Buying Indian rupees in Osaka or Tokyo

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plan_b_or_plan_c
plan_b_or_plan_c

A slightly unusual question here.

A Japanese acquaintance of mine is based in Osaka but bounces back and forth between there and Tokyo on business. He's going to India soon on a private visit and has been trying to exchange yen for Indian rupees cash before he goes. He told me the forexes say they don't have any Indian rupees to sell (although they'll buy rupees from you if you have them). He says the major banks he's contacted claim they don't deal in Indian rupees at all.

Ordinarily he'd just change money on arrival. But he needs a few thousand rupees on hand when he gets to India. His flight arrives in Kolkata after midnight and he'd rather not go through the rigmarole of changing money at the airport so he can get to his hotel.

Does anybody have any ideas about where to exchange JPY to rupees in either Osaka or Tokyo?

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889
889

There are ATMs at Kolkata airport. Far and away the quickest and easiest way to get rupees in India. Avoid banks and money changers like the plague.

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gcn2234
gcn2234

Yep as 889 says ATMs at airport - an alternate is if your friend only wants money for a taxi is to pre-book and pre-pay a taxi online before going to India.

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Giora
Giora

Kansai Airport (the main airport serving Osaka) has foreign exchange counters dealing in some exotic currencies. I have no idea whether or not they sell Indian Rupees, but I suspect that's one of the best places around Osaka to try. I've had success buying other Asian currency from the exchange shop there which is next to the ticket office of the JR railway station.

Otherwise, I'm aware of some shops in Kobe which sell lots of imported goods from India, where the owners might know how to go about getting Rupees in Japan. That would be quite a wild goose chase though...

Learn all about the island of Awaji, the largest island in Japan's Inland Sea. You can contact me through that website, if you wish.
Also, Japan's architectural and historic heritage.
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plan_b_or_plan_c
plan_b_or_plan_c

Thank you all. I'll pass on that on to him.

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simonhill
simonhill

Indian currency is a closed currency and it is not officially allowed to be traded outside India. In fact it's not allowed to even take Rupees out of India. I'd be very surprised if the banks actually accept them.

Of course this doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. Loads of people keep rupees and also trade in them, albeit illegally. The best place is to find a local Indian community and ask them.

Beware the now defunct note that got cancelled in Mr Modi's little currency scam, I mean scheme, a year ago.

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Thorn Tree

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