having read the replies and some of the links provided I'm confident enough that the cards will work. But I'll carry some cash as well.Thanks for the help guys!