I'm studying abroad in Kyoto for spring semester. I have a Bank of America Debit card, which has a 5% fee with an additional $5 fee every time I use an ATM in Japan since its out-of-network. I'll be studying abroad for almost 4 months so I know that I need to get a good portion of cash while I'm there to at least pay my rent every month. Would it be smart to withdraw a ton of money in the US and just exchange it when I get there? I also don't want to carry that much money on me while I'm flying to Japan so I'm not really sure what to do. I'm also leaving in a week, so I won't have the ability to change my debit card situation, but I have 2 credit cards with no foreign transaction fees, so I think will be okay at places I can use my credit card at. But there will be a ton of places I'm planning on going to where I will need cash. Could someone help me navigate this please?
by haoanyhao