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| Ginza on the weekend |
There are a lot of information on the web about shopping in Japan so we are just going to make this short and sweet :)
Most people would be interested to know just how cash based Japan really is? Not to worry as most places in the city accepts cards. That includes:
1. Department stores
2. Supermarkets
3. Convenience stores (7-11 / Lawson / Family Mart)
4. Electronic/electrical chain stores (Bic / Yodobashi Camera)
5. ¥100/Daiso stores
6. Most major restaurants
7. Main bus stations (Nohi Takayama)
The places below in general accepts cash only:
1. temple entrances
2. small off main street / back alley / non-major city restaurants
3. transportation top-ups - physical Suica/Pasmo cards
It will be good to have some cash with you, maybe ¥20000 for starters. You can always withdraw when/if you needed more using a multi currency debit card like Wise.
There are generally 2 categories of items for tax free shopping in Japan as a tourist:
1. Consumables - food, cosmetics, items from pharmacy, incense, liquor, etc - these items will be sealed in a bag by the merchant and you should NOT be opened until you leave Japan.
2. General goods - clothing, bags, watches, shoes, electronics, etc - you can wear/use them after your purchase
The total amount on your receipt has to be ¥5000 and above before tax, i.e. at least ¥5500. Now the messy part is if you are buying a mixture of the above 2 categories, best example will be from a pharmacy. We bought some hair moisturizer, nail clippers, some medication, hair gel, etc to make up the ¥5500. All these items will be sealed in a bag and you will not be able to use anything. If you open the bag and custom finds out in the airport, you are liable to repay the tax.
There are also generally 2 methods of tax free shopping:
1. You get tax exemption upon payment, i.e. you just pay the tax free amount. Most merchants use this method (Bic Camera, Mitsui Outlet, etc). Just present your passport to the cashier and they will exempt the tax from your payment.
2. You pay the full item price and claim a tax refund. This method is usually used in department stores (Takashimaya, Isetan, Daimaru, etc) where they have dedicated tax refund counters run by Global Blue. You can shop in the entire department store, collect all the receipts and present them together with your passport at the tax refund counter. Do note that Global Blue charges a small processing which means you will not be getting 100% back on your tax refund. On the bright side, you can choose to get back the tax refund in cash even if you paid for the goods using a card :)
There are also merchants who do not offer tax free shopping like Lalaport in Osaka and Costco. It will be helpful to know prior to visiting these places to avoid disappointment :)
If you are looking for G-Shocks, Bic Camera in Shibuya, Odakyu Shinjuku and Nanba Osaka have pretty good selection. The Seiko outlet in Mitsui Outlet in Makuhari Tokyo has pretty good prices as well. The SARX029 (Urushi dial) with a market price well over ¥100000 is selling for only ¥77000 (tax free).
The North Face apparel is very popular in Japan! It’s available in department stores and Outlets, they have their own stares as well. They have a very wide selection, from ladies’ skirts to kids’ snow gear to Goretex caps! On our Snow wall trip (https://wlst-ourfirstjourney.blogspot.com/2023/05/tateyama-kurobe-alpen-route.html), we noticed all the staffs were wearing North Face, from vest at the foot of the mountain to full hardcore snow jacket at the summit. They even have a dedicated North Face store in Murodo selling blue Tateyama apparels! It was spring when we were there hence most of the jackets displayed were the thinner wind/rain outer shells, not much choice of thicker jackets. Oh by the way, Takashimaya also carries North Face, and if you are tourist, you can get an extra 5% off plus a tax refund 😊
At the airport, we were unsure if we were lucky or if regulations have changed. Initially we read that if you have duty free items in sealed bags and you would like to check-in with your luggage, you need inform the ground staff and a customs officer will come over to check your luggage and receipts. That didn't happen when we left Tokyo from Narita Airport.
This page below is very detailed and informative!
All You Need to Know About Tax-Free Shopping in Japan (2023) | LIVE JAPAN travel guide
