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In-depth answers to specific questions about Japan’s tax refund, checked against official sources.
Bringing purchases home to Canada from Japan
CBSA personal exemptions after a trip to Japan: CAN$200 or CAN$800, alcohol and tobacco limits, CAN$10,000 cash rule and CFIA rules on meat.
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Tax-free at Japan’s drugstore chains from 1 November 2026
Tax-free at Sundrug, Tsuruha, Daikoku Drug, Kokumin, Welcia and Sugi from 1 November 2026: what each chain says, refund fees, coupons and medicine rules.
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MUJI tax-free shopping in Japan from 1 November 2026
MUJI tax-free in Japan from 1 November 2026: which stores are tax-free, the Ginza flagship, passport and entry stamp rules, member points and the refund.
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Bringing purchases home to the Philippines from Japan
Returning to the Philippines from Japan: ₱10,000 duty-free limit, cigarettes and liquor, OFW allowances, eTravel declaration, cash limits and meat rules.
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Tax-free shopping at Japan’s outlet malls from 1 November 2026
Tax-free at Japan’s Premium Outlets and Mitsui Outlet Parks from 1 November 2026: per-shop tax-free, the ¥5,000 minimum, counters, coupons and refunds.
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Bringing purchases home to the UK from Japan
Returning to the UK from Japan: the £390 goods allowance, alcohol and tobacco limits, what you pay above them, the £10,000 cash rule and the ban on meat.
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Yodobashi Camera tax-free shopping from 1 November 2026
Yodobashi Camera tax-free from 1 November 2026: refunds through Global Blue, cash on the spot at 11 stores, coupons, and the big Akiba and Umeda stores.
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Australian duty-free allowance after a trip to Japan
Returning to Australia from Japan: A$900 duty-free per adult, A$450 under 18, 2.25 litres of alcohol, 25 cigarettes, cash and biosecurity rules.
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Hong Kong customs allowance after a trip to Japan
What you can bring back to Hong Kong from Japan duty-free: 1 litre of spirits, 19 cigarettes, cash over HK$120,000 to declare, and banned items.
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Singapore customs allowance after a trip to Japan
Returning to Singapore from Japan: GST relief of S$500 or S$100, liquor options for sake and umeshu, no duty-free cigarettes, food limits and Customs@SG.
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US customs allowance when you return from Japan
Returning to the US from Japan: US$800 duty-free per person, a 3% flat rate on the next US$1,000, 1 liter of alcohol, 200 cigarettes and USDA food rules.
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Tax refund fees by store, from 1 November 2026
Which shops deduct a fee from Japan’s tax refund from 1 November 2026: Don Quijote charges none, department stores deduct one, many chains have not said yet.
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Tokyo Subway Ticket: is it worth it?
The Tokyo Subway Ticket costs ¥1,000 for 24 hours, ¥1,500 for 48 and ¥2,000 for 72. Add your rides to see if it beats paying by IC card, and where to buy it.
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Renting a car in Okinawa: what you need
Renting a car in Okinawa as a visitor: Japanese translation or IDP by country, shuttle pick-up at Naha Airport, prices from about ¥7,700 a day, NOC, ETC and bus lanes.
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Harry Potter Studio Tour Tokyo: tickets and tips
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo: adult tickets ¥6,300–7,300 by date, timed entry, official sellers including Klook and KKday, the winter event and getting to Toshimaen.
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Ghibli Museum and Ghibli Park: how to get tickets
Ghibli Museum tickets go on sale on the 10th of the month before; Ghibli Park passes two months ahead. Prices, official sellers, closed days and how to get there.
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JR Pass calculator: pass or single tickets?
Add your Shinkansen and airport train trips and see whether the 7, 14 or 21-day JR Pass costs less than single tickets. Fares from JR, checked 29 October 2026.
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How much eSIM data do you need in Japan?
Enter your days in Japan and how you use your phone to see how many GB you need, and the cheapest Airalo, Saily or Yesim plan that fits. Prices checked 28 October 2026.
