Wise and Revolut give you mid-market rates and 0% FX fees. Roughly ¥6,000 saved on a $1,500 trip. Order before you fly and you'll skip the counter queues entirely.
Also: get online the moment you land
Japan eSIMs from ~$10/week. Install before departure, connect 1 minute after landing.
Get an Airalo eSIM ↗Filter shops by the currency you carry
Pick a currency to see every shop in Japan that exchanges it to yen, sorted by rate. Tourist currencies (USD, EUR, KRW, CNY, TWD) have wide coverage; minor currencies (THB, VND, PHP) have fewer accepting shops.