Planning a trip to Japan

Hello wonderful people!

My wife and I are planning a trip to Japan this November for her birthday. We’ve already booked our flights and are now looking at hotels.

I visited Japan about four years ago and noticed that many smaller shops and local restaurants preferred cash payments.

Since the USD/JPY exchange rate is currently near the strong 159.50–160 level, with the U.S. dollar generally favored due to the wide interest rate gap, would it be smart to exchange $500–$1,000 into JPY before the trip?

We’re planning to spend around $5,000–$8,000 on shopping (Venture X), but we’d still like to have enough cash on hand for smaller local shops and restaurants.

For those of you who have traveled to Japan recently, what did you do before your trip regarding currency exchange?

Any input is greatly appreciated!