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Before you fly to Japan: a checklist to tick off
What to book and set up before a Japan trip, in order: hotels, JR Pass, timed tickets, eSIM, Visit Japan Web, yen and Suica, then arrival day and the tax-free check.
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Narita Airport to central Tokyo: Skyliner, N’EX or the bus?
Narita Airport to Ueno, Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Yokohama compared: Keisei Skyliner, JR N’EX, the Limousine Bus, the ¥1,500 bus and taxis, with fares and times. Plus Haneda to central Tokyo.
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Kansai Airport to Osaka and Kyoto: HARUKA, rapi:t or the bus?
Kansai Airport to Namba, Umeda, Tennoji, Shin-Osaka, Kyoto and USJ compared: HARUKA, Nankai rapi:t, the Kansai Airport Rapid and the limousine bus, with fares and times. The HARUKA visitor ticket went up on 1 November.
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Getting online in Japan: eSIM, roaming or pocket Wi-Fi?
Getting online in Japan compared with 2026 prices: Airalo, Saily and Yesim eSIM plans, Taiwan and Korea roaming day passes, pocket Wi-Fi and free airport Wi-Fi, and how to check your phone supports eSIM.
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Is the Japan Rail Pass worth it in 2026?
JR Pass prices in 2026 (7 days ¥50,000), when it pays off against single Shinkansen tickets, the Nozomi special ticket, and the regional passes now the Kansai Area Pass has ended.
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Suica and ICOCA for visitors: which card to get
Welcome Suica, regular Suica, ICOCA, TOURIST PASMO and Suica on iPhone compared: prices, deposits, the 28-day limit, refunds and where to buy at Narita, Haneda and Kansai, plus tap-to-pay credit cards on Tokyo and Osaka trains.
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Where to stay in Tokyo and Osaka on your first trip
Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno and Asakusa, Tokyo Station or Shinagawa? Namba, Umeda, Tennoji or Shin-Osaka? Which area suits your trip, how to get there from the airport, and the hotel tax in each city.
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Haneda Airport to central Tokyo: train, bus or taxi?
Haneda Airport to Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Asakusa, Tokyo Station and Yokohama compared: Keikyu, Tokyo Monorail, Airport Limousine buses and flat-rate taxis, with fares, times and the last trains.
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SHIBUYA SKY: tickets, sunset slots and rooftop rules
SHIBUYA SKY tickets in 2026: ¥2,700 online before 15:00 and ¥3,400 from 15:00, when booking opens, sunset slots, what you can take onto the rooftop and how to get there from Shibuya Station.
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teamLab Planets or Borderless: which one, and how to book
teamLab Planets (Toyosu) or teamLab Borderless (Azabudai Hills)? Ticket prices in 2026, time slots, what to wear for the water rooms, how to get there, plus teamLab in Kyoto and Osaka.
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Universal Studios Japan: tickets, Express Pass and Nintendo area entry
USJ tickets in 2026: 1 Day Studio Pass from ¥8,400 with date-based and demand-based prices, Express Pass types, timed entry to Super Nintendo World and Donkey Kong Country, and how to get there.
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Tokyo Disney Resort tickets: prices, sales dates and Premier Access
Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea tickets in 2026: 1-Day Passport ¥8,900–12,400 by date, After 3 and After 5 passports, when sales open, Disney Premier Access prices, Fantasy Springs and how to get there.
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Osaka Amazing Pass: when it pays off
Osaka Amazing Pass in 2026: ¥3,500 for 1 day, ¥5,000 for 2 days, the new ¥5,300 Kansai Airport version, the main free attractions and when the pass pays off.
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Mount Fuji day trip from Tokyo: bus, train or tour?
Shinjuku to Lake Kawaguchiko for a Mount Fuji day trip: the ¥2,200 highway bus, the ¥4,200 Fuji Excursion train, sightseeing bus passes, Chureito Pagoda, the 5th Station bus and day tours.
