In the UK, Japanese Yen (JPY) can be purchased with 0% commission from major supermarkets (Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s), the Post Office, specialized travel money providers (eurochange, Travelex, Hays Travel), and high-street banks. Ordering online for next-day home delivery or in-branch Click & Collect offers the best exchange rates.
Buy Japanese Yen online with Click & Collect at over 580 M&S stores. Use our Pounds to Japanese Yen (GBP to JPY) currency calculator to work out how many Japanese Yen you want. Pick your collection date and collect from your chosen M&S store.
You can use Click+Collect to arrange a time to pick up your Japanese Yen as part of your weekly shop, either from a Tesco Travel Money Bureau or customer service desks.
It's generally better to withdraw Yen from an ATM in Japan using a debit card (like Wise, Revolut, Monzo) or use a no-foreign-transaction-fee credit card for most spending, getting only a small amount of cash beforehand in the UK, as major Japanese ATMs (7-Eleven, Post Office) offer good rates, while airport exchanges or buying large amounts in the UK often yield worse rates; Japan is still cash-heavy, so you'll need yen for smaller places, but ATMs are convenient.
Drop into one of our 200+ instore bureaux and choose from cash in over 50 currencies including Euro, United States Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Japanese Yen and United Arab Emirates Dirham or a Sainsbury's Bank Multi-currency Cash Passport MasterCard.
Get Yen at the Best Rate & Avoid ATM Fees in Japan!
Can I buy yen at the post office?
You can buy Japanese yen from the Post Office online or in any of our thousands of participating branches around the UK. Find your nearest with our branch finder. Order online and you could get a better rate than in branch.
When to exchange: Although it depends on the currency, it is generally better to exchange yen in Japan than in your home country, due to a lower commission and better exchange rate. Similarly, you'll typically get better rates away from the major airports.
Whether or not it is better to change for yen before coming into Japan depends on the currency that you hold. For example, the US dollar is a highly traded foreign currency in Japan, and partly for this reason you might get a favorable rate if you change US dollars into yen in Japan.
You can order yen at Bank of America if you're a customer, but expect to pay shipping fees and possibly visit your local financial center to place your order or get your cash.
Yes, the Japanese Yen (JPY) has been generally weak against the British Pound (GBP), with the GBP/JPY exchange rate showing a significant long-term strengthening of the Pound, meaning it takes more Yen to buy one Pound, though recent trends show the Yen finding some support or pulling back slightly as the BoJ considers tightening policy. The Pound has gained substantially over the past year against the Yen, but the Yen's weakness is a broad theme driven by interest rate differentials, with the Bank of Japan (BoJ) having very low rates compared to the Bank of England (BoE).
While the cost of living varies, a comfortable daily budget for cash expenses, excluding accommodation, would be around ¥5,000 to ¥8,000 per person. This covers meals, local transport, and some sightseeing.
Under Japanese law, persons suspected of a crime can be detained for 23 days without charge. The length of detention, up to the maximum period, is at the discretion of the public prosecutor and subject to the approval of local courts.
The cheapest months to fly to Japan are typically January, February, and early March, especially after the New Year's rush, due to winter being the low season, with potential deals in the shoulder seasons like late May/early June and late November/early December, avoiding peak cherry blossom (late March/early April) and summer (July/August) times.
In case you're wondering, 100 yen is about 66 cents. So, in a way, these shops sell products at cheaper prices than dollar stores. Japan's 100-yen shops (hyaku-en shoppu) sell all categories of items, including stationery, instant noodles, electronic devices, cooking utensils, beverages, decorations, and clothing.
In Japan, it's not common to tip for services such as those provided in bars, cafes, restaurants, taxis, and hotels. However, there is a custom in Japan of giving a gratuity, called ""kokorozuke"", (coming from the heart), in some situations. There are certain situations where tipping might be considered appropriate.
Money. The national currency is the yen. Payments are made mostly in cash yen formats. It is recommended to purchase as much yen as most possible before departing on your trip to Japan, as the exchange rate is so much better in the UK.
