💡 The Hidden Cost Nobody Tells You About
When you send money from Japan through a bank, you'll often see "手数料無料" (zero transfer fee) advertised. This sounds great. It isn't.
Banks make money a different way: by using an exchange rate that's 2–4% worse than the real mid-market rate. This is called an exchange rate markup, and it's invisible to most people.
If you send ¥300,000 home every month, that's ¥144,000 lost every year to hidden fees. This guide will help you stop that.
📊 Real Transfer Comparison — ¥100,000 to USD
Based on real transfer data from 2026. Amounts shown are what the recipient actually receives.
| Service | You send | They receive | Fee | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏆 Wise | ¥100,000 | ~$637 | ~¥500–700 | 1–2 days | Most people |
| Revolut | ¥100,000 | ~$634 | Free (under limit) | Instant–1 day | Frequent senders |
| SBI Remit | ¥100,000 | ~$628 | ¥300–500 | Same day | Asia / cash pickup |
| Japanese Bank | ¥100,000 | ~$609 | ¥3,000–5,000 | 2–5 days | Large one-time transfers only |
| Western Union | ¥100,000 | ~$627 | Varies | Minutes | Emergencies only |
How to check if you're getting a fair rate
Go to Google and search "JPY to USD" — this shows the real mid-market rate. Then compare what your bank or service is offering. If it's more than 0.5% worse, you're losing money to a hidden markup.
🏆 Wise — Best Overall for Most People
- Real mid-market exchange rate
- Transparent fees from 0.41%
- Available in Japan with full features
- Holds 40+ currencies
- 1–2 day delivery for most currencies
- Debit card available
- Multi-currency account for freelancers
- Requires My Number Card for verification in Japan
- Setup takes 1–3 days
- Not instant (unlike Revolut to Revolut)
| Amount sent | Fee | Rate | Recipient gets (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¥100,000 | ~¥500 | Mid-market | ~$637 |
| ¥300,000 | ~¥1,400 | Mid-market | ~$1,909 |
| ¥1,000,000 | ~¥4,500 | Mid-market | ~$6,364 |
Send money from Japan with the real exchange rate
Open a free Wise account in minutes. No monthly fees, no hidden markups. First transfer fee is often discounted for new users.
💳 Revolut — Best for Frequent Senders
- Free exchange up to ¥750,000/month (Standard plan)
- Instant transfers between Revolut users
- Multi-currency card for daily use
- Stock trading and crypto available
- 1% markup on weekend transfers — always transfer on weekdays
- 0.5% fair usage fee above ¥750,000/month on free plan
- Some features require paid plan
Revolut weekend warning
Revolut adds a 1% exchange rate markup on weekends (Saturday and Sunday). On a ¥300,000 transfer, that's ¥3,000 extra. Always schedule your Revolut transfers for Monday–Friday.
🌏 SBI Remit — Best for Sending to Asia
SBI Remit is a Japanese service specifically built for sending money to Asian countries including Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, China, South Korea, and others. It's less well-known internationally but very popular among foreign workers in Japan.
- Cash pickup at partner locations in Asia
- Same-day delivery for many Asian countries
- Low flat fee (¥300–500)
- Works even if recipient has no bank account
- Exchange rate slightly worse than Wise (~0.5–1%)
- Not ideal for Western countries (USD, EUR, GBP)
- Less intuitive app vs Wise/Revolut
🏦 Japanese Bank Transfer — When to Use It
Standard Japanese bank international wire transfers (海外送金) are the most expensive option for regular transfers. However, there are situations where they make sense:
- Very large one-time transfers (¥5,000,000+) where the flat fee becomes proportionally small
- When the recipient bank requires a SWIFT wire from a licensed Japanese bank
- For certain corporate/business transfers that require bank documentation
Never use a Japanese bank for regular monthly transfers
For regular remittances of ¥100,000–¥500,000, a bank transfer costs ¥3,000–¥5,000 in fees PLUS a 2–4% exchange rate markup. Over 12 months, you could lose ¥150,000–¥300,000 vs using Wise. There is no reason to use a bank for routine transfers.