Wise and Revolut give you mid-market rates with transparent ~0.5% fees. Roughly ¥6,000 saved on a $1,500 trip. Order before you fly and you'll skip the counter queues entirely.
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Japan Drugstore Shopping Complete Guide — Quick Answer: Matsukiyo vs Welcia vs Sundrug vs Kokumin and Tax-Free
⚡ 30-second answer: Japan's Top 5 drugstores = (1) Matsumoto Kiyoshi (largest chain, many tourist spots) (2) Welcia (strong in regional areas) (3) Sundrug (low prices) (4) Cocokara Fine (5) Kokumin. Tax-free 5-7% off on purchases of ¥5,000+, Loxonin S ¥800 / collagen ¥1,500 / face masks ¥300-1,500 — a must-visit for tourists.
Quick reference
Value
Matsukiyo
Many tourist locations
Welcia
Strong in regions
Sundrug
Low prices
Tax-free
¥5K + 5-7%
Face masks
¥300-1,500
Last verified
June 2026
✓ Last verified: Jun 2026
📖5 min read
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Contents
30-second answer
Japan's drugstores offer world-class selection plus pricing. Tourists stock up on cosmetics, medicine, supplements, and snacks all at once, and the tax-free system gives a real effective discount.
🏪 Top 5 major drugstore chains
1️⃣ Matsumoto Kiyoshi (Matsukiyo)
Stores: 1,700+ nationwide
Strength: Many tourist locations
Tourist support: Full multilingual
Best for: Cosmetics + health foods
Price level: Standard
2️⃣ Welcia
Stores: 2,500+ nationwide
Strength: Strong in regional areas + part of the Aeon group
Tourist support: Limited
Best for: Pharmaceuticals
3️⃣ Sundrug
Stores: 1,200+ nationwide
Strength: Low-price strategy
Best for: Value seekers**
4️⃣ Cocokara Fine
Stores: 1,400+ nationwide
Merged with Matsukiyo (2021)
Strong in cosmetics
5️⃣ Kokumin
Stores: 200+, centered in Kansai
Strength: Many large-format stores
💊 Top 30 popular items for tourists
OTC medicines
Loxonin S: ¥800-1,200 (fever / pain relief)
Eve A: ¥600-900 (headache)
Seirogan: ¥500-800 (stomachache / diarrhea)
Ohta-Isan: ¥400-700 (indigestion)
Shin Biofermin S: ¥500-1,000 (gut health)
Cold and allergy medicines
Pabron: ¥1,000-1,500
Allergyl tablets: ¥1,500-2,500
Contac: ¥1,000-1,800
Cosmetics and skincare
Shiseido Elixir: ¥3,000-7,000
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil: ¥1,500-3,000
SK-II Facial Treatment: ¥10,000+
Muji toner: ¥500-1,000
Curel toner: ¥2,000-3,000
Face masks
Lululun face mask: ¥300-700 (pack of 5)
Mediheal face mask: ¥500-1,500
Club face mask: ¥500-1,000
MINON (for sensitive skin): ¥1,500-3,000
Supplements and health foods
DHC multivitamin: ¥500-1,000
Fancl iron: ¥800-1,500
Meiji Savas protein: ¥2,000-5,000
Aojiru (green juice): ¥1,500-3,500
Hair care
Camellia oil (tsubaki): ¥500-2,000
Tsubaki shampoo: ¥500-1,500
L'Oreal Paris: ¥500-2,000
Skincare
Nivea (blue tin): ¥300-500
Hatomugi toner: ¥600-1,200
Muji jojoba oil: ¥1,200-2,500
Contacts and eye drops
Eye drops (Rohto / Santen): ¥300-1,500
Contact lens supplies: ¥500-2,000
Hygiene
Sanitary items: ¥300-800
Toothbrush: ¥200-1,000
💰 Tax-free shopping
Tax-free threshold
¥5,000+ in a single store on the same day
Tourist visa required
Food + medicine: 5% refund
Cosmetics: 7% refund
Tax-free stores
Matsukiyo: Almost all stores
Welcia: Mainly tourist areas
Sundrug: Tourist areas only
Procedure
Pick items totaling over ¥5K
Show passport
Complete TAX FREE process in-store
Discount applied on the spot, or refund at departure
🌐 Multilingual support
Matsukiyo
Shinjuku / Shibuya / Ginza: Full support in English, Chinese, Korean
Tourist-area stores: Multilingual staff
App: Multilingual
Welcia