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Entering Japan: what happens when you land
Arriving in Japan in 2026 from Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea or the US: 90-day visa-free stays, the Visit Japan Web QR code, joint kiosks, fingerprints, customs allowances and the meat and fruit you cannot bring.
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Getting yen in Japan: exchange, ATM or card?
How to get yen in Japan in 2026: Seven Bank and Japan Post Bank ATMs that take foreign cards, limits and fees, airport exchange counters, and how much you can pay by card.
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JESTA is law: what it means for your trips to Japan
Japan passed the JESTA law in May 2026. What it means for trips in 2026, 2027 and from 2028, what is still open, and how to avoid fake application sites.
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A day trip from Tokyo to GREEN×EXPO 2027
Visiting GREEN×EXPO 2027 in Yokohama as a day trip from Tokyo: the train and shuttle route, what to book in advance, timing and what it costs.
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Airport duty-free in Japan and how it differs from tax-free shopping
Narita, Haneda and Kansai duty-free shops are not part of the new refund system. What each removes, who can buy, pre-orders, arrival shops and allowances.
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Department store tax-free shopping from 1 November 2026
Takashimaya, Isetan Mitsukoshi, Hankyu, Daimaru and others from 1 November 2026: the same-day counter, refund fees, 5% visitor discounts and what each store says.
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UNIQLO and GU tax-free shopping from 1 November 2026
Tax-free shopping at UNIQLO and GU from 1 November 2026: the ¥5,000 minimum per store, passport or Visit Japan Web QR code, and what is not announced yet.
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Matsumoto Kiyoshi tax-free shopping from 1 November 2026
Tax-free shopping at Matsumoto Kiyoshi and Cocokara Fine from 1 November 2026: what is announced, the 3–7% visitor coupon and keeping medicines unopened.
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Bic Camera tax-free shopping from 1 November 2026
Tax-free shopping at Bic Camera from 1 November 2026: the reported free refund, the J-TaxRefund system, the visitor coupon and the big stores to visit.
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Japan’s consumption tax: 10%, 8% and the planned cut on food
Japan’s sales tax, the consumption tax, is 10% on most goods and 8% on food and soft drinks. What it means for your tax refund, and the bill to cut food to 1% from April 2027.
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Visit Japan Web: how to use it in 2026
How to use Visit Japan Web in 2026: is it mandatory, account and family setup, the entry QR code, the tax-free QR code and the online customs check for refunds.
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Don Quijote tax-free shopping from 1 November 2026
Tax-free shopping at Don Quijote (Donki) from 1 November 2026: no refund fee except airport cash, the 5% and 7% visitor coupon, passport and card rules.
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The Visit Japan Web tax-free QR code
The VJW tax-free QR code still replaces your passport in shops — but it does not replace the airport customs check. How to turn it on, what it does, and how the separate online check at 7 airports works.
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Can you open, use or check in tax-free items?
Yes, you can open them. Clothes, bags and electronics may be used in Japan; food and cosmetics must not be used up. Do the customs check before checking bags.
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What you can and cannot buy tax-free in Japan
What qualifies for Japan’s tax refund from 1 November 2026: gold bullion and coins no, jewellery and iPhones yes, meals and hotels no, business use now allowed.
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Japan tax refund apps and websites: J-TaxRefund, JPrefund and the rest
J-TaxRefund has no app and no login page to bookmark: scan the QR code on your receipt, and the site opens in English, Chinese or Korean. JPrefund, Global Blue, PIE VAT and Ocean compared.
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Bought in October, leaving in November: which tax-free rules apply?
Shopping in Japan just before 1 November 2026 and flying home after? The sale date, not your departure date, decides which tax-free rules apply. Every case explained.
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Luxury watches, bags and jewellery over ¥1,000,000: getting the tax back
From 1 November 2026, items of ¥1,000,000 or more before tax need extra details on the tax-free record: what the shop records and what you should keep.
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