Entry & exit
Tax-free shopping
Pay the full price, tax included. ¥5,000+ (before tax) per store, per day.
Keep every item and receipt in your carry-on. Not in checked bags.
At the airport, scan your passport at the tax-free kiosk — before you fly, within 90 days.
Green: done. Red: show customs the goods. The refund comes from the shop or its partner.
From November 1, 2026, tax-free means you pay tax at the till and get it back when you leave.
What to know
- Shops now charge visitors the full, tax-inclusive price. The consumption tax is refunded after a customs check at departure.
- To qualify, spend ¥5,000 or more (before tax) in a single store on a single day.
- The goods have to leave Japan with you. Gold and platinum bullion don't qualify, and neither does anything that's already tax-exempt.
- The special sealed bags for food and cosmetics are gone. If you eat, drink or use any of them in Japan, that item no longer qualifies. Don't do the kiosk procedure for it. Tell a customs officer at the counter instead.
- At the airport or seaport, scan your passport at a tax-free kiosk within 90 days of purchase. Green means you're done. Red means you take your goods to the customs inspection area.
- Checks are done per receipt. If even one item from a receipt is missing, nothing on that receipt is refunded.
- Everything must be with you at the kiosk, so it can't go in checked luggage. Bags that are already checked can't be retrieved.
- At Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, New Chitose and Naha, you can also use Visit Japan Web in designated areas.
- Finish before boarding. If you miss your flight, nobody compensates you.
- The refund is paid by the shop or its refund agent. Ask how when you buy.
psst, keep the receipts in one envelope and the goods in one bag. Do the kiosk before you check in, while you can still repack.