Japan's tax-free shopping
has a new rhythm

Until October 31, 2026, tax-free shops in Japan simply did not charge consumption tax at the till when you showed your passport. For purchases made on or after November 1, 2026, Japan Customs explains that the system moves to a Refund Method:

• In the store: you buy at the tax-inclusive price, just like a local shopper.
• At departure: within 90 days of the purchase date, you present your passport for a customs confirmation at the airport or seaport.
• Afterwards: once customs has confirmed the goods are leaving Japan with you, the consumption-tax amount is refunded.

The eligibility basics stay familiar: purchases must total ¥5,000 or more (tax excluded) per store per day, and the goods must be items you personally carry out of Japan when you leave.

• Set up Visit Japan Web before you fly home. Customs asks travelers to have Visit Japan Web set up and ready to use before the customs confirmation. If that does not work on the day, use the Tax Refund Kiosk instead.
• Do it in the departure lobby, before security. The online confirmation connects over Wi-Fi in the international departure lobby, before you pass the security checkpoint — so build in time before you head airside.
• Keep receipts and purchases easy to reach until you have finished the customs step, in case an officer wants to see an item.
• Ask each store how your refund will be paid. The refund comes from the store side after customs confirmation, so the counter staff are the right people to explain their method when you buy.

The main trap is consumables. Customs is clear that if food, beverages or cosmetics are consumed in Japan, they are not eligible for the refund. If you buy skincare, sake or confectionery to take home, keep it sealed until you are home. Anything you will not be carrying out yourself at departure is not eligible either.

For high-value pieces — watches, jewelry, leather goods — the refund on Japan's standard 10% consumption tax is meaningful, which is exactly why it is worth giving yourself a relaxed final morning rather than a dash to the airport.

• Ginza and Marunouchi — Tokyo's flagship luxury streets and department stores, a short ride from Tokyo Station. Ideal if shopping is the point of the trip.
• Omotesando and Aoyama — architect-designed boutiques, Japanese designers and calmer, tree-lined streets.
• Roppongi and Toranomon — newer high-rise hotels with big views, good for evenings out.

Tip: a hotel within a few minutes of your main shopping street means you can drop bags between stops, which matters more than ever now that you carry everything to the airport yourself.

Kyoto is about crafts rather than flagship stores — lacquerware, ceramics, textiles and tea utensils around Shijo, Gion and the Teramachi arcades. Late autumn is one of the city's most beautiful seasons for foliage, so book early for November and early December.

Osaka pairs department stores and boutiques in Umeda and Shinsaibashi with the city's famous food scene. It is also the natural last stop if you fly out of Kansai International, keeping your departure-day customs step close by.

We checked these official pages on October 26, 2026. Rules can be refined before and after launch, so confirm on them before you travel:

• Japan Customs — Tax-free shopping: the new Refund Method
• Japan National Tourism Organization — Japan's new tax-free shopping system