Starting November 1, 2026, tax-free shopping in Japan works differently. Instead of skipping the tax at checkout, you now pay full price in the store, including 10% consumption tax, and get that tax refunded after you leave the country.
How the refund works — step by step
- Shop as usual, but expect to pay full price. There’s no more tax-free discount at the register.
- Show your passport at checkout. The store registers your purchase electronically before you leave the shop. Do this every time, at every store.
- Hit at least ¥5,000 in purchases (before tax) per store, per day. This applies to individual stores, not your whole trip.
- Buy anything except gold bullion and similar items. The old split between “consumables” and “general goods” is gone, so there’s no sealed-bag requirement anymore.
- Keep your goods and receipts until you leave Japan. You must take everything out of the country within 90 days of buying it.
- At the airport, go to the customs kiosk before security. An officer or machine verifies your purchases, and the screen shows a green or red result.
- Pack your purchased items in carry-on luggage, not checked baggage, so they’re easy to show at the kiosk.
- Wait for your refund. It typically arrives in 1-2 weeks if you chose a credit card, or 2-4 weeks for a bank account. Timing depends on the refund operator the store uses.
Only non-residents on short-term visits qualify for this refund. If you live in Japan long-term, this system isn’t for you.
Show this in Japanese日本語カードを表示 — hand your phone to the staff
店員・係員のみなさまへ:外国からのお客様がこのカードを提示しています。
【状況】
免税購入を希望する非居住の旅行者です。パスポートを提示し、購入記録の登録による免税購入手続きを行いたいと考えています。
【お願い】
パスポート提示による免税購入手続き(購入記録の登録)をお願いしたいです。
【公式情報】
Why Japan changed the system
The old system let travelers walk out of a store tax-free on the spot. That created a loophole: some people bought goods tax-free, then resold them inside Japan instead of taking them home, which is against the rules but was hard to catch after the fact.
By paying tax upfront and refunding it only after customs confirms the goods actually left the country, Japan closes that loophole. It’s a similar approach to Europe’s refund-style systems, where you also pay tax at the register and claim it back at the airport.
One thing hasn’t changed: shops inside the airport’s restricted area, past security, are duty-free shops. They keep selling tax-free immediately, the same as before. This new refund process only applies to purchases made outside the airport, before you reach security.
If any part of this raises a question specific to your trip, check the official pages below before you fly.