The night before you fly out, run through this checklist while your purchases and receipts are still easy to find. Fixing a problem now is much easier than fixing it at the gate.

Do this the night before you fly

  1. Check the purchase date on every eligible item. Goods must leave Japan within 90 days of the day you bought them — if anything is close to that limit, double-check it’s still inside the window.
  2. Pack all refund-eligible purchases in your carry-on bag, not checked luggage. You’ll need to show these items at the customs kiosk before you check in any luggage — once bags are checked, the kiosk step is no longer possible — so they have to be accessible.
  3. Set aside your passport and every receipt somewhere you won’t have to dig for them. See at the store if you’re not sure which receipts you’ll need.
  4. Plan to arrive at the airport earlier than usual. The customs kiosk for the refund system comes before bag check-in and security, and the whole customs step — including any inspection after a red result — has to be finished before boarding procedures close, so build in extra time on top of your normal check-in.
  5. Consider registering with Visit Japan Web before you leave for the airport. It’s the government’s online service for arrival and departure procedures, and having it set up ahead of time may help your airport steps go more smoothly.
  6. Make sure you’ll have working mobile data at the airport. You may want to check flight information, refund details, or the Visit Japan Web service once you’re there.

Why the night-before check matters

Most of the friction in the refund process happens at the very last step, once you’re at the airport and pressed for time. The 90-day window, the carry-on requirement, and the earlier arrival time are all things you can check calmly at home, but they turn into stressful last-minute problems if you notice them for the first time in the security line. See at the kiosk for what happens once you reach that step.

Sorting your documents the night before also means you’re not fumbling through a suitcase in front of the kiosk. Everything you need — passport, receipts, the goods themselves — should already be in one place, easy to hand over.

One more thing worth setting up in advance: a working data connection at the airport. Between checking Visit Japan Web, confirming flight details, and tracking your refund status afterward, you’ll likely want internet access from the moment you land at the terminal.