Tool · Shopping & Tax-free

Japan tax-free refund calculator

For purchases from November 1, 2026 · Checked Nov 3, 2026

Since November 1, 2026, tax-free shops in Japan charge visitors the full price, tax included. The tax comes back as a refund once customs confirms at the airport or seaport that you are taking the goods out of Japan (Japan Tourism Agency). Add what you bought below to see roughly how much should come back, and whether each shop clears the ¥5,000 minimum.

New to the refund system? See the old and new rules side by side, with the four ways people lose their refund.

The rules this calculator uses

Tax rates: 10% for most goods (alcohol included) and 8% for food and drink other than alcohol and eating out. National Tax Agency
Minimum spend: ¥5,000 or more, tax excluded, per day at the same store. That is ¥5,500 on the tag for 10% goods, or ¥5,400 for 8% food. Japan Tourism Agency
Food, cosmetics and other goods are no longer split into general and consumable goods, so everything you buy at one store on one day counts towards the same ¥5,000. The ¥500,000 cap on consumables and the sealed bags are gone too. Changes to Tax-Free Goods (PDF)
The refund is the "amount equivalent to consumption tax". On a tax-inclusive price that is 10/110 at 10% (about 9.09%) and 8/108 at 8% (about 7.41%). Japan Tourism Agency, National Tax Agency
Gold and platinum bullion, gold and platinum coins, and goods that carry no consumption tax never qualify. You may only buy what you can personally carry out of Japan. Changes to Tax-Free Goods (PDF)

Who can claim

Foreign nationals who live outside Japan and can show they entered Japan less than six months ago, for example on Temporary Visitor status. You show your passport. The six-month limit does not apply to diplomats, officials and US forces members. List of eligible purchasers (PDF)
Japanese nationals who can prove they have lived outside Japan for two years or more, within six months of a temporary return, with a passport plus a supporting document such as a Residency Certificate. List of eligible purchasers (PDF)

How to claim at the airport: checklist

Keep every item from each receipt with you. If even one item from a receipt is missing, nothing on that receipt is refunded. JTA
Do not eat, drink or use the food, drinks or cosmetics you bought tax-free. If you already did, skip the terminal and tell a customs officer at the counter. JTA
Register how you want to be paid. The shop or its refund company tells you how when you buy. JTA FAQ
Leave Japan within 90 days of the purchase date, with the goods. The customs check has to happen on departure inside that window. JTA
At the airport or seaport, do the check before you check in your bags. Checked bags cannot be taken back out for it. JTA FAQ
Scan your passport at a tax-free terminal in the international departure lobby. Green means done. Red means you show the goods at the customs inspection area. JTA, terminal maps, Japan Customs
At Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, New Chitose and Naha you can use Visit Japan Web on the dedicated Wi-Fi instead, up to the security checkpoint. Temporary Visitor, Diplomat and Official status only. JTA
Flying out via a domestic flight? Do the check at the last airport before you leave Japan. JTA
Leave plenty of time. Giving up halfway because your flight is boarding counts as no check, and nobody compensates you for a missed flight. JTA
Bought one item for ¥1 million or more before tax? Bring its certificate of authenticity or warranty, as customs may ask for it. JTA FAQ

What we could not pin down

Fees. The government pages set no fee. Some shops or refund companies take a processing fee out of the refund, and it varies by shop. This calculator shows the tax before any fee. JTA FAQ
Rounding. Shops can round the tax on a receipt differently, so your refund may differ by a few yen. If a shop total is close to ¥5,000, the receipt decides.
When the money arrives. The Japan Tourism Agency says refunds are generally paid by the shop or its refund company after the customs check, by bank transfer, card, an app or cash at the port, depending on the shop. It gives no timeframe. JTA FAQ
Shopping centre counters. When shops share one tax-free procedure counter, purchases at several of those shops on the same day can be added together for the ¥5,000 minimum. The calculator treats each shop on its own, so ask at the counter. JTA
A planned cut for food. The government plans to drop the tax on food and drink to 1% from April 1, 2027 to March 31, 2029, but only if the bill passes the Diet. It was not law when we checked, so this calculator uses 8%. National Tax Agency

FAQ

How much tax do I get back on tax-free shopping in Japan?

The consumption tax you paid: 10/110 of the tag price for most goods (about 9.09%) and 8/108 for food and drink (about 7.41%), minus any fee your shop or its refund company charges. A ¥11,000 bag carries ¥1,000 of tax. JTA, National Tax Agency

Do food and other goods count together towards the ¥5,000 minimum?

Yes, from November 1, 2026. The split between general goods and consumables is abolished, and the minimum is ¥5,000 tax excluded per day at the same store. Changes to Tax-Free Goods (PDF), JTA

Can I add up two different shops?

Usually not. The minimum is per store per day. The exception is shops that share one tax-free procedure counter, which can combine same-day purchases. JTA

How long do I have to claim?

You must get the customs check when you leave Japan, within 90 days of the purchase date. How and by when you register to get paid is set by the shop or its refund company, so check what they give you at the till. JTA, JTA FAQ

Is there a fee?

It depends on the shop. The government does not set one, but some shops or refund companies deduct a processing fee. JTA FAQ

Sources

All sources were opened on November 3, 2026. Rules can change; the Japan Tourism Agency pages and your shop are the final word. Nothing here is tax advice.