Japan Tax-Free Refund Calculator

From 1 November 2026, Japan's tax-free shopping moves from an at-register exemption to a refund method: you pay the tax-inclusive price at the store, then get the consumption-tax amount back after customs confirms you are exporting the goods. Enter a purchase amount below to see how much tax is included in that price, and whether it clears the ¥5,000 minimum. It takes about 30 seconds, and nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.

⚠ This calculator shows the upper bound on your refund — the consumption tax already included in the price you enter. It does not know the store's refund method, any handling fee, or processing time. For purchases made through 31 October 2026, the old at-register system still applies; there is no overlap period between the two systems.

Estimate: Standard rate, ¥10,000

Consumption tax included in this price (rounded down): ¥909
Refund upper bound: ¥909
Tax-exclusive price: ¥9,091

This purchase clears the ¥5,000 minimum (tax-exclusive amount: ¥9,091).

This is an upper bound, not a promised refund. It is the consumption tax already included in the price you paid — 10/110 of the tax-inclusive amount for standard rate goods. The actual amount you receive, any handling fee, and how it is paid depend on the store and the refund operator it uses.

New system: pay the tax-inclusive price at the register → get customs confirmation when you leave Japan, within 90 days of the purchase date → receive the refund from the store afterward.

The NTA has not specified a timeline for refunds. Ask the store, before you pay, which refund method it uses and whether it deducts a fee.

Check before you travel:National Tax Agency English guide (PDF)·our full guide to the November 2026 refund change

What changes on 1 November 2026

The reform does not remove tax-free shopping for tourists. It changes when and how you get the tax back. Comparing a purchase made through 31 October 2026 with one made from 1 November 2026:

You pay the tax-inclusive price at checkout, instead of a discounted tax-free price.
You need customs confirmation at departure, within 90 days of the purchase date, before the store will refund the tax.
The store keeps the purchase record and the customs confirmation, then refunds the consumption-tax amount to you afterward.
The old split between "general goods" and "consumables" is abolished — one set of rules now covers both.
The ¥500,000 purchase cap that used to apply to consumables is abolished.
The special sealed-packaging requirement for consumables is abolished.
The "daily use" test (whether goods are for personal use rather than resale) is abolished.

Conditions that stay the same

The ¥5,000 minimum purchase (tax-exclusive, per store, per day) is unchanged.
Goods must still be personally exported — only what you can carry out of Japan yourself when you leave.
Gold and platinum bullion, and gold and platinum coins, remain excluded from tax-free purchases.
Products that are already exempt from consumption tax remain excluded.

This page is a calculator and summary, not tax or legal advice. Rules can change again before 1 November 2026; check the National Tax Agency's own guidance before you travel.

FAQ

How is the refund amount calculated?

The refund is capped at the consumption tax already included in the price you paid: 10/110 of the tax-inclusive price for standard-rate goods, or 8/108 for reduced-rate food and drink. This calculator shows that upper bound. The store may deduct a handling fee before paying you, and the National Tax Agency does not set that fee.

Does the ¥5,000 minimum still apply?

Yes. The reform does not change the ¥5,000 (tax-exclusive) minimum per store, per day. What changes is that the old separate general-goods and consumables categories are merged, so you no longer have to hit the minimum in each category separately.

How long does the refund take to arrive?

The NTA has not specified a timeline for refunds. The consumption tax law does not prescribe a refund method or a processing time. Possible methods the National Tax Agency lists include bank transfer, credit-card transfer, app transfer, and cash at the port of departure after customs confirmation — but each store decides which of these it actually offers, so ask before you pay.