Shopping
Supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores — phrases you'll need wherever you shop.
Consumption Tax & Tax Exemption:
- Consumption tax in Japan is 10% (food and beverages 8%)
- Foreign tourists can shop tax-free at designated stores with their passport
- Minimum tax-free purchase: ¥5,000 (general goods) or ¥5,000 (consumables, purchased separately)
- Tax-free items cannot be opened or used in Japan
Return & Exchange Policy:
- Japan does not have a universal return policy — each store sets its own rules
- In general: unused, with tags, within a few days, with receipt
- Food, cosmetics, and underwear are usually non-returnable
- Tax-free purchases: returning requires repaying the tax
Payment Methods:
- Cash: most widely accepted everywhere
- Credit/debit card: most major stores accept Visa/Mastercard
- IC card (Suica/ICOCA): convenient for small purchases at convenience stores
- PayPay/LINE Pay: popular cashless apps, requires Japanese phone number to register
Finding Items
Tax-Free
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