# What to buy at Japanese drugstores (Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Sundrug, Tsuruha, Daikoku) and how tax-free and refunds work

> As of October 2026, drugstores use the same tax-free threshold as other shops: 5,000 yen or more excluding tax at one store on the same day, with your original passport. From November 1, 2026 you pay the tax-included price and get the tax back after customs confirmation at the airport, with general goods and consumables counted together. Medicines, quasi-drugs and cosmetics are taxed at 10%; supplements sold as health foods count as food and are taxed at 8%. As of October 24, none of the drugstore chains we checked had published their refund methods or fees under the new system, so follow in-store instructions. Visitors commonly buy eye drops, stomach remedies, painkillers, pain-relief patches, vitamins and sunscreen; use medicines as directed on the label, and note that cold medicines with ephedrine-type or codeine-type ingredients are restricted in some countries.

- Page: https://bestjapanbuy.com/en/q/japan-drugstore-what-to-buy-tax-free/
- Updated: 2026-10-24

## How tax-free and refunds work

- **Threshold**: 5,000 yen or more excluding tax at one store on the same day (about 5,500 yen including tax), with your original passport.
- **From November 1**: you pay the tax-included price; within 90 days of purchase you leave Japan, get customs confirmation at the airport before checking bags, and receive the refund by the method the store explains. General goods and consumables are no longer counted separately, and the sealed bags for consumables are gone. Full process: [Japan's new tax-free rules](/en/q/tax-free-2026/).
- **Tax rates**: medicines, quasi-drugs (marked 医薬部外品 on the box) and cosmetics are 10%; health-food supplements are food, at 8%. One receipt can contain both.

### Example

| Items on the receipt | Tax included | Excluding tax | Consumption tax |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Medicines and cosmetics (10%) | JP¥4,400 | JP¥4,000 | JP¥400 |
| Health-food supplements (8%) | JP¥1,080 | JP¥1,000 | JP¥80 |
| Total | JP¥5,480 | JP¥5,000 | JP¥480 |

The tax-excluded total is exactly JP¥5,000, so it meets the threshold; the refundable amount is JP¥480, and whether the refund provider deducts a fee depends on the store. Try the [tax refund calculator](/en/tools/tax-refund/), and see [How much tax do you get back in Japan?](/en/q/tax-refund-how-much/) for the formulas.

### Practical tips

- **Pay separately for what you'll use on the trip**: consumables used in Japan aren't refunded, and one missing item voids the whole receipt.
- **Class 1 medicines** (such as Loxonin S) can only be sold while a pharmacist is on duty; medicines with ephedrine-type or codeine-type ingredients are limited to one box per type per person in principle. Medicine classes are explained in [How to choose OTC medicine in Japan](/en/q/otc-drugs-buying-guide/).
- Whether member discounts or points can be combined with tax-free varies; for example, Daikoku Drug's FAQ says tax-free purchases can't get the member price.

## Tax-free information for the main drugstore chains

What we confirmed on official sites (October 24, 2026). None has published refund methods or fees under the new system yet, so follow in-store instructions.

| Chain | Tax-free stores | What we confirmed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Matsumoto Kiyoshi](/en/tax-free/matsukiyo/) | Some stores | The official store search can filter by "免税対応 (TAX FREE)" |
| [Sundrug](/en/tax-free/sundrug/) | Unconfirmed | The official site was under maintenance when checked |
| [Cocokara Fine](/en/tax-free/cocokara-fine/) | Unconfirmed | The official site couldn't be reached when checked |
| [Tsuruha Drug](/en/tax-free/tsuruha/) | Some stores | Official list of tax-free stores; payment options include transit IC cards (all stores), UnionPay (some stores), WeChat Pay and Alipay+ |
| [Welcia](/en/tax-free/welcia/) | Some stores | A 2023 group announcement said about 400 stores, with plans for 1,000; current number not confirmed |
| [Daikoku Drug](/en/tax-free/daikoku/) | Some stores | The official tax-free store search lists 127 stores; tax-free purchases can't get the member price |

Don Quijote's cosmetics and medicine aisles are popular too; see [What to buy at Don Quijote and how tax-free works](/en/q/don-quijote-what-to-buy-tax-free/). Refund policies for all shops are on the [tax-free shop list](/en/tax-free/).

