The banks here have inconvenient hours. If you want to do a bank transfer, it can only be done between 8am and 3pm. Also, the local dry cleaner is open from 9am to 5pm. Inconceivable! Anyway, so it's possible to do a bank transfer at the ATM until 5pm, which is better than 3pm, except I can't read the ATM.

So I strolled into the bank at 4pm and asked about doing a bank transfer. The teller stated that they only do bank transfers until 3, so I should come back tomorrow. I asked for help with the ATM, it being all Chinese. She blinked. No eye contact, but in my direction. 8 times, precisely. After the 8th blink, another teller came over -- the mom of two of my students. She asked me to fill out some paperwork, which took 5 minutes, and we didn't use the paperwork and later shredded it. But after the paperwork, she helped me figure out the ATM. If only I had a photographic memory...

Here's a step-by-step walkthrough of doing a bank transfer (振り込み; furikomi) at a JA Bank ATM. Note that in rare cases (extremely expensive purchases, for example), a bank transfer must be done inside the bank with a teller.

	Press the bank transfer button -- 振込 (short for 振り込み; furikomi). It's on the right in the middle.
	This warning tells you that you're about to do a money transfer. Press green button in the lower right.
	Press the top button, 電信振込 (denshin furikomi). This will do a wire transfer, which is normal. The bottom button, 文書振込 (bunsho furikomi), is for a paper transfer, and it's very rare.
	Put your card in the slot.
	Enter your PIN (暗証番号; anshou bangou).
	Enter the amount of money, followed by 円.
	If the amount of money is OK, press the green button in the lower right.
	Choose how to select your destination. To do a registered furikomi for which you have a number, press 登録番号 (touroku bangou). To look up a registered furikomi number, press 登録照会 (touroku shoukai). However, I've never done this, so I can't be sure. To search by bank name, press 振込先指定 (furikomi saki shitei). This is very common. To use a furikomi card you already have, press 振込カード (furikomi kaado).
	Choose the appropriate button for your destination. If you're sending money to a regular bank, press 普通銀行 (futsuu ginkou). If you're sending money to JA Akita Shinsei Bank, press 秋田しんせい農協 (akita shinsei noukyou). If you're sending money overseas, press 外国銀行 (gaikoku ginkou).
There are two screens I'm missing. They involve choosing what branch of the bank you want and should be obvious.
	Enter the account number (口座番号; kouza bangou), make sure it's right, and then press the green button in the lower right corner.
	If you want to make a furikomi card, press the top button, 振込カード必要 (furikomi kaado hitsuyou). If you don't want a furikomi card, press the bottom button, 振込カード不要 (furikomi kaado fuyou).
Take your receipt, ATM card, and furikomi card, if you made one. It's done.