JAPANPASS TAX-FREE · BETA
NEW RULES FROM 1 NOVEMBER 2026

Japan's tax-free
just changed.
Here's whether it's
still worth it.

You now pay full price at the register and claim the consumption tax back when you leave the country. Every other guide is written by someone who needs you to queue. This one isn't.

Written by someone who lives here, not by a refund company. Updated on the ground.

THE WORTH-IT CALCULATOR

Should you even bother?

Enter what you expect to spend on shopping. We'll print you the honest answer.

¥

JAPANPASS · TAX-FREE

HONESTY RECEIPT · NOT A TAX DOCUMENT

YOUR BASKET¥0
TAX INSIDE IT (10/110)¥0
REFUND IF YOU QUEUE¥0
QUEUE + KIOSK TIME~45 MIN
YOUR PAY RATE FOR QUEUING¥0/HR
MONEY ARRIVES1–4 WEEKS LATER
WORTH ITJAPANPASS

WHAT ACTUALLY CHANGES

Bought tax-free at the till. Refunded after customs.

PURCHASES UP TO 31 OCTOBER 2026: THE CURRENT SYSTEM

1Show your passport at the register
2Pay the tax-excluded price at the shop
3Consumables are sealed in special packaging, with a purchase cap

PURCHASES FROM 1 NOVEMBER 2026: THE REFUND METHOD

1Show your passport and buy at the tax-included price
2Leave Japan within 90 days of the purchase date
3Show your passport to customs at departure to confirm you are taking the goods out
4The shop refunds the consumption tax once it has that customs confirmation

The current system applies to purchases through 31 October 2026 and the refund method applies to purchases from 1 November 2026. There is no overlap period in which you can choose.

What is being abolished

  • The distinction between general goods and consumables is abolished.
  • For consumables, the ¥500,000 per shop per day upper limit is abolished.
  • For consumables, special packaging is abolished.

Source: Ministry of Finance, FY2025 Tax Reform Outline — “一般物品と消耗品の区分を廣止する” and “消耗品について…購入上限額（50万円）及び特殊包装を廣止する”.

What still applies

  • Purchases totalling ¥5,000 or more (tax excluded) per shop per day are eligible.
  • Customs confirmation must be obtained within 90 days of the purchase date, at departure, before you complete boarding procedures.
  • Customs inspection is in the international departure lobby, before baggage check-in, so do not check the goods in first.

Sources: Japan Tourism Agency (MLIT) tax-free shop site; National Tax Agency — “令和ﾈ年11月１日から「リファンド方式」が実施されます”.

FOR TRAVELLERS — IF YOU ARE CLAIMING

What you now have to do.

Spend ¥5,000 or more, tax excluded, per shop per day. Below that the purchase is not eligible.
Pay the tax-included price in the shop. Under the refund method you are refunded later, not discounted at the till.
Leave Japan within 90 days of the purchase date.
Show your passport to customs at departure before you finish boarding procedures.
Do not check the goods in first. Customs inspection is in the departure lobby, before baggage check-in.
Consumables you use up in Japan are not eligible. Take them out with you.

Sources: Japan Tourism Agency (MLIT); National Tax Agency. We do not state a refund waiting time: the official shop guidance says the refund method and its timing are not fixed by the consumption tax law, so it depends on the shop or the refund operator it uses.

FOR SHOPS — WHAT YOUR FOREIGN CUSTOMERS WILL ASK

And how to answer them.

“Why am I paying tax now?” From 1 November 2026 tax-free goods are sold at the tax-included price. The consumption tax is refunded after customs confirms the goods left Japan.
“When do I get my money?” After customs confirmation. The official guidance for shops states the refund procedure and its timing are not set by the consumption tax law, so answer with what your own shop or refund operator does. Do not promise a date you do not control.
“Do you still need to seal my snacks?” No. Special packaging for consumables is abolished, as is the ¥500,000 per shop per day cap and the general goods versus consumables split.
“Do I have to register for anything new?” The official shop FAQ says a shop that delegates the refund to an operator does not need to register as a funds-transfer business, and a shop that handles its own records needs no special registration. A shop newly delegating files a change notification with the tax office.

Source: Japan Tourism Agency (MLIT), FAQ for tax-free shops on the refund method.

CHECKED ON FOOT

Which shops still do tax-free?

Chains will keep it. Small shops are deciding right now, so we're walking the shopping streets and asking, one counter at a time. Nobody else is.

No shops verified in person yet. When we confirm a shop is handling the new refund method, it appears here with the date we checked.

Where this comes from, and what it is not

Checked on 25 July 2026. Every rule stated on this page comes from an official Japanese government source, linked below. Where the official guidance does not state something, this page does not either.

This page informs, it does not advise. It is not tax advice. Shops should confirm their own obligations with the National Tax Agency or their accountant, and travellers should follow the instructions given by customs and by the shop at the time of purchase.

Why you can trust this page

Refund operators earn a cut of every refund you claim, so their guides need you to queue. JapanPass earns nothing from your refund. No operator pays for placement here, and none of them saw this page before you did. If the maths says skip it, we say skip it.

QUICK ANSWERS

The questions everyone's asking.

Why did Japan change this?

Resale abuse. People were buying tax-free and reselling inside Japan. Moving the refund to departure, after customs confirms the goods actually left, closes the loophole, and hands the paperwork to you.

How does the refund actually reach me?

To your card in one to two weeks, or by bank transfer in two to four. Not at the shop, not at the airport counter in cash. The shop or its refund operator sends it after customs confirms export.

Is anything still discounted at the register?

No. From 1 November there is no point-of-sale discount anywhere in Japan. Anyone offering one is doing something the rules ended.

What if I'm spending under ¥20,000 total?

Honestly? Run the calculator, but the answer is usually to enjoy your trip and skip the queue. A small refund still means clearing customs at departure before you fly.