Purchases through 31 October
Follow the store’s rules for the purchase date; the new refund procedure starts with purchases on 1 November.
Check official details ↗Osaka tax-free shopping: November 2026 changes & departure checklist
Shopping in Namba or Shinsaibashi? Check both your purchase and departure dates. Prepare for the refund system starting on 1 November 2026, Takashimaya’s same-day registration and the checks to complete before handing over your luggage.
Official information reviewedWhere should I start?
For purchases from 1 November 2026, pay the tax-inclusive price and complete customs verification when leaving Japan within 90 days of purchase. The refund follows that verification. Discount cards and tax-free registration are separate. Ask the store about registration, fees and refund arrangements, and keep the goods with you until customs checks are complete.
Compare the options for your trip
Purchases from 1 November
Plan for tax-inclusive payment, store registration, departure verification and a refund from the store or its provider.
Check official details ↗Trips spanning the changeover
Separate receipts by purchase date. Ask the store how an October purchase must be handled rather than assuming you can register it in November.
Check official details ↗At the store: registration and refund arrangements
Takashimaya requires registration at its tax-free counter on the purchase date. Under the new system, that counter does not immediately return the consumption-tax amount. Have the purchaser’s passport, receipts, goods and payment card ready. Check other stores’ own registration deadlines and refund fees.
Check official details ↗A 5% shopping discount is separate from a tax refund
The regular Takashimaya Shopper’s Card offers 5% off qualifying purchases of at least ¥3,000 before tax, with exclusions. Holding it does not complete tax-free registration. Check the separate official notice on suspended GOLD issuance and upgrades.
Check card collection, passport requirements and exclusions →
Check official details ↗At the airport: before checking your bags
The new customs checks take place in the international departure lobby before baggage check-in. Keep your passport and all tax-free goods with you, and follow the terminal’s instructions if an inspection is required. With a domestic-to-international connection, check the arrangements at your final departure airport in Japan.
Check official details ↗Refund follow-up: contact your purchase store
The store or its appointed provider handles the refund. Keep your receipts and registration record, and ask about the payment method, fees and support contact when registering. There is no single refund timetable or fee to assume for every store.
Check official details ↗Questions before you go
Does a November departure put every purchase under the new system?
The change is based on purchase date. Keep purchases through 31 October separate from those made from 1 November, and confirm registration with each store.
Does collecting a discount card finish the tax-free process?
No. Discount eligibility and tax-free eligibility and registration are separate checks.
What if the goods are already in checked luggage?
The Tourism Agency says to complete the new verification process before baggage check-in. Checked bags cannot be retrieved for this procedure, so follow airport guidance before handing them over.
Continue planning
Osaka department stores →
Check your purchase branch’s official services and tax-free conditions.
Tokyo department stores →
Check your purchase branch’s official services and tax-free conditions.
Fukuoka department stores →
Check your purchase branch’s official services and tax-free conditions.
Sapporo department stores →
Check your purchase branch’s official services and tax-free conditions.
Plan Shinsaibashi shopping →
Choose your shops across the arcade, Daimaru and PARCO.
Official sources & review date
Checked: · Review due: 2026-11-21
- Japan Tourism Agency: new refund method and airport checks ↗
- Takashimaya: November procedures and same-day registration ↗
- Takashimaya: regular card and GOLD notice ↗
JapanPin prepared this guide using official information. Suggested plans are not firsthand reviews or live service or booking information. Check prices, operations and booking terms with the official provider for your date.
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