About Yen Finder
Yen Finder is a currency exchange rate comparison service for foreign tourists visiting Japan. By displaying the rates of 620+ exchange counters, ATMs, and automatic exchange machines across Japan side by side with the mid-market rate, we make it possible to decide "where is the best place to exchange right now" in just 3 seconds.
Why We Built This
Japan's currency exchange market is surprisingly competitive, and the difference between a good shop in central Tokyo and an airport counter can be ¥3,000–¥4,000 on a $500 exchange. Even so, most tourists end up exchanging at the first counter they see or at their hotel front desk. The reason is simple: there has never been a single place where you can compare all the information.
Yen Finder aims to structurally eliminate the "patterns where tourists lose money" by showing live actual rates + distance from the mid-market rate + business hours + walking distance to the shop in a single tap.
How We Collect Data
| Type | Method | Target Shops |
|---|---|---|
| Official site scraping | Automatically fetched from each chain's official API or rate page (3–4 times daily) | Travelex approx. 30 shops, World Currency Shop approx. 22 shops |
| X (Twitter) image OCR | Rate board images posted on X by Daikokuya and Dollar Ranger shops are automatically converted to text using the macOS Vision API | Approx. 6 shops |
| Shop catalog import | The public list of all Smart Exchange locations is imported by region | Approx. 440 shops (rates shown only in-store) |
| User submissions | Tourists and shop staff post photos of rate boards via /submit, which can be manually corrected after OCR processing | All shops |
The mid-market rate is sourced from the public API at open.er-api.com.
For details on how the score is calculated and how to interpret it, please see the Methodology page.
Editorial Policy
- Verified submitted photos: A subset of rates (currently 11 shops across 8 areas, including Shinjuku, Ginza, and Ikebukuro) are published only after we verify a rate-board photo taken in-store by a tourist or shop staff, using OCR plus manual review. This is the only rate data our editors individually verify, and it's flagged on the relevant store and area pages. All other shop rates come from automated collection off each chain's official site. Any photos used in articles note the time and location they were taken.
- Measured data: In July 2026 we surveyed 28 exchange shops on the same day and documented a gap of up to ¥3,630 on the same $1,000.
- Pre-publication checks: Every article goes through fact-checking against primary sources and official websites, plus proofreading, before publication. Specific figures such as rates and fees are only published when we can verify them officially; otherwise we state them as approximate ranges.
- Corrections policy: Report errors to info@nando.llc — we verify and correct them, usually within 7 business days. Each article displays its last-verified date.
Business Operator Disclosure (Specified Commercial Transactions Act)
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Service name | Yen Finder |
| Operator | nando.llc |
| Representative | Naoaki Nabeya |
| Address | Within Japan (disclosed without delay upon request) |
| Contact | info@nando.llc |
| Supported languages | Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, Korean |
| Service provided | Currency exchange rate comparison and shop information display (free) |
| Fees | Free for general users. No monetary transactions take place. |
This service does not sell any goods or services, and there is no exchange of money with users. Articles that contain affiliate links are described in the Terms of Service.
Contact
- Email: info@nando.llc (general inquiries, correction requests from shop owners, press inquiries, technical feedback)
- For shop owners: For requests regarding corrections to shop information, rate adjustments, or opt-out from listing, please feel free to contact us at the email above. We usually respond within 7 business days.
Disclaimer
The rates shown are for informational purposes only. Please confirm the actual rate at the shop before exchanging. This service does not provide investment advice, recommend financial products, or act as an intermediary. For details, please see the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Last updated: 2026-09-12