Japan Tax-Free Shopping: How to Keep Your Refund
For purchases from 1 November 2026, you pay the full tax-inclusive price in the shop and the tax is refunded after customs confirms at departure that you took the goods out of Japan. Keep everything unused, and go to customs before you check in your bags.
The 25-second video, with Hako. Open on YouTube
The 4 things to know
Pay full price, get the tax back later
From 1 November 2026 the tax is no longer taken off at the register. You pay the tax-inclusive price and show your passport, and the tax is refunded after customs confirms you took the goods out of Japan.
Don't eat or use it before you leave
Food, drink or anything else you eat or use in Japan is not eligible. Used items don't count, and you should tell customs if you used some.
Visit customs before you check your bags
Complete the customs tax-free confirmation before you check in your baggage, with your goods in hand and every item from your receipts. Once goods are in checked baggage you can't get them back for confirmation, so there is no refund.
Keep receipts and goods together
Customs judges each receipt as a whole, so every item on a receipt must be confirmed. If one item is missing or used, the whole receipt can lose tax-free status.
Quick answers
How much do I need to spend to get a tax-free refund?
The minimum is 5,000 yen before tax, spent in the same shop on the same day. You must take every item from that purchase out of Japan yourself within 90 days.
Do old tax-free guides still apply?
Not for purchases made on or after 1 November 2026. Before that date the old point-of-sale system applies, and some older guides, including some official pages, still describe it.
How long does the refund take to arrive?
Refund methods and any operator fees are set per shop, so we can't give an exact amount or timing. The refund is paid by the shop or its refund service provider, by the method you chose in the shop.
Read the video transcript
Shopping tax-free in Japan from November first? Don't lose your refund.
One. You now pay the full price with tax. The tax comes back after customs checks your goods.
Two. Don't eat or use what you bought before you leave. Used items don't count.
Three. Go to customs before you check in your bags. Bring every item on your receipts.
Keep your receipts and goods together.
Sources & how we checked
The tips on this page were checked against these official pages:
- mlit.go.jpJTA (MLIT) - 1. What is the refund method (γͺγγ‘γ³γζΉεΌγ¨γ―)
- mlit.go.jpJTA (MLIT) - Traveler FAQ (refund method) ζ θ‘θ εγγγγγθ³ͺε
- japan.travelJNTO - Changes are coming to Japan's tax-free shopping
- nta.go.jpNational Tax Agency - Tax-free system leaflet (Nov 2026 refund method, PDF)
- Updated
- Video
- 25 seconds, made by Ready in Japan
- Good to know
- Rules can vary by place. Follow local signs and staff.
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