Japanese Yen August 2023

[bill937ca]

There are numerous news reports that the Japanese Yen is hitting a 9 month low.

 

https://www.investing.com/analysis/japanese-yen-hits-9month-low-200640948

 

https://www.dailyfx.com/news/japanese-yen-hits-new-lows-as-us-dollar-flexes-on-higher-treasury-yields-20230814.html

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/14/yen-breaches-145-level-against-usd-raises-expectations-boj-may-intervene.html

 

Not normally train related, but this may create a good opportunity of pick up items  at favorable exchange rates. 

 

Hobby Search has been closed from the 11th to 15th for the Obon holidays. Now that the hoidays are over,  here might be government treasury action that might make the new low short lived. Time will tell.

Edited August 15, 2023 by bill937ca

[ronin]

Agreed.  I recently placed an order with Amiami, partially because of the favorable timing on the exchange rate. 

 

My trip earlier this summer was awesome in how cheap things had become for me.

[katoftw]

It was weaker a month ago.

 

But also dependant on the currency you are comparing the yen to.

[shadowtiger25]

I hate that I don't have the money to drop on the expensive HO brass C62 I've always wanted from tenshodo.

Simply because with the low I'd save some on it.

But oh well, some dreams will just stay dreams

[maihama eki]

I first traveled to Japan 30 years ago. The current period is the most favorable USD to JPY I have seen in that time with it approaching Y150 to $1.00 right now. It has been quite favorable for the last year.

 

I remember one trip in 2011 when the rate was around Y79 to $1.00. That was a painful period for travel to Japan.

[Kingmeow]

We just got back last month where it was hovering about 145+/- to $1.  Everything seemed so "cheap".  I picked up some stuff from Kids Land in Osaka and remembered my credit card texts showing some ridiculous US dollar prices.  (They convert to USD in the text message.)  I remembered telling my wife we need to go back to Kids Land for more....which we did.  😂

Edited October 10, 2023 by Kingmeow
Grammar

[railsquid]

Reminds me of that fun period back in 2016 when the GBP crashed for €reasons and I spent a merry year or two bulking out my UK collection.

[Guest]

Exchange rate is VERY welcome. Makes my ¥200,000/night hotels seem like a bargain.  Previous trip not so long ago was like ¥105/$

[bc6]

I almost feel guilty with the yen being so low. I've never purchased so much n scale gear asI have this year,'ve purchased engines rolling stock decoders and buildings. I'm almost ready to stop buying because it can be so much. I wonder if purchasing track would be as beneficial from Japan than America. 

[cteno4]

Surprisingly recently I looked at unitrak track prices at plaza japan with shipping to us and purchasing from modeltrainstuff in the us and buying from japan was cheaper! I was astounded. But look if you do need to buy some track.

 

jeff

[Mister Gee]

I just returned from Tokyo last week and filled a suitcase with trains thanks to the exchange rate and a huge used train market. The quantity of used items available in stores was dazzling. Only thing I bought new was track.

 

John