What is known (as of 21 October 2026)
| Topic | What applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Refund fee | Not announced | — |
| Refund company and app | Not announced | — |
| Minimum spend | ¥5,000 before tax at the same store on the same day | Japan Tourism Agency |
| Which stores are tax-free | Not all of them. The store finder marks tax-free stores “TAX FREE”. | Matsumoto Kiyoshi store finder |
| Visitor coupon | 3%, 5% or 7% off, valid until 31 March 2027 | FUN! JAPAN and MATCHA coupon pages |
Medicines and cosmetics under the new rules
From 1 November the separate rules for consumables end. Medicines, cosmetics and food count together with other goods towards the ¥5,000 minimum, the ¥500,000 limit on consumables is gone and there are no more sealed bags.
One thing has not changed: the goods must leave Japan unused. If you open and use medicines or cosmetics bought tax-free before the customs check, customs can refuse the refund for everything on that receipt. Pack them where you can reach them in case you get a red result at the kiosk.
The visitor coupon
- The Matsumoto Kiyoshi coupon on FUN! JAPAN and MATCHA gives 3% off purchases from ¥10,000 to under ¥30,000, 5% from ¥30,000 to under ¥50,000 and 7% from ¥50,000: Matsumoto Kiyoshi coupon. The pages do not say whether these amounts include tax, so ask at the till.
- Cocokara Fine has its own coupon with the same rates: Cocokara Fine coupon.
- Show it on your phone before you pay. It cannot be combined with other discounts and does not work in every store, for example some outlet mall stores.
- Excluded: counselling cosmetics, tobacco, magazines, baby nappies, baby food and some other items.
Some medicines need a pharmacist
Category 1 over-the-counter medicines, a group that includes some stronger painkillers and hair-growth treatments, can only be sold while a pharmacist is on duty. If no pharmacist is working at that moment, the store cannot sell them to you.
Useful before you fly
Airport transfer when you have a lot of shopping bags
Luggage storage in Tokyo for the hours before an evening flight
A store to know
The Matsumoto Kiyoshi SHIBUYA SCRAMBLE FLAG store opened in March 2026 in Udagawa-cho, near Shibuya Crossing. It is open from 9:00 to 23:00 every day and handles tax-free sales.
Before you leave the store
- Check that the store is tax-free before you shop, and ask how the refund is registered.
- Keep the receipt and everything from it together until the customs check.
- Do not open and use medicines or cosmetics before you leave Japan.
- At the airport, do the kiosk check before you check in any bag.
For your departure day
- Getting to Narita Airport: airport trains, buses and luggage delivery: Skyliner · Klook · KKday
- Getting to Haneda Airport: airport trains, buses and luggage delivery: Tokyo Monorail · Klook · KKday
- Getting to Kansai Airport: airport trains, buses and luggage delivery: HARUKA · Klook · KKday
- Luggage storage in Tokyo for the hours before an evening flight: Radical Storage
- Airport transfer when you have a lot of shopping bags: Klook · Trip.com · Welcome Pickups
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