You’ve just finished a late shift in Shibuya, earned ¥15,000 from a part-time gig, and want to send ¥10,000 home to Kathmandu or Cebu.
The problem? Most banks and big-brand remittance companies slap on a ¥700–¥1,500 flat fee that eats 7–15 % of your hard-earned cash.
The good news: seven Japan-based specialists—Wise, SmileRemit, JpRemit, BrastelRemit, CityRemit, JapanRemit and KyodaiRemit—let you send small amounts for a fraction of that cost, often under ¥200. Below, we break down exactly what you’ll pay, how long it takes, and which loopholes to avoid so every yen reaches your family.
Why “Small” Transfers Need a Different Strategy
When you remit ¥500,000, a ¥1,000 fee is only 0.2 %. When you remit ¥10,000, the same fee is 10 %. That’s why the percentage matters more than the yen figure. The seven providers below price small transfers in three ways:
- Flat fee – same cost regardless of amount (great under ¥30,000).
- Percentage – scales down for micro transfers (can be cheaper above ¥50,000).
- Blended – small flat fee + tiny FX margin (sweet spot around ¥10,000–¥40,000).
We analysed real quotes on the same day (JPY→NPR, JPY→INR, JPY→LKR, JPY→BDT, JPY→PHP) for a ¥10,000 transfer. Fees below are what your recipient doesn’t receive; the lower, the better.
Fee Shoot-out: ¥10,000 Transfer from Japan
| Provider | Flat Fee | FX Margin (%) | Hidden* | Total Cost | Recipient Gets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | ¥77 | 0.35–0.45 | 0 | ¥112 | NPR 9,520 |
| SmileRemit | ¥0 | 1.2 | 0 | ¥120 | NPR 9,510 |
| JpRemit | ¥150 | 0.6 | 0 | ¥210 | NPR 9,420 |
| BrastelRemit | ¥190 | 0.8 | 0 | ¥270 | NPR 9,360 |
| CityRemit | ¥200 | 0.7 | ¥80† | ¥350 | NPR 9,280 |
| JapanRemit | ¥300 | 0.5 | 0 | ¥350 | NPR 9,280 |
| KyodaiRemit | ¥390 | 0.4 | 0 | ¥430 | NPR 9,200 |
*Hidden = receiving-bank charges that the provider can’t quote.
†CityRemit’s partner bank in Nepal deducts NPR 120 on arrival—shown in yen equivalent.
Key takeaway: Wise and SmileRemit swap the top spot depending on the currency pair, but both stay under 1.2 % total cost. Anything above ¥400 on a ¥10,000 send is daylight robbery.
Country-by-Country Cheapest Pick
Nepal (JPY → NPR)
- Micro champion: Wise (¥77 fee, mid-market rate).
- Cash pick-up: SmileRemit agent in Kathmandu charges zero fee to recipient, beating JpRemit’s ¥150 flat.
India (JPY → INR)
- UPI under ₹50,000: Wise again—flat ¥77, arrives in 4 seconds via YES Bank UPI.
- Bank account: SmileRemit edges ahead on weekends when Wise adds a 0.15 % weekend surcharge.
Sri Lanka (JPY → LKR)
- Any amount ≤¥30k: BrastelRemit runs a “¥99 Tuesday” promo; time your transfer and you pay under 1 %.
- Outside promo days: JpRemit’s ¥150 flat beats Wise once the send exceeds ¥18,000.
Bangladesh (JPY → BDT)
- bKash mobile wallet: CityRemit has zero FX margin on amounts <¥20,000; you pay only the ¥200 fee.
- Bank credit: JapanRemit offers same-day Dhaka credit for ¥300—handy if the recipient lacks bKash.
Philippines (JPY → PHP)
- GCash instant: SmileRemit charges no fee and uses a 0.9 % FX markup—cheaper than Wise once you factor in Wise’s ¥77 fee on sub-¥15,000 transfers.
- Cash pick-up at Palawan: KyodaiRemit’s ¥390 flat is high, but they have 1,800+ counters if convenience wins over price.
