Japan Tax Free shopping

[Himeno]

Japan recently changed the requirements for tax free shopping upon exiting.

To get tax free shopping in Japan, you need to spend more then 5000 JPY (5500 inc tax) at a store with the Tax Free Japan signage, and show them your passport with the short term visitor sticker (which means you can't get the tax free if you use an e-gate to enter Japan as you won't have the sticker).
The shop assistant scans your passport and fills in the paperwork and gives you a specially marked tax free receipt. (Some stores will do this digitally and have you scan a QR code to access the receipt)
Depending on the location of the store, the tax free procedures are either done at the store during check out (with the tax taken off the total bill) or is done at a special counter elsewhere in the shopping center where you will get a refund of the tax.

Previously, you had to drop these receipts at the customs desk (after security, before immigration) when leaving, and technically show them the items or prove that they are in your checked bags or otherwise have departed Japan. (no one has ever asked to check the items, nor have they ever actually looked at the receipts)

Now, they just get you to scan your passport at the customs desk. You keep the receipts.
The official documentation about the tax free process still states that you have to hand over the receipts and show customs agents the items.

This last visit, some stores got confused when looking for the entry stamp. As Japan no longer has exit stamps, I had 2 entry stamps that still fell within the 90 day visa free visit period. A June entry (valid until mid Sep) and a Aug entry (valid until early Nov).

 

[elanshin]

To get tax free shopping in Japan, you need to spend more then 5000 JPY (5500 inc tax) at a store with the Tax Free Japan signage, and show them your passport with the short term visitor sticker (which means you can't get the tax free if you use an e-gate to enter Japan as you won't have the sticker).

If I understand correctly, you can still get tax free if you're eligible for immigration e-gate according to the Japanese government. You just need to ask the immigration officer just after for a sticker.

https://www.nta.go.jp/publication/pamph/shohi/menzei/201805/pdf/0021009-040_09.pdf

It's also on the MoJ website but in amongst a whole bunch of other procedures regarding the e-gate for immigration.

I've had quite a few friends that live in Japan buy stuff on tax free without the item ever leaving the country using friends when they visit in the last couple of years.

Most places don't bother sealing everything now for "tax free export" like UNIQLO, but some in touristy areas still follow the old procedures of multiple bags and sealing it with stickers that say not to break until you leave the country. I've had no problems opening those up to repack them in my luggage in my trips over the last 12 months.

Oh and not all stores even of the same chain can do tax free. I had 2 pokemon centres unable to do tax free while many others could.

 

[Himeno]

If I understand correctly, you can still get tax free if you're eligible for immigration e-gate according to the Japanese government. You just need to ask the immigration officer just after for a sticker.

Yes, that is the case. You do however have to spend extra time looking for someone to attach the sticker when you use an e-gate. It may not be worth the extra time to do so when the non e-gate process can be just as fast (depending on amount of arrivals at the same time) with the new digital arrivals cards.

Most places don't bother sealing everything now for "tax free export" like UNIQLO, but some in touristy areas still follow the old procedures of multiple bags and sealing it with stickers that say not to break until you leave the country. I've had no problems opening those up to repack them in my luggage in my trips over the last 12 months.

I've never had a tax free store in Japan seal anything. I've seen a few people with the sealed tax free bags, but those have been consumables (eg food and alcohol).
The consumables tax rate is also different to the normal tax rate (8% vs 10%). This difference can also lead to different tax rates for the same items. Such as if you eat in at a restaurant/cafe vs take out.

Oh and not all stores even of the same chain can do tax free. I had 2 pokemon centres unable to do tax free while many others could.

I've seen that as well. The store needs to have something to read the passport. I've had stores accept the tax free one trip, then not accept it the next.
Last trip, I was shopping at the Animate in Ikebukuro, a store where you need to pay for any items you might get on the floor you pick them up (even though the entire building is the same store). I asked for tax free on one floor and the shop assistant had to go to another floor to get the passport reader.

I needed to get a 2nd suitcase in Tokyo the other day to get everything I got while shopping home. I found one at the sofmap/bic camera in Akiba. I got the 10% off for tax free, then another 5% off for paying with a Visa card.

 

[elanshin]

Yes, that is the case. You do however have to spend extra time looking for someone to attach the sticker when you use an e-gate. It may not be worth the extra time to do so when the non e-gate process can be just as fast (depending on amount of arrivals at the same time) with the new digital arrivals cards.

I think it depends on the season as for how fast things move. For example on all my trips since last August (4 so far) I had very quick entries using normal immigration.
But my brother in late March had a 3.5 hour immigration wait at NRT landing at 7pm. He made the last bus out of there with less than 3 minutes to spare.

I've never had a tax free store in Japan seal anything. I've seen a few people with the sealed tax free bags, but those have been consumables (eg food and alcohol).

Yeh its very old schools. I encountered it in my first trip back in 05 but found it again when I went out to Otaru (Hokkaido) this trip.

Last trip, I was shopping at the Animate in Ikebukuro, a store where you need to pay for any items you might get on the floor you pick them up (even though the entire building is the same store). I asked for tax free on one floor and the shop assistant had to go to another floor to get the passport reader.

Nice I took a look during it's opening week and promptly decided it was too crowded at the time to look at that store seriously. I also hate that they changed the cashier in the akiba store to just one floor.

I needed to get a 2nd suitcase in Tokyo the other day to get everything I got while shopping home. I found one at the sofmap/bic camera in Akiba. I got the 10% off for tax free, then another 5% off for paying with a Visa card.

I personally have a very large foldout travel bag I picked up years ago at Tokyu Hands. It folds down to an A4 sized pouch while unfolded its slightly larger than a carry-on piece. My SO ended up using it to put all her plush and rest of the non fragile stuff like clothes last trip.

 

[Himeno]

Nice I took a look during it's opening week and promptly decided it was too crowded at the time to look at that store seriously. I also hate that they changed the cashier in the akiba store to just one floor.

I didn't have time to do anything in Akiba on my last trip besides go to the sofmap/bic camera store (the weather didn't help with the 30-35C, 60+% humidity and 2 typhoons during the 6 days in Japan). I only had time for the GiGo 3 cafe during my June Tokyo trip.