How do I Exchange Japanese Money for U.S. Dollars in the U.S.?

The Japanese yen can be exchanged for the U.S. dollar.

The yen is the official currency of Japan and as of September 2010 has an exchange rate of .0119 U.S. dollars for a single yen. The yen comes in one, five, 10, 50, 100 and 500 denomination coins and one-, two-, five- and 10,000-dollar bills. The yen is used exclusively in Japan and travelers would benefit from exchanging their yen for dollars once back stateside.

Things You'll Need

• Valid ID
• Banking information

Instructions

Bank

1. Contact your banking institution to discover which of its branches has a currency exchange. Inquire if they will convert yen to dollars and if there are any transaction fees for exchange. Contact other banks if yours does not offer a currency exchange. Inquire about additional non-member fees.

2. Validate the current exchange rate by clicking on the XE Universal Currency Converter--at xe.com/ucc/--before going to the bank to exchange the yen.

3. Take the yen to the bank. Bring along a valid ID or banking information to insure banking member privileges and avoid excessive fees.

Airport Exchange Booth

1. Inquire where the currency-exchange booth is after arriving at the U.S. airport. Either go to the information desk or look it up on a posted airport map. Currency-exchange booths are only located at international airports.

2. Go to the booth and check the exchange rate. Most major forms of currencies will be displayed. The booth will often have much lower exchange rates than banks due to their convenience.

3. Exchange the yen. Sign the receipt. The transaction will be complete.

Tips & Warnings

• Wait for a better exchange rate if you are not in a hurry to exchange the yen. The exchange rate can fluctuate in your favor.

References

• XE: Japanese Yen

Resources

• XE: Universal Currency Converter