Japan's new tax-free rules and store refund policies

The new rules at a glance

Effective

Nov 1, 2026

At checkout

Pay the tax-inclusive price (no more tax-free at the register)

Minimum

JP¥5,000 or more (excl. tax) at the same store on the same day

Take out of Japan

Leave Japan within 90 days of purchase and get customs confirmation when you depart

Key points

• No more distinction between general goods and consumables; sealed packaging and the JP¥500,000 consumables cap are gone. Items of JP¥1,000,000 or more each (excl. tax) need the serial number etc. recorded.
• Each store decides the refund method (credit card, app, bank transfer, cash at the airport, etc.) and any fee — the government charges nothing — which is why the list below goes store by store.
• At departure, get customs confirmation before you check in your bags; it is done per receipt. Consumables eaten or used up in Japan cannot be refunded.
• The rules go by purchase date: bought by October 31 = old rules; bought from November 1 = new rules. There is no transition period.

Key dates, the full old-vs-new comparison, the 5 steps and FAQs are in the Q&A: Tax-free rules Q&A ›

Rule sources: Japan Tourism Agency: refund method (for travelers), Japan Tourism Agency: FAQ for travelers (refund method), Japan Tourism Agency: FAQ for tax-free shops, Japan Tourism Agency: changes to the procedure (comparison table), National Tax Agency: revision of the tax-free shop system to the refund method, National Tax Agency: Q&A on the tax-free shop system (refund method, overview) Checked Oct 24, 2026

Refund policies at popular stores

28 stores; 7 have published how refunds will work under the new rules on their official sites. "TBA" means the official sources do not say yet — follow the in-store instructions. Tap a store for details and nearby branches.

• Bic Camera

  Electronics
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  No official tax-free page linked Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Yodobashi Camera

  Electronics
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  No official tax-free page linked Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Yamada Denki

  Electronics
  Tax-free shopNew rules published

  New-rule refunds

  Outline published, details not stated (see details)

  Payment methods

  Credit cards, UnionPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Laox

  Electronics
  Tax-free: check in storeNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  Credit cards, UnionPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay, Transit IC cards

  No official tax-free page linked Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• EDION

  Electronics
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Matsumoto Kiyoshi

  Drugstores
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Sundrug

  Drugstores
  Tax-free: check in storeNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  No official tax-free page linked Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Cocokara Fine

  Drugstores
  Tax-free: check in storeNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  No official tax-free page linked Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Tsuruha Drug

  Drugstores
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  Transit IC cards, UnionPay, WeChat Pay, Alipay+

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Welcia

  Drugstores
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  No official tax-free page linked Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Daikoku Drug

  Drugstores
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  Credit cards, UnionPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay, PayPay, Transit IC cards

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Isetan

  Department stores
  Tax-free shopNew rules published

  Refund method (new rules)

  Credit card, E-payment

  Fee

  Processing fee deducted from the refund (rate not stated)

  Minimum

  Single-day total over JP¥5,000 (excl. tax)

  Combine shops

  TBA

  Refund counter

  Each store's Tax-Free Counter, in person on the day of purchase (Shinjuku: Main Building 6F)

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Mitsukoshi

  Department stores
  Tax-free shopNew rules published

  Refund method (new rules)

  Credit card, E-payment

  Fee

  Processing fee deducted from the refund (rate not stated)

  Minimum

  Single-day total over JP¥5,000 (excl. tax)

  Combine shops

  TBA

  Refund counter

  Each store's Tax-Free Counter, in person on the day of purchase

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Takashimaya

  Department stores
  Tax-free shopNew rules published

  Refund method (new rules)

  TBA

  Fee

  A designated system handling fee is deducted (new rate not stated)

  Minimum

  TBA

  Combine shops

  TBA

  Refund counter

  Register at the Tax-Free counter on the day of purchase (Nihombashi: Main Building 2F); no refund at the counter

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Daimaru Matsuzakaya

  Department stores
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores

  Department stores
  Tax-free shopNew rules published

  Refund method (new rules)

  Credit card, E-payment, Cash, Airport counter

  Fee

  A Global Blue system fee on the purchase amount (the site says the rate changes from November 1 but gives no number); extra fee for cash refunds at airports / seaports

  Minimum

  Same-day total of JP¥5,000 or more (excl. tax), no upper limit

  Combine shops

  Can be combined

  Refund counter

  Each store's tax-free counter on the day of purchase (Umeda Main Store: B1 / 1F)

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Seibu / Sogo

  Department stores
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Tokyu Department Store

  Department stores
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  Credit cards, Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Don Quijote

  Discount stores
  Tax-free shopNew rules published

  Refund method (new rules)

  TBA

  Fee

  From November 1, refund applications are free at all PPIH Group stores in Japan; only collecting cash at the airport incurs the refund agent's own fee. The free terms may change or end without notice.

  Minimum

  TBA

  Combine shops

  TBA

  Refund counter

  TBA

  Payment methods

  Credit cards, UnionPay

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• GINZA SIX

  Malls
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• PARCO

  Malls
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• @cosme STORE

  Fashion & lifestyle
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  Cash, Transit IC cards, Credit cards, UnionPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay, PayPay

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• UNIQLO

  Fashion & lifestyle
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• GU

  Fashion & lifestyle
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• MUJI

  Fashion & lifestyle
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Loft

  Fashion & lifestyle
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  Transit IC cards, UnionPay, Alipay, Alipay+, WeChat Pay

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Hands

  Fashion & lifestyle
  Tax-free shopNew-rule details TBA

  New-rule refunds

  To be announced / follow in-store instructions

  Payment methods

  Credit cards, Alipay, WeChat Pay

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

• Airport duty-free & refund counters

  Airports
  Tax-free: check in storeNew rules published

  Refund method (new rules)

  Cash, Airport counter

  Fee

  TBA

  Minimum

  TBA

  Combine shops

  TBA

  Refund counter

  "Self Tax Refund" kiosks: Haneda T2 international 3F after departure (6:45–1:30 next day), Haneda T3 3F after departure (24 hours), Narita T1 Central Building 4F before departure (6:00–24:00), Narita T2 Main Building 3F before departure (6:00–24:00), and Naha Airport; Cash Japan refund service at Kansai and Kobe airports

  Payment methods

  TBA

  Official info Checked Oct 24, 2026 Details ›

Store policies can change at any time, especially around the November 1 switch. The information here is as of the check date; follow the in-store instructions when you buy. If something is out of date, please tell us via the feedback link at the bottom of the page.