Bank of America in Japan

[MMM]

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

So you probably took out the money in large quanities? I'm just so used to taking $20-100 here or there every few days.

You are going to need to get used to all kinds of different things when you move to Japan.

I would usually take out 20,000 to 50,000 at a time. Like Nyororin said, I would feel uncomfortable with less than 10,000 in my wallet at any time. You can take out any amount you want, but ATMs are not 24hrs (they are usually located inside the bank) so you always want to have emergency cash just in case you miss the last train, etc.

[WingsToDiscovery]

Originally Posted by MMM

You are going to need to get used to all kinds of different things when you move to Japan.

I would usually take out 20,000 to 50,000 at a time. Like Nyororin said, I would feel uncomfortable with less than 10,000 in my wallet at any time. You can take out any amount you want, but ATMs are not 24hrs (they are usually located inside the bank) so you always want to have emergency cash just in case you miss the last train, etc.

Well I'm not concerned about "culture shock;" I'm just concerned about access to my money. You can get anything if you have the cash to pay for it, but I don't want to show up in Japan with 5,000 dollars in my pocket. I'd rather bring some cash but withdraw money once I've gotten in the country, but then it's a means of how easily I'll be able to do that.

Then it's a matter of setting up a credit card that will withdraw from my bank account within a month so I don't have to withdraw from my BoA card again. Do you reccommend any Japanese banks?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

Well I'm not concerned about "culture shock;" I'm just concerned about access to my money. You can get anything if you have the cash to pay for it, but I don't want to show up in Japan with 5,000 dollars in my pocket. I'd rather bring some cash but withdraw money once I've gotten in the country, but then it's a means of how easily I'll be able to do that.

Then it's a matter of setting up a credit card that will withdraw from my bank account within a month so I don't have to withdraw from my BoA card again. Do you reccommend any Japanese banks?

I didn't say culture shock. You just keep saying "I am accustomed to this" and "I am accustomed to that" and I am saying you are going to need to get accustomed to some different ways of doing things.

One of those things might be showing up to Japan with 5000 dollars in your pocket.

Exchanging money and transferring money costs money, so you want to do it as little as possible.

[WingsToDiscovery]

Originally Posted by MMM

I didn't say culture shock. You just keep saying "I am accustomed to this" and "I am accustomed to that" and I am saying you are going to need to get accustomed to some different ways of doing things.

One of those things might be showing up to Japan with 5000 dollars in your pocket.

Exchanging money and transferring money costs money, so you want to do it as little as possible.

I used the word culture shock in that you told me there were thing(s) I would need to get used to; needing to get accustomed to multiple things that are foreign is a large part of culture shock.
However, I don't feel I'll experience culture shock in the conventional sense; language barrier, new foods, etc. I'm just not accustomed to how my money has to be handled.

Would you suggest I board the plane to Japan with a few thousand dollars in my pocket? I'm asking questions to those who have more experience than myself, seeing as how I've never stepped foot into the country.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

I used the word culture shock in that you told me there were thing(s) I would need to get used to; needing to get accustomed to multiple things that are foreign is a large part of culture shock.
However, I don't feel I'll experience culture shock in the conventional sense; language barrier, new foods, etc. I'm just not accustomed to how my money has to be handled.

Would you suggest I board the plane to Japan with a few thousand dollars in my pocket? I'm asking questions to those who have more experience than myself, seeing as how I've never stepped foot into the country.

You can grow accustomed to things in a foreign country without experiencing culture shock. It's the inability to grow accustomed that causes culture shock, really.

Yes, I would suggest you board the plane with few months of cash so you can open a bank account when you get settled. It's hard to say how the yen/dollar situation will go, so you might want to exchange it before you go or you could wait until after you get there.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

So basically you buy most of what you need throughout the month on a credit card, and then when pay time for your work rolls around, the credit card just pulls from your bank account at the end of the month?

No, I pay for most of what I need through the month with cash. You asked about debit, so I explained the way my card functions... But I pay for most everything using cash. I even said this; "I rarely pay by card anyway as it`s pretty uncommon for me to just buy something out of the blue that I don`t have the cash on me for." You asked what people do if there is something they decide to buy on the spur of the moment when they don`t have the cash on them. The card is there for those rare out of the blue purchases where I do have the money but not on me for some reason (which is virtually never in my case).

You can withdraw as much as you like as often as you like, and never use a card even once while you`re in Japan - even for online purchases you can request a bank transfer form and just pay it at a convenience store or ATM. There is no reason you would need a credit card. People generally carry around cash, and it`s not unsafe. 10,000 bills have the pocket feel of $20s.

I wouldn`t worry about getting a credit card in Japan for the auto withdraw. (For one, the chances that you`d be able to get one as a student are nil.)
Just open a bank account at a bank with ATMs convenient to you. UFJ is everywhere, but you may find some other local bank more convenient where you live. Post office accounts seem to be the easiest to open, but ATMs are really only as common as post offices.

[jbradfor]

FWIW: UFJ apparently allows you to open an account with them in the USA: Important Information about Opening Accounts in the U.S. : Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ . I know nothing else about it, but if that interests you you might want to check into it. You could deposit your money before you leave, withdraw it in Japan. Here is a list of their offices in the USA: Global Network : Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ

[Polar]

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

I used the word culture shock in that you told me there were thing(s) I would need to get used to; needing to get accustomed to multiple things that are foreign is a large part of culture shock.
However, I don't feel I'll experience culture shock in the conventional sense; language barrier, new foods, etc. I'm just not accustomed to how my money has to be handled.

Would you suggest I board the plane to Japan with a few thousand dollars in my pocket? I'm asking questions to those who have more experience than myself, seeing as how I've never stepped foot into the country.

I understand where you're coming from, I was uneasy too when I went but honestly it's the norm there. If it's security that concerns you, don't worry, that being said I wouldn't set foot in Roppongi with that much at night.

I went in with 3 grand to Narita, got scamed a bit with the rate but it was minor. I would just take as much as I figured I needed during the day and left the rest in my hotel room, not the safe but in my luggage.

Never had any problems or issues, Japan is general was/is cash based although credit cards are accepted at more and more places.

ps Remember, DON'T tip for your meal, they'll chase after you with the change