Short answer: for purchases made from 1 November 2026, Japan’s tax-free shopping becomes a refund system. You pay the full price including consumption tax at the shop. When you leave Japan, you scan your passport at a customs kiosk before you check in your bags, and the shop (or its refund company) then pays the tax back. Do the check within 90 days of purchase, and bring every item on the receipt.
Facts checked against the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) and National Tax Agency on 10 October 2026. Rules this new can be fine-tuned; we’ll update this page after the first week of November.
What changes on 1 November 2026
| Purchases up to 31 Oct 2026 | Purchases from 1 Nov 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price you pay at the till | Tax-free price (some shops: refund at a counter) | Full price including tax |
| When you get the tax back | Usually not charged | Refunded after the customs check at departure |
| Minimum spend | ¥5,000 or more | ¥5,000 or more, excluding tax, per store per day (no change) |
| General goods vs consumables | Separate rules and limits | Distinction abolished |
| ¥500,000 cap on consumables | Yes | Abolished; you may buy only what you can carry out of Japan yourself |
| Sealed bags for food and cosmetics | Required | Abolished, but anything you eat or use in Japan loses its refund |
| Customs check | At departure | At a kiosk in the departure lobby, before bag check-in, within 90 days of purchase |
Source: JTA, Refund Method page and JTA, Changes to Tax-Free Goods (PDF), as of 10 Oct 2026.
Who can shop tax-free
- Most foreign tourists: foreign nationals in Japan as a Temporary Visitor (the usual tourist status) for less than six months since entry. You show your passport.
- Japanese nationals living abroad: eligible if they can prove they have lived outside Japan for two years or more, and have been back in Japan for less than six months.
- Residents of Japan (people with a residence card) are not on the eligible list.
Source: JTA, List of Eligible Tax-Free Goods Purchasers (PDF), as of 10 Oct 2026.
What qualifies: the ¥5,000 minimum and other rules
- ¥5,000 or more, excluding tax, per store per day. At the 10% rate that means about ¥5,500 on the price tag. Purchases at two different shops don’t combine, and neither do purchases at one shop on two different days.
- You must take the goods out of Japan. If goods that passed customs are not exported, the tax is collected again and penalties can apply.
- Quantity: only what you can personally carry out when you leave.
- Not eligible: gold and platinum bullion and coins, and items that are exempt from consumption tax anyway.
- Food, drinks and cosmetics can be tax-free, but not if you consume them in Japan, even partly.
How much you get back: worked examples
Japan’s consumption tax is 10% on most goods and 8% on food and non-alcoholic drinks bought to take away (National Tax Agency, as of 10 Oct 2026). The NTA has announced a lower rate on food for two years from 1 April 2027 (NTA notice, Japanese); we’ll update the examples when it applies.
| Purchase (one shop, one day) | Price you pay | Price excl. tax | Qualifies? | Tax to be refunded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacket (10%) | ¥22,000 | ¥20,000 | Yes | up to ¥2,000 |
| Packaged snacks (8%) | ¥5,400 | ¥5,000 | Yes, just | up to ¥400 |
| Cosmetics (10%) | ¥4,950 | ¥4,500 | No, under ¥5,000 | ¥0 |
| Camera (10%) | ¥132,000 | ¥120,000 | Yes | up to ¥12,000 |
We say “up to” because the refund is paid by the shop or the refund company it uses. Ask at the till whether any handling fee is taken off; the JTA pages don’t set one. Also plan your cash flow: the tax now sits on your card until the refund arrives.
At the shop
- Shop at a store that offers tax-free sales and carry your passport.
- Pay the full price including tax.
- Ask how your refund will be paid and register your refund method as the shop explains (card, bank, app, or cash at the port, depending on the shop).
- Keep every item from each receipt together. Customs checks receipt by receipt.
Airport day: the order that keeps your refund
The key change: the tax-free kiosk is in the international departure lobby before bag check-in, and you must have all your tax-free goods with you when you use it. Checked bags can’t be retrieved to fix a problem.
- Pack so you can show the goods. Tax-free items go in your cabin bag, or in a suitcase you don’t check in until after the kiosk.
- Arrive early. The scan takes seconds, but an inspection takes longer, and missing your flight isn’t compensated by the airline or customs.
- Go to the tax-free kiosk (or use Visit Japan Web at the seven airports below) before the check-in counter. Scan your passport.
- Green result: the customs check is done. Red result: take your tax-free goods to the customs inspection area and show them.
- Only then check in your bags and go through security.
- Wait for the refund through the method you registered at the shop. It is generally processed after customs confirms the check.
If you send luggage to the airport by courier, collect it before you use the kiosk: tax-free goods must be with you at the scan.