Hidden Costs Most Comparison Sites Miss
-
Receiving-bank landing fee
Nepali commercial banks quietly skim NPR 100–500. Wise lists this upfront; others don’t. Always ask “Will my family be charged on arrival?” -
Yen withdrawal fee before you even send
Some konbini ATMs charge ¥110 to top-up your provider’s wallet. Use SMBC or Japan Post Bank ATMs—free for SmileRemit and JpRemit cash top-ups. -
Losing the last 0.4 % on FX
Even “no fee” services bake margin into the rate. On ¥10,000, 0.4 % = ¥40—enough for a bowl of ramen. Compare the recipient amount, not just the fee column.
Step-by-Step: Sending ¥10,000 for the Lowest Possible Cost
-
Open two apps
Download Wise and SmileRemit (both offer English). Complete KYC once—upload My-Number card + residence card; approval in 10 min–24 h. -
Check today’s promo
BrastelRemit and CityRemit flash weekday coupons in their LINE official accounts. A 30-second check could save ¥100. -
Quote both providers
Enter exactly ¥10,000 and see recipient amount. If the difference is <₹10 or NPR 15, choose the faster one (see speed section). -
Fund with zero-cost method
- Wise: domestic net-banking transfer to their Sony Bank account—free.
- SmileRemit: 7-Eleven ATM cash deposit—free until 21:00.
-
Track and screenshot
Both send email confirmations. Screenshot the “money received” page; if the landed amount is lower than quoted, you have proof for a refund of the hidden fee.
Speed vs. Cost: Do You Need It There in Minutes?
| Provider | Fastest Option | Typical Time | Extra Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | UPI/PIX/Mobile | 4–30 sec | ¥0 |
| SmileRemit | GCash/bKash | 2–10 min | ¥0 |
| JpRemit | Bank credit | 30 min–3 h | ¥0 |
| BrastelRemit | Cash pick-up | 15 min–1 h | ¥0 |
| CityRemit | bKash | 5–30 min | ¥0 |
| JapanRemit | Bank credit | 1–6 h | ¥0 |
| KyodaiRemit | Cash pick-up | 10 min–2 h | ¥0 |
Rule of thumb: If your mother needs hospital deposit today, pay the extra ¥100–200 and use the fastest channel. Otherwise, the cheapest is usually fast enough.
Monthly Cap Trap: When “Low Fee” Stops Being Cheap
All seven providers let you send only ¥1 million–¥1.5 million per month without extra documentation. If you hit the cap and still need to remit, Wise’s fee jumps from 0.35 % to 0.7 %, and SmileRemit forces you to split into two transfers, doubling the FX margin. Plan ahead:
- Register your spouse as a secondary sender on the same address—doubles the household quota.
- Batch smaller weekly sends into one larger monthly transfer once you exceed ¥200,000; the flat-fee guys (JpRemit, BrastelRemit) become cheaper than percentage models.
Real-Life Scenarios: What We Recommend Today
Scenario 1: Student sending ¥15,000 home to Manila every fortnight
→ Use SmileRemit to GCash—zero fee, 0.9 % FX margin. Annual saving vs. bank: ¥18,000 (enough for a round-trip ticket to Cebu).
Scenario 2: IT engineer paying ₹30,000 monthly EMI on Delhi apartment
→ Wise auto-debit from Shinsei Bank on salary day; rate locked 48 h ahead, arrives in 4 seconds via UPI. Total cost 0.6 % vs. 3 % bank wire.
Scenario 3: Restaurant trainee wiring ¥8,000 emergency cash to Colombo
→ BrastelRemit ¥99 Tuesday promo; fee drops from ¥190 to ¥99. Set a phone alarm for Tuesday mornings.
TL;DR – Cheat Sheet to Stick on Your Fridge
- Under ¥20,000: Wise or SmileRemit—flip a coin, both under 1.2 %.
- Tuesday send to Sri Lanka: BrastelRemit ¥99.
- bKash to Bangladesh: CityRemit zero-margin days.
- Cash pick-up Philippines: GCash via SmileRemit beats Palawan counters.
- Always compare the final recipient amount, not just the advertised fee.
Ready to see live numbers for your exact amount?
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sending-small-amounts-japan-lowest-fees-2026.md
{
"slug": "sending-small-amounts-japan-lowest-fees-2026",
"title": "Sending Small Amounts from Japan: 7 Services with the Lowest Fees in 2026",
"date": "2026-02-26",
"excerpt": "Compare fees for sending small remittances from Japan to Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh & the Philippines. Find the cheapest option in under 2 minutes.",
"author": "RatesRemit Team",