TAX FREE Shopping In Japan And How To Get Refund
Japan is a beautiful country with a high level of hospitality in its people. Shopping there will be a very pleasant experience. But many tourists, especially foreigners, don’t know how to do tax-free shopping in Japan. Well, we’re about to tell you how. Here are the things you should know about tax-free shopping in Japan and how to get the refund!
#1 How does tax-free work in Japan?
In general, tax will be excluded, if the total amount of wares bought in the same shop on the same day must be 5,000 yen or more. At shopping malls and department stores that have a tax-free desk, the sum spent at all shops of the location is added up for tax exemption. However, certain things can’t be bought tax-free, even if all the conditions are met.
#2 Who can’t shop tax-free?
There are four types of people that can’t shop tax-free, they are:
- When the date of entering Japan is not stamped into the passport;
- People who stay in Japan longer than 6 months;
- People who work in Japan;
- When certain conditions, such as maximum purchase price, are not fulfilled.
#3 Products that can be bought tax-free
The purchased goods should be brought out of Japan and are meant for use or consumption by individuals, not to be sold or used for business purposes. Furthermore, they are divided into general goods and consumable goods.
#4 Important notes about consumable goods
Their package should not be opened before leaving Japan. You cannot combine general goods and consumables when shopping tax-free – the sum of each category must reach at least 5,000 yen in total. If items are packaged so that they will not be consumed in Japan in the same way as consumable goods, they can be combined with consumables under the same requirements.
Leave a comment