Tourist areas: Some support
Regional: Limited
Sundrug
Tourist areas: Mainly English
📍 Recommendations by area
Tokyo
Matsukiyo Shinjuku East Exit: 24h + large format
Matsukiyo Shibuya: Packed with tourists
Matsukiyo Ginza: Great for premium cosmetics
Osaka
Matsukiyo Namba: Tourist-oriented
Welcia Umeda: Large format
Kyoto
Matsukiyo Shijo Kawaramachi: Tourist-centered
Welcia Karasuma: Local-centered
Fukuoka
Matsukiyo Tenjin: Large, tourist-friendly
Sapporo
Matsukiyo Odori: Central area
⏰ Opening hours
Standard
9:00-22:00: Most stores
24h: Some tourist-area locations
Matsukiyo 24h stores
Shinjuku East Exit flagship
Shibuya Scramble Crossing store
Ikebukuro East Exit
Central tourist areas
Closing days
Open year-round generally
Reduced hours only at New Year
💳 Payment methods
Accepted at all stores
Cash
Credit cards (Visa / MC / JCB / AMEX)
PayPay
Suica / IC cards
Tourist-friendly options
AliPay / WeChat Pay: Tourist-area stores
Apple Pay / Google Pay
Multilingual receipts: Some stores
💡 Tourist strategy guide
1. Tourist areas vs regional
Tourist-area Matsukiyo: Multilingual + tax-free
Regional Welcia: Prices 10-20% lower
2. Use point cards
Matsukiyo app: 1-3% back
Welcia T-card: 1% back
Tourists can sign up too
3. Watch for campaigns
End-of-month sales
Seasonal limited sets
Bonus-season sales
4. Small purchases vs bulk
Tax-free kicks in above ¥5K
Splitting purchases disqualifies you
5. Use coupons
Matsukiyo app coupons
Tourist-targeted coupons
🚀 Bringing items home — cautions
Carry-on restrictions
Liquids must be 100ml or less
Toners and lotions go in checked baggage
Medications can stay in carry-on
International export restrictions
Some medications: Declaration required
Large amounts of cosmetics: Usually fine
Customs duties may apply depending on quantity
Storage
Cosmetics: Avoid direct sunlight
Medication: Cool place
Expiry dates: Check before departure
🌐 Drugstore favorites by country
🇨🇳 Chinese tourists
Shiseido / SK-II: Bulk buying
DHC
Seirogan / Ohta-Isan
🇰🇷 Korean tourists
Cosmetics in general
Face masks
🇹🇼 Taiwanese tourists
DHC / Muji
Makeup
🇺🇸 American tourists
Matcha products
Entry-level cosmetics
🇪🇺 European tourists
Camellia oil / natural products
Matcha products
5 common tourist mistakes
Splitting purchases and missing tax-free → Consolidate over ¥5K
Buying only at tourist areas (more expensive) → Compare regional and large-format stores
Not asking for tax-free → Always request it
Missing expiry dates → Expires after you return home
Excess weight on the way home → Calculate your suitcase capacity
Pre-departure checklist
Make a wishlist
Download Matsukiyo app
Check large stores near your stay
Calculate carry-back weight
Check import rules for medication
FAQ
Q: Difference between prescription and OTC?
A: OTC (over the counter) = freely purchasable, prescription = doctor's prescription needed. Tourists only buy OTC.
Q: Difference between department store and drugstore cosmetics?
A: Department store quality ≥ drugstore quality, drugstore price 30-50% lower. If value matters most, go drugstore.
Q: English support for medications?
A: Large Matsukiyo stores have English-speaking staff, and you can consult the pharmacist.
Q: Are there tourist-only discounts?
A: Tax-free is the real discount, and tourist coupons are also available in the app.
Q: Do bulk purchases get cheaper?
A: Almost always at list price — bulk discounts only during campaigns.
About: Yen Finder Editorial / Last verified June 2026. Prices and stock vary — confirm with each drugstore's official channels for the latest.