"Jim Ley" wrote in message
...

Why not use the cash machines at the airport and then at the post
office or similar? using the exchange at the hotels front desk seems
to be a very good way to get an extremely lousy rate.

If you can find them, that's great; in my experience, finding those
locations outside the airport would be difficult for the average
first-time tourist. Besides, at least in Japan the exchange rate
at the hotel will not be significantly worse than what you get
elsewhere.

Bob M.