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Contents📖 ~5 min read
VND to JPY in Tokyo: Complete Currency Exchange Guide 2026 — For Vietnamese Travelers
The number of Vietnamese travelers visiting Japan is growing fast, with Tokyo trips departing from Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi especially popular. Exchanging Vietnamese dong (₫VND) into Japanese yen (¥) comes with a unique problem: almost no shops in Japan handle VND, so your strategy has to be very different from other currencies. This guide walks through the best route for travelers who start with VND.
TL;DR — Bottom Line for VND in Tokyo
Amount
Recommended approach
Why
Up to ₫500,000 (small)
Buy yen in Vietnam before you fly
Best rate, easy to prepare
₫500,000 – ₫10,000,000 (about a week in Tokyo)
Buy ~95% of your yen in Vietnam
Almost no shops in Japan accept VND
Long stay
Vietnam-issued credit card + USD as backup
Direct VND exchange in Japan is not realistic
💡 Important: In reality, only one or two shops in all of Tokyo handle VND at all. Buying yen inside Vietnam and bringing it with you is essentially the only practical option.
Factor 1: Why VND Is a Special Case
What makes VND different from other currencies is that liquidity inside Japan is extremely low.
Item
USD / EUR / CNY / TWD
VND
Street exchange shops in Japan
Standard
Almost none accept it
Bank counter exchange
Available at major Japanese banks
Usually not handled
Airport counters
✅
🟡 Only some
Choices inside Japan
Many
Very limited
VND is treated as a non-major currency in Japan, and many exchange shop operators simply do not have experience handling it, which is why they refuse it.
Factor 2: Options for Buying Yen Inside Vietnam
Location
Approximate VND → JPY rate
Street exchange shops in Ho Chi Minh (licensed agents of Eximbank or Vietcombank)
Mid-market +0.5–1.5%
Major exchange shops in Hanoi
Mid-market +0.5–1.5%
Major Vietnamese banks (Vietcombank, BIDV, Techcombank)
Mid-market +0.8–2.0%
Tan Son Nhat Airport (SGN)
Mid-market −2.0–3.5%
Noi Bai Airport (HAN)
Mid-market −2.0–3.5%
Tokyo (the few street shops that handle VND, very limited)
Mid-market +2.0–3.5% (expensive)
Conclusion: licensed street shops in Vietnam > Vietnamese banks > airports in Vietnam > exchanging once you arrive in Japan. Buying about 95% of your yen in Vietnam is effectively the only optimal answer.
Factor 3: The Few Places in Tokyo That Handle VND
Shops in Tokyo confirmed to handle VND are very limited.
Area
Representative shop
Handles VND
Rate
Shinjuku-West
Some World Currency Shop branches
🟡 Confirm before going
Mid-market +2.0–3.0%
Ikebukuro
Some Asian-focused exchange shops
🟡 Some branches
Mid-market +2.0–3.0%
HND and NRT airports
A few counters
🟡 Very limited
Mid-market −2.0–3.5%
Calling ahead is essential. Showing up without first confirming that they handle VND will likely waste your trip.
Factor 4: Vietnam-Issued Cards and Mobile Payments
Credit cards issued in Vietnam (Visa, Mastercard, JCB) are accepted at the vast majority of Japanese stores.
Store category
Usable?
Major department stores, convenience stores, chain shops
✅
ATMs (VND → JPY via USD routing)
🟡 Depends on the bank
Street stalls and small independent shops
🔴 Limited
Watch out for the double-conversion trap of VND → USD → JPY. The rule of thumb is to finish exchanging in one step by buying yen directly in Vietnam.
Three Mistakes Travelers Often Make
Trying to exchange VND inside Japan and getting stuck — you waste time hunting for a shop that accepts it, then lose money at a bad rate. The rule is to buy yen in Vietnam first.
Routing through USD at the airport — going VND → USD → JPY means two conversions and 5–10% lost. Go directly VND → JPY instead.
Accepting DCC billing in VND — unlikely to come up, but just in case: always pay in JPY.
Recommended Flow (5-Day Tokyo Trip Starting with VND)
Day
Action
What you carry
Day 0 (before leaving Vietnam)
Buy ¥80,000 at a licensed exchange shop in Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi
¥80,000 cash + credit card
Day 1 (arrival)
Airport → city center, keep the cash you already have
Cash + credit card
Day 2–4 (sightseeing)
Card at large stores, cash at small shops
Adjust based on what is left
Day 5 (top-up + return)
If short, only go to a Shinjuku-West shop you have called ahead
A: Under Vietnamese rules, tourists can generally carry out the equivalent of about USD 5,000. Up to around ¥700,000 per person is fine. If you go over the airport declaration threshold (about USD 10,000), check the latest rules in advance.
Q: Will my Vietnam-issued credit card really work in Japan?
A: Cards with the Visa, Mastercard, or JCB logo are accepted at the vast majority of stores. As long as the card was issued as an "international card" inside Vietnam, you are fine. Domestic-only Vietnamese cards do not work overseas.
Q: Which shops in Ho Chi Minh have the best rates?
A: Street branches of Eximbank and licensed agents of Vietcombank consistently offer good rates. Licensed exchange shops around the old quarter of Ho Chi Minh (near Ben Thanh Market) are also worth checking.
Q: What should I do with leftover yen?
A: Keeping it for your next trip to Japan is the most efficient choice. Converting yen back into VND once you are home tends to cost another 5–10%, so it is not recommended.
Q: Can I withdraw yen directly from an ATM using my VND card?
A: Yes, you can usually withdraw yen from a Japanese ATM with a Vietnam-issued card, but between the ATM fee, exchange rate, and foreign transaction fee you often lose 5–7%. Preparing cash in advance is cheaper.
About this article: Yen Finder Editorial / Photographed 2026-05-24 / Last verified 2026-06-03. Rates and shop information are based on each shop's official information. Please confirm the final rate on the in-store display.
