Shopping complete money guide — tax-free, depachika, outlet 2026
⚡ 30-Second Answer: Japan shopping = tourist Top 3 spend (food/lodging/shopping). ¥5,001+ instant 10% tax-free (passport), 95% card acceptance (urban). Hot categories: cosmetics (drugstores) + anime goods (Akihabara) + electronics (Yodobashi/BIC) + fashion (Uniqlo/GU) + food souvenirs. Wise/Revolut + JCB combo = effective 9.5% savings.
Quick Reference Value Tax-free threshold ¥5,001+ Card acceptance 95% (urban) Hot categories Cosmetics/anime/electronics/fashion Net savings 8.45% (tax) + 1% (JCB) Top venues Donki / Dept stores / Akihabara Last verified June 2026
Shopping complete money guide. Japanese shopping perk for tourists: 8% tax-free on ¥5,000+ purchases. Department stores, electronics retailers, drugstores, outlet malls — each has different tax-free rules and cash/card acceptance. Daily shopping budget ¥10,000-50,000, omiyage-focused ¥20,000-40,000 for family-friendly. Tax-free workflow, card strategy, outlet access on 1 page.
TL;DR — shopping playbook
- Tax-free: present passport on ¥5,000+ purchase → 8% discount
- Items: food / drinks / cosmetics / clothes / electronics / general goods split into "consumables" and "general goods"
- Department stores: Ginza / Shinjuku / Shibuya / Umeda flagships = tax-free 100%
- Electronics: Yodobashi / Bic Camera / Yamada = tax-free 100%
- Drugstores: Matsukiyo / Cocokara Fine = many tax-free shops
- Outlets: Gotemba / Karuizawa / Mitsui / Mitsubishi
- Recommended cards: Wise / Revolut
1. Japan's tax-free system
Tax-free 2 categories
General goods: electronics / clothes / general / bags / watches / jewelry → from ¥5,000+ Consumables: food / drinks / cosmetics / meds / stationery → from ¥5,000+ up to ¥500,000
Tax-free procedure
- ¥5,000+ purchase with passport presentation
- At tax-free counter: paperwork (5-15 min)
- 8% consumption tax refund (card cashback or cash refund)
- Consumables packed in sealed bag, unopened until departure
2026 system changes
- Electronic push: paper tax-free forms migrating to PDF / app
- Major chains do instant refund same-day
- Small shops handle at customs at departure in some patterns
→ #88 Tax-free shopping guide / #108 2026 tax-free changes
Which kind of shopper are you?
Where you should shop — and how you claim tax-free — depends on what you're buying. Match your row.
| If you're… | Where to shop | Tax-free move |
|---|---|---|
| A luxury-brand shopper | Department-store flagships (Ginza / Shinjuku) | One tax-free counter clears all your same-day purchases in the store |
| A cosmetics / medicine hauler | Drugstores (Matsukiyo / Sundrug / Welcia) | Consumables tax-free from ¥5,000; keep the sealed bag unopened until you leave Japan |
| An electronics buyer | Yodobashi / Bic Camera | Instant in-store tax-free; confirm overseas voltage before buying |
| A food-souvenir / depachika shopper | Department-store depachika | Food is a consumable — sealed, export-only tax-free |
| A bargain hunter | Don Quijote | Late-night tax-free counters; mixed general + consumable thresholds |
| Carrying a 0%-FX card (Wise / Revolut) | Anywhere card is taken | Pay by card to stack ~the card's FX saving on top of tax-free |
2. Department store shopping
Major depachika and character
| Department store | Location | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Isetan Shinjuku | Shinjuku | Japan's largest depachika |
| Mitsukoshi Ginza | Ginza | Legacy crystallization |
| GINZA SIX | Ginza | New luxury mall |
| Matsuzakaya Ueno | Ueno | Kansai-style lineup |
| Takashimaya Nihombashi | Nihombashi | Legacy, internationally famed |
| Tokyu Shibuya | Shibuya Hikarie | Youth, trendy |
| Hankyu Umeda | Umeda | Kansai's largest, depachika-developed |
| Daimaru Shinsaibashi | Shinsaibashi | Osaka shopping core |
Department store tax-free
- ¥5,000+ receipt combinable (same day, same store)
- Tax-free counter handles in batch
- Depachika food is tax-free (consumable category)
→ #161 Depachika money guide / #147 Ginza money pillar