The 90-day window
You must complete the customs check when you leave Japan within 90 days from the date of purchase. On a typical one- to three-week trip this is no issue. If you stay longer, note the date of your earliest tax-free receipt.
Ways to lose your refund
- One item missing from a receipt: if you don’t have even one item from a receipt, nothing on that receipt is refunded.
- You ate, drank or used it: don’t scan consumed goods at the kiosk. Tell a customs officer at the counter instead.
- Goods are in checked luggage: once a bag is checked in, it can’t be taken back for the inspection.
- Arriving too late: giving up the inspection to make your flight counts as not completed.
- Wrong airport: if you fly domestic to connect to an international flight, do the check at the airport you actually leave Japan from, not the first one.
- After 90 days: purchases older than 90 days at departure are outside the window.
- Not taking it home: goods that passed customs must leave Japan. Otherwise the tax is collected and penalties can apply.
Visit Japan Web: the seven airports
At these airports you can do the procedure online through Visit Japan Web, on the dedicated Wi-Fi in the international departure lobby (up to security), as well as at the kiosks:
- Narita
- Haneda
- Kansai
- Chubu (Centrair)
- Fukuoka
- New Chitose (Sapporo)
- Naha (Okinawa)
At other airports and seaports, use the tax-free kiosk or terminal before check-in. We could not find an official list of which seaports have terminals, so ask your shop or cruise line.
Connecting flights and cruises
- Domestic to international connection: do the check at your final departure airport in Japan.
- Cruise that starts and ends outside Japan: do it at the last Japanese port, on the terminal, before checking in baggage.
- “Fly and cruise” (a cruise from Japan that returns to Japan, then you fly home): do it for your whole stay at the airport you fly out of, before bag check-in. Temporary departures during the cruise don’t need it.
How the refund is paid
The refund comes from the shop or the refund company it uses, not from customs. Depending on the shop, it can be a bank transfer, a credit card refund, an app-based refund, or cash at the port of departure after customs confirmation. Ask which one applies when you buy. For items of ¥1 million or more (excluding tax), customs may ask to see a certificate of authenticity or warranty, so keep them with the item.
Before you fly: quick checklist
- All tax-free receipts together, and every item on each receipt with you
- Tax-free goods in hand luggage or an unchecked bag
- Passport ready for the kiosk
- Extra time at the airport for a possible red result
- Refund method registered with each shop
FAQ
Does the new tax-free system apply to things I bought in October 2026?
No. The refund method applies to purchases made on or after 1 November 2026. Purchases up to 31 October 2026 were made under the previous tax-free system.
What is the minimum purchase for tax-free shopping in Japan?
¥5,000 or more, excluding tax, per store per day. Different shops, or different days at the same shop, don’t add together.
Can I check my tax-free goods in my suitcase?
Only after the customs check. The tax-free kiosk is before bag check-in, you must have all the goods with you when you scan your passport, and checked bags can’t be retrieved for an inspection.
How long do I have to claim the refund?
You must complete the customs check when leaving Japan within 90 days from the date of purchase.
What happens if I eat some of the snacks I bought tax-free?
Consumed goods are not eligible, and if even one item from a receipt is missing, nothing on that receipt is refunded. Don’t use the kiosk for that receipt; tell a customs officer at the counter instead.
Can I get the tax refund in cash?
Possibly. Refunds can be paid by bank transfer, credit card, app or cash at the port of departure, but the options depend on the shop or its refund company, so ask when you buy.
Which airports let me use Visit Japan Web for tax-free?
Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, New Chitose and Naha. At other airports and ports, use the tax-free kiosk or terminal before check-in.
Is there still a limit on how much I can buy?
The ¥500,000 cap on consumables has been abolished. You can buy only what you can personally carry out of Japan when you leave.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Budget the tax you’ll pay upfront into your Japan trip cost plan.
- Hotel and departure taxes are separate from shopping tax: see the Japan tourist tax tracker by city.
- Leave cabin-bag space for tax-free buys with our Japan packing list.
- Still building the route? Start at the Japan travel guide hub.
- Living in Japan rather than visiting? Tax-free isn’t for residents; see taxes in Japan for foreigners.
Sources (checked 10 October 2026)
- Japan Tourism Agency: Refund Method overview
- Japan Tourism Agency: FAQ for travellers (Refund Method)
- Japan Tourism Agency: Changes to Tax-Free Goods (PDF)
- Japan Tourism Agency: List of Eligible Tax-Free Goods Purchasers (PDF)
- Japan Tourism Agency: Refund Method leaflet for travellers (English, PDF)
- National Tax Agency: Consumption tax rates
- Digital Agency: Visit Japan Web
- Shop finder: taxfreeshops.jp
