Japan Tax-Free Shopping from 1 November 2026: The New Refund System Explained

From 1 November 2026, tax-free shopping in Japan becomes a refund system: you pay the full price including the 10% consumption tax (8% on food) at the shop, then claim the tax back when you leave Japan. You still need your passport and a purchase of at least ¥5,000 before tax per shop per day. Within 90 days of buying, you scan your passport at a tax-free terminal at your departure airport or seaport before checking in your bags, and the shop or its refund service pays the tax back by the method it chose. Purchases made up to 31 October 2026 follow the old rule: the tax is taken off at the till.

What Changes on 1 November 2026

	Until 31 October 2026	From 1 November 2026
Price at the till	Tax taken off at the shop	Full price including tax
Minimum spend	¥5,000 before tax, per shop per day	Unchanged
General goods vs consumables	Separate rules and limits	One set of rules
¥500,000 cap on consumables	Applies	Abolished
Sealed packaging for consumables	Required	No longer required, but they must not be used up in Japan
When you must leave Japan	Depended on the item type	Within 90 days of purchase
At departure	Customs might check	Scan your passport at a terminal; customs confirms; then you get the refund

Who Can Shop Tax-Free?

Temporary visitors to Japan: tourists entering on a short-term stay. Show your passport at the shop. If you used an automated immigration gate on arrival, ask the officer for an entry stamp right afterwards, because some shops may still look for one.

Goods must be for your own use and in quantities you can carry out of Japan yourself. Gold and platinum bullion, and items that are already exempt from consumption tax, are excluded.

How to Get Your Refund, Step by Step

1. At the shop. Look for the Tax-Free sign. Spend ¥5,000 or more before tax in that shop on one day. Show your passport and pay the tax-inclusive price. Ask how the shop will refund you (card, e-wallet or another method).
2. Keep the goods with you. Do not post them home or pack them in checked luggage before the departure check. If several items were bought on one receipt, all of them must be with you, or nothing on that receipt is refunded.
3. At the airport or seaport, before bag drop. Scan your passport at a tax-free procedure terminal in the departure lobby. At major international airports you can also start this through Visit Japan Web. Green means you are done. Red means customs will look at the goods at the counter.
4. Receive the refund from the shop or its refund service, by the method it told you.

Items you ate, drank or used up in Japan are not refunded. Tell the customs officer at the counter about them instead of using the terminal.

Practical Tips

• Arrive at the airport earlier than usual, especially with a group or many purchases. The terminal step comes before check-in.
• Pack tax-free goods in your carry-on or a separate bag you can open quickly.
• Keep receipts together by shop. A missing item cancels the refund for its whole receipt.
• Shopping near the end of the trip keeps you well inside the 90-day window and means less to carry.
• Big-ticket items (electronics, watches, cosmetics in volume) are where the refund matters most; ask the shop about its refund method before you pay.

FAQ

Is tax-free shopping still available in Japan after November 2026? Yes. The exemption stays; only the method changes. You pay the tax at the till and get it back when you leave Japan, after customs confirms you are taking the goods out.

What is the minimum purchase for tax-free shopping in Japan? ¥5,000 or more before tax, in one shop, on one day. The minimum did not change in 2026.

How long do I have to leave Japan after buying? 90 days from the date of purchase. You scan your passport at the departure terminal within that period.

Can I put tax-free items in my checked luggage? Do the terminal step first, before bag drop. Customs may ask to see the goods, so keep them where you can show them.

How do I get the money back? By the method the shop or its refund service chose: often a refund to your card or an e-wallet. Ask at the till when you buy.

What if I used some of the items in Japan? Those items are not refunded. Report them at the customs counter. If items are missing from a receipt, the whole receipt can lose its refund.

Sources

• JNTO: Everything you need to know about Japan's new tax-free shopping system
• japan-guide.com: Japan's tax-free shopping rules change from November 2026

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Last updated: 2026-10-31