Japan Drinking Age Is 20: Rules to Know Before Your First Beer
The legal drinking age in Japan is 20, even though adulthood has been 18 since April 2022. Convenience stores commonly ask you to tap an 'I am 20 or older' button, and staff may check ID, so carry your passport. Around Shibuya Station, street drinking is banned at night.
The 22-second video, with Hako. Open on YouTube
The 3 things to know
The drinking age is 20, not 18
Alcohol and tobacco purchase age stays at 20 even though adulthood is 18 since April 2022. Your home country's drinking age doesn't change this.
Tap the screen and carry your passport
Convenience stores commonly use an on-screen 'I am 20 or older' confirmation, and staff may check ID. Practice varies by store, so carry your passport.
No street drinking around Shibuya Station at night
Since 1 October 2024, Shibuya Ward bans drinking in streets, parks and plazas in designated areas around Shibuya Station every night from 6 pm to 5 am. The ward patrols and asks people to stop.
Quick answers
Can I drink at 18 in Japan?
No. Adulthood is 18 since April 2022, but the legal age for drinking and buying alcohol stays at 20.
Is drinking outside illegal in Japan?
Not nationwide. It is a local rule in places such as Shibuya, where designated areas around the station ban street drinking every night from 6 pm to 5 am.
Will I always be asked for ID at a convenience store?
Not always. The usual check is the on-screen 'I am 20 or older' tap, and staff may check ID, but practice varies by store.
Read the video transcript
Drinking in Japan? Three rules before your first beer.
One. The drinking age is twenty, not eighteen.
Two. At convenience stores, you tap I'm twenty or older on the screen. Carry your passport.
Three. Around Shibuya Station, drinking in public is banned at night.
Kanpai means cheers. Drink responsibly.
Sources & how we checked
The tips on this page were checked against these official pages:
- nta.go.jpNational Tax Agency - Minors' drinking measures 2022 (age of majority 18, drinking age stays 20)
- nippon.comNippon.com - Convenience store guide: beverages edition
- sp.m.jiji.comJiji Press: Nighttime street drinking banned year-round in Shibuya
- city.shibuya.tokyo.jp渋谷区広報: 渋谷駅周辺 路上飲酒禁止（2024年10月施行）
- Updated
- Video
- 22 seconds, made by Ready in Japan
- Good to know
- Rules can vary by place. Follow local signs and staff.
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