Tax-free guide · Asia

Tax-free shopping in Japan: the new refund rules

Yes. Visitors can claim back consumption tax (10%) on goods they take home through Japan tax-free shopping (Refund Method from 1 Nov 2026). You need to spend ¥5,000 or more excluding tax per shop, per day, and you pay it in the shop and get it back after customs confirms the export at departure. A refund is never automatic: customs has to confirm the export, and operators can deduct a fee.

Last checked 2 November 2026. Figures are estimates, not tax advice.

Changed on 1 November 2026

Japan's tax-free shopping now works as a refund

Shops in Japan now charge the full price, including the 10% consumption tax (8% on food and drink). You get the tax back later. Keep the goods unused and with you, and confirm them at a customs kiosk or with Visit Japan Web before you check in your bags, within 90 days of buying. The shop's refund operator then pays you back, less any fee it charges. If one item on a receipt is missing, the whole receipt is refused.

Source: Japan Customs, Tax Exemption (Refund) Program. Last checked 2 November 2026.

Japan at a glance

StatusRefund available
SchemeJapan tax-free shopping (Refund Method from 1 Nov 2026)
Tax in the priceconsumption tax, standard rate 10%
Not yet checked against an official source
Reduced rates8% on food and non-alcoholic drink (not dining out), newspaper subscriptions
Not yet checked against an official source
Minimum spend¥5,000 or more excluding tax per shop, per day
5,000 yen or more excluding tax per store per day. No upper limit: the JPY 500,000 consumables cap, the general/consumable split and special sealed packaging were abolished with the Refund Method. Quantity must be what you can personally carry out.
Where you get it backAfter you leave: you pay the tax in the shop, customs confirms the export at departure, then the shop's refund operator pays you back
Not yet checked against an official source Set per shop; not fixed by NTA
Typical refund77% to 100% of the tax
Set by each shop/refund operator. Takashimaya deducts a 23% system handling fee from the tax (21% on tax-exclusive purchases of JPY 1,000,000 or more) = 77% to 79%. PPIH (Don Quijote) charges no fee for refunds to card/app; cash at the airport carries the operator's fee. JTA FAQ Q17: no rule on whether traveller or shop bears the refund-agent fee (abroad the traveller usually does); the government charges no fee.
Who can claimForeign visitors (temporary stay, including cruise/crew landing permits) and qualifying Japanese nationals living abroad. Goods must be carried out by the purchaser; anything consumed or used in Japan (food, drink, cosmetics) is not eligible and must be reported at the customs counter, not the kiosk.
DeadlineCustoms confirmation at departure within 90 days of purchase (day after purchase = day 1; bought 1 Nov to deadline 30 Jan). Must be done at the tax-free kiosk or Visit Japan Web before checking hand luggage. If any item on a receipt is missing, the whole receipt is refused.
Prices on tagsBoth are common: look for 税込 (tax included) or 税抜 (before tax) on the tag
Not yet checked against an official source

What could you get back?

Here's the arithmetic on a ¥33,000 purchase. The tax inside a price that includes 10% tax is 10/110 of it, about 9.1%.

Example purchase

Japan, standard rate

Price you pay, including tax¥33,000
Tax inside it (10/110 of the price)¥3,000
Estimated refund¥2,310 to ¥3,000

¥33,000 is about US$208.99, €186.33, £155.74, A$298.21 at the mid-market rate for 2 November 2026.

An estimate, not a promise. Goods at a reduced rate get back less, and you only get a refund if customs and the operator approve your claim.

Refund payment method (card, app, cash at port) and the handling fee are set by each shop/refund operator; JTA says there is no rule on who bears the fee.

How to claim the refund in Japan

Show your passport when you buy. Shop at a store that offers tax-free sales, show your passport, and spend 5,000 yen or more excluding tax in that shop on the same day. You pay the full price, including tax.
Keep the goods unused and with you. Don't use or open anything you plan to claim. Anything consumed or used in Japan isn't eligible and must be reported at the customs counter, not the kiosk.
Confirm at departure, before you check in. At the airport or port, confirm your purchases at a tax-free kiosk or with Visit Japan Web before you check in your bags, within 90 days of buying. If any item on a receipt is missing, the whole receipt is refused.
Receive the refund. After customs confirms the export, the shop's refund operator refunds the tax by its own method, such as card, bank transfer, app or cash at the port, less any fee it charges.

Want the real cost of a price tag here? Try the refund calculator, and read why you should always pay in local currency.

Questions

How much is the tax refund in Japan?

Consumption tax is 10%, so the tax inside a price is 10/110 of it, about 9.1%. On a ¥33,000 purchase that's ¥3,000, and you could get back between ¥2,310 and ¥3,000, the share of the tax the official source gives. It's an estimate: reduced-rate goods get back less and every claim needs approval. Last checked 2 November 2026.

What is the minimum spend for tax-free shopping in Japan?

¥5,000 or more excluding tax per shop, per day.

Where do I claim the tax refund in Japan?

After you leave: you pay the tax in the shop, customs confirms the export at departure, then the shop's refund operator pays you back. Customs confirmation at departure within 90 days of purchase (day after purchase = day 1; bought 1 Nov to deadline 30 Jan). Must be done at the tax-free kiosk or Visit Japan Web before checking hand luggage. If any item on a receipt is missing, the whole receipt is refused.

Is it cheaper to buy things in Japan?

Only if the price on your card, after any tax refund you'll actually get, beats the price at home. Convert the tag at the mid-market rate, add your card's foreign transaction fee (often around 3% on bank cards, 0% on travel cards), then take off the refund estimate, and compare. Always pay in the local currency, because the shop's conversion costs more. Priceglot does this for every tag you point it at.

Sources

Japan Customs - Tax Exemption (Refund) Program for Foreign Visitors (checked 2 November 2026)
NTA - Overview of the Refund Method (FY2025 tax reform) (checked 2 November 2026)
NTA / Japan Customs - Notice to Foreign Travelers Who Purchase Tax-Free Goods (From November 2026) (checked 2 November 2026)
JNTO - Japan's Tax Exemption (checked 2 November 2026)
JTA - FAQ for tax-free shops (Refund Method), Q17 refund fees (checked 2 November 2026)
Takashimaya - Guidance of tax refund procedure (from 1 Nov 2026) (checked 2 November 2026)
Hokkaido Shimbun - PPIH press release: refund fee free at all PPIH stores from 1 Nov (checked 2 November 2026)

Last checked 2 November 2026.