Anyone who shops in Tokyo knows the sight: a line of visitors at the tax-free counter, passports in hand, waiting their turn. I have seen those lines myself. From November, that line does not disappear. It moves to the airport.

For years, Japan’s tax-free shopping worked like a magic trick. You showed your passport at the register, and the 10% consumption tax simply disappeared from the price. No forms at the airport, no waiting for a refund.

That trick ends on November 1, 2026. The tax break itself stays. What changes is when you get it: you now pay the full price in the store and collect the tax back when you leave Japan.

If you are flying out before then, the old system still applies. If your trip crosses that date, this is the guide you need.

What Changed, in One Sentence

From November 1, 2026, tax-free stores charge you the tax-inclusive price, and the consumption tax is refunded only after Japanese customs confirms, at your departure, that the goods are leaving the country.

Who Can Claim It

The refund is for short-term visitors, not for everyone holding a foreign passport.

• Foreign visitors who entered Japan as a “Temporary Visitor” (the status most tourists receive on arrival).
• Japanese nationals living abroad who have lived outside Japan for at least two consecutive years, with an official document from a Japanese embassy or consulate proving it.

International students, people on work visas, and working holiday participants are not eligible, even if they are leaving Japan soon.

How It Works, Step by Step

1. At the store: pay in full, register your passport

Shop at a store that shows the tax-free sign. Tell the staff you want the tax refund and show your original passport (not a photo or copy). You pay the full, tax-inclusive price. The store records the purchase electronically and links it to your passport.

The minimum stays the same: ¥5,000 or more, before tax, at one store on one day.

Depending on the store’s refund provider, you may be asked to register how you want the refund paid, for example a credit card or a mobile wallet. Some providers do this at the register; others use an app or website.

2. Keep the goods with you, and keep them unused

You no longer need sealed bags, and you are free to open what you bought. The rule is simpler: whatever you use up in Japan does not get refunded. Eat the snacks or finish the skincare before you fly, and the tax on those items is gone.

3. At departure: customs confirms, then the refund is released

When you leave Japan, go through the customs tax-free procedure at your airport or port. Customs checks your passport against the purchase records and may ask to see the goods. Once customs confirms that the goods are leaving Japan, your refund is approved.

You must leave Japan within 90 days of the purchase date for that purchase to qualify.

4. The refund arrives

The refund is paid by the method set up with the store’s refund provider: credit card, mobile/QR payment, bank transfer, and possibly cash at the departure port. The method, the timing, and any handling fee depend on the provider, not on the government. Ask at the register before you pay.

The Details That Catch People Out

• One missing item can void the whole receipt. Customs confirms purchases as a set. If one item on a purchase record cannot be confirmed, the refund for that entire purchase can be refused.
• Food and drinks are refunded at 8%, not 10%. Japan taxes most food and non-alcoholic drinks at a reduced 8% rate. Your refund can only be the tax you actually paid.
• Shipping home does not count. Since April 1, 2025, goods sent overseas by parcel from Japan are no longer eligible. The goods must leave with you.
• Expensive items are recorded individually. For a single item priced at ¥1,000,000 or more, the store records the serial number.
• Fees may reduce the refund. Refund providers may charge a fee, so the amount you receive can be less than the full tax.

Local Tips

• Do the customs step before you check your bags. Customs can ask to see what you bought. If those items are already in your checked suitcase, you cannot show them. Pack tax-free purchases in your carry-on, or visit customs before bag drop.
• Budget airport time the way you used to budget counter time. The lines at store tax-free counters are a familiar sight in Tokyo. Under the new system, the checking happens once at departure instead, and every visitor who shopped goes through it. Expect queues at Narita and Haneda, especially in the first months, and arrive earlier than you normally would.
• Group your shopping. The ¥5,000 minimum is per store, per day. Department stores often run a single tax-free counter for the whole building, which makes the threshold easier to reach than at a small shop.
• Ask how the refund is paid before you buy. Credit card or wallet is simplest for most visitors. Cash at the airport only helps if you still plan to spend yen.
• Keep your receipts together with your passport. You may be asked for either at customs.

Practical Info