## Popular categories: models in our database

Tax-included prices in Japan (lowest online price, Kakaku.com, 2026-10-23, unless noted). Store prices are usually different; use these for comparison only.

| Category | Model | Price in Japan (tax incl.) | Class |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Eye drops | [Sante FX Neo](/en/p/santen-fx-neo-12ml/) | from JP¥272 | Class 2 medicine |
| Eye drops | [V Rohto Premium](/en/p/rohto-v-rohto-premium-15ml/) | from JP¥909 | Class 2 medicine |
| Stomach | [Ohta Isan 140g](/en/p/ohta-isan-140g/) | from JP¥1,180 | Class 2 medicine |
| Painkiller | [EVE A 60 tablets](/en/p/ssp-eve-a-60/) | from JP¥797 | Designated Class 2 medicine |
| Patches | [Salonpas Ae 140 patches](/en/p/hisamitsu-salonpas-ae-140/) | from JP¥1,352 | Class 3 medicine |
| Vitamins | [Chocola BB Plus 180 tablets](/en/p/eisai-chocola-bb-plus-180/) | from JP¥2,626 | Class 3 medicine |
| Vitamins | [DHC Vitamin C, 60 days](/en/p/dhc-vitamin-c-60days/) | from JP¥388 | Health food (8%) |
| Sunscreen | [Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence 70g](/en/p/biore-uv-aqua-rich-watery-essence-70g/) | JP¥980 (store price) | Cosmetic |
| Sunscreen | [ANESSA Perfect UV Milk 60mL](/en/p/anessa-perfect-uv-milk-na-60ml/) | JP¥3,058 (official suggested retail) | Cosmetic |
| Lotion | [Hada Labo Gokujyun 170mL](/en/p/hada-labo-gokujyun-lotion-170ml/) | JP¥902 (store price) | Cosmetic |

More models are on the [OTC medicine category page](/en/c/otc-drugs/) and the [cosmetics category page](/en/c/cosmetics/); for choosing, see [Japanese eye drops guide](/en/q/eye-drops-guide/) and [Japanese cosmetics guide](/en/q/cosmetics-buying-guide/). Effects are as stated on the box and leaflet; we don't give medical advice.

## Before you take it home

- Medicine: rules on codeine, pseudoephedrine and similar ingredients are in [Bringing Japanese cold medicine home](/en/q/japanese-medicine-travel-rules/).
- Cosmetics and sunscreen: flight liquids and customs rules are in [Japanese cosmetics: rules by country](/en/q/japan-cosmetics-customs-by-country/).
- Buying a lot? Check [Duty-free allowances by country](/en/q/duty-free-allowance-by-country/) first.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I combine receipts from different drugstores to reach 5,000 yen?

No. The threshold is per store, per day. Different branches of the same chain count separately.

### What tax rate applies to vitamins and supplements?

Check the box. Chocola BB Plus and Alinamin EX Plus are medicines, taxed at 10%; health-food supplements such as DHC vitamins count as food, taxed at 8%. The National Tax Agency says health foods qualify for the reduced 8% rate as long as they aren't medicines or quasi-drugs.

### If I use a sunscreen I bought tax-free during the trip, does it affect my refund?

Yes. From November 1, consumables used up in Japan aren't eligible, and if even one item on a receipt is missing, nothing on that receipt is refunded. Pay separately for things you'll use during the trip.

### Can I buy several boxes of cold medicine?

Japan's health ministry asks stores to limit medicines with ephedrine-type or codeine-type ingredients to one box per type per person in principle, and you may be asked why if you buy more. These ingredients are also specifically restricted in Singapore, Australia, Korea and elsewhere, so check before you buy.


## Sources

- [Japan Tourism Agency: page on the new refund system for travelers](https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/tax-free/page01_000001_00021.html)
- [Japan Tourism Agency: FAQ for travelers (Refund Method, English)](https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/tax-free/page01_000001_00027.html)
- [National Tax Agency Japan: Reduced consumption tax rate Q&A (case examples, Japanese)](https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/zeimokubetsu/shohi/keigenzeiritsu/pdf/qa/03-01.pdf)
- [Is this a tax-free shop? (MatsukiyoCocokara & Co. FAQ)](https://faq.matsukiyococokara-online.com/kb/article/%E5%85%8D%E7%A8%8E%E5%BA%97%E3%81%8B%E7%9F%A5%E3%82%8A%E3%81%9F%E3%81%84/)
- [Tsuruha Group tax-free stores (Tsuruha Drug)](https://www.tsuruha.co.jp/service/tax-free/)
- [Tax-free stores (Daikoku Drug)](https://daikokudrug.com/store/tax-free/)
- [Tax-free sales expanded to 1,000 stores (Welcia Holdings news release 2023-09-08)](https://www.welcia.co.jp/ja/news/20230908_WHDnewsrelease_Taxfreeshop/main/0/link/20230908_WHDnewsrelease_Taxfreeshop.pdf)
- [Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: drugs with a risk of misuse (July 2025 document)](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/11120000/001520779.pdf)

> Data from BestJapanBuy (bestjapanbuy.com). Please credit and link to the page when using it. Prices are for reference only; check in store.
> Translated with AI; the Chinese version is authoritative.