Japan's new tax-free system from 1 November 2026
You now pay the 10% consumption tax at the till and claim it back after customs confirms, at the airport, that the goods are leaving Japan. Here is exactly what to do at each step.
Japan Tax-Free Shopping Changed in November 2026: What Tourists Must Do
From 1 November 2026, tax-free shopping in Japan is a refund system. Pay the tax at the till, get customs to confirm your goods at the airport within 90 days, then receive the refund.
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Shopping in Japan after November first, 2026? Tax-free shopping just changed. Here's what to do. You now pay the full price at the till, including the ten percent tax. Spend at least five thousand yen before tax in one store, and show your real passport. Not a photo. Keep your purchases in your carry-on, and don't open cosmetics or snacks while you're in Japan. At the airport, get customs to confirm your goods before you check in your suitcase. This has to happen within ninety days of buying. Then you get your refund by cash, card, bank transfer, or app. Ask the store which one when you pay. Get the full step by step guide on Japan Echo.
For years, tax-free shopping in Japan worked at the till. You showed your passport, the store took 10% off, and that was the end of it. From 1 November 2026 that stops. Japan is moving to a refund system, and every store follows the new rules from the same day. There is no period where both systems run side by side.
The change exists because too many tax-free goods never left the country. Under the new system, you only get the tax back once customs has seen proof that you took the goods home.
The new process, step by step
- At the store. You pay the full price including tax. Show your physical passport. The store records the purchase as a tax-free sale and links it to your passport details.
- Ask how the refund will be paid. This varies by store and by the refund company the store uses. Ask before you pay, and keep the receipt and any refund paperwork.
- Keep the goods with you. Pack them in a bag you can open easily at the airport. Do not check that bag in yet.
- At departure, before baggage drop. Get customs to confirm the goods are leaving. Depending on the airport this is done at a kiosk, through Visit Japan Web, or by a customs officer.
- Receive the refund. The store or refund company pays you back once the customs confirmation reaches them.
What you need to qualify
- Minimum spend: ¥5,000 or more before tax, in one store. General goods and consumables now count together toward this total. Note that a price tag of ¥5,000 including tax is below the line.
- Your passport, the physical one. Photos and copies are not accepted.
- Personal use. You must take the goods out of Japan yourself. Buying on behalf of friends or for resale does not qualify.
- Consumables unopened. Cosmetics, food, drinks and medicine cannot be used or eaten in Japan.
What gets easier
- The old ¥500,000 per-day limit on consumables has been removed.
- Stores no longer seal consumables in special see-through bags, so you can repack freely.
- Shipping straight from the store to your home address still counts. Note that sending tax-free goods home yourself by post stopped qualifying in March 2025.
How refunds are paid
There is no single method. You may see any of these:
| Refund method | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Cash at the airport | Collected from a refund counter after customs confirmation |
| Credit card refund | Back to the card you paid with; can take days or weeks |
| Bank transfer | Needs your bank details; check fees for international transfers |
| App payment | Through the refund company's app or wallet |
Expensive items
Any single item priced at ¥1,000,000 or more before tax needs detailed product records, such as a serial number. Watches, cameras and jewellery are the usual examples. Expect the store to take longer at the counter.
Airport day plan
- Allow at least 30 extra minutes on top of your normal check-in time.
- Keep all tax-free goods and receipts in one carry-on bag or tote.
- Do the customs confirmation first, then check in your suitcase.
- Liquids over 100 ml must go in checked baggage. Repack them after the customs step and before baggage drop.
