Japan Tax-Free Refund Calculator
Since Nov 1, 2026, tax-free shopping in Japan works on a refund basis: you pay the tax-inclusive price and are refunded after customs confirms export at departure. Estimate yours here.
Refund estimator
Settings
Some shops or refund operators deduct a fee. Leave 0 if none.
Reference rates around 2026-11-01, for illustration only. Edit to your own rate.
Total estimate
Rates: CNY / TWD / USD · Paid in store (tax incl.):
Estimate only: stores round fractions differently. Actual amounts are set by the shop / refund operator.
How the new system works (5 steps)
- Pay the tax-inclusive priceShow your passport and pay the full price including tax (no more tax-free price at the till). You need ¥5,000+ (before tax) per store per day.
- Keep your goods and receiptsYou must carry all purchased goods out of Japan. Checks are per receipt: if even one item on a receipt is missing, none of that receipt is refundable.
- Scan your passport before departureWithin 90 days of purchase, at a tax-free procedure terminal in the departure lobby before baggage check-in. At major airports you can also use Visit Japan Web.
- Green or Red resultGreen = no inspection, procedure complete. Red = take your goods to the customs inspection area to be verified.
- Receive your refundAfter customs confirms export, the shop or its refund operator pays you. Method (bank, card, app, cash), timing and fees vary by shop.
Key rules (official)
- You pay the tax-inclusive price; the amount equal to consumption tax is refunded after customs confirms export.
- Total of ¥5,000 or more (before tax) per store per day.
- Complete the customs check within 90 days of the purchase date.
- Goods must leave Japan, limited to what you can carry yourself; gold/platinum bullion and goods already exempt from consumption tax are excluded.
- Special packaging for consumables and the ¥500,000 consumables cap are abolished; but food, drinks or cosmetics consumed in Japan are not refundable.
FAQ
What changes on November 1, 2026?
Tax-free shopping moves from “buy at the tax-excluded price” to a refund method: you pay the tax-inclusive price and the equivalent of consumption tax is refunded after customs confirms the goods are taken out of Japan. It applies to purchases on or after that date, with no overlap period.
What is the minimum purchase?
¥5,000 or more (before tax) in total per tax-free store per day. The old split between general goods and consumables is gone, and so is the ¥500,000 consumables limit. This calculator checks the minimum separately for each store/day.
How is the refund calculated?
Tax-inclusive price × 10/110 (standard 10%) or × 8/108 (reduced 8%). For example, ¥11,000 incl. tax at 10% refunds about ¥1,000; ¥1,080 of food at 8% refunds about ¥80. Rounding can differ by shop; this tool rounds down per tax-rate group.
Which items are 8% and which 10%?
Most goods are 10%. Food and non-alcoholic drinks sold for take-out/retail are generally 8% (reduced rate); alcohol and dining-in are 10%. Follow the rate printed on your receipt. A bill to temporarily cut the food rate to 1% (proposed from April 2027) is still before the Diet and is not in force, so it does not affect purchases now.
Are there fees?
There is no uniform rule in the law. Whether the shop or the traveler bears the refund fee depends on the shop’s contract with its refund operator. Ask before paying. The fee % in this tool is optional and defaults to 0.
How long do I have, and where do I do the procedure?
Within 90 days of purchase, at your final departure airport or seaport from Japan, in the departure lobby before baggage check-in, with your passport and all the goods in hand. Do not check the goods in first.
What if I already ate or used something?
Consumables eaten or used in Japan are not eligible. If you no longer have some goods, do not use the self-service terminal; report it to a customs officer at the counter. If even one item on a receipt is missing, the whole receipt is ineligible.
When and how will I be refunded?
The shop, or a refund operator it entrusts, handles it: bank transfer, card refund, app transfer or cash at the port are all possible. Timing and fees vary, so rely on the terms the shop gives you.
Disclaimer
This is an independent estimation tool, not an official site of the Japanese government or any agency. Results are estimates and not tax or legal advice. Actual refunds, fees, rounding and eligibility are determined by the tax-free shop, its refund operator, and the rules of Japan Customs and the National Tax Agency.
Official sources
- Japan Customs: Tax Exemption (Refund) Program for Foreign Visitors
- JNTO: Everything You Need to Know about Japan’s New Tax-Free Shopping System
- Japan Tourism Agency: Traveler page (Refund Method)
- National Tax Agency: Refund Method overview (Japanese)
Facts checked against official pages on 2026-11-01