Tax-Free Shopping at Don Quijote Tokyo: What Changes on November 1, 2026

Visit Japan
2026.06.20

Last checked: October 3, 2026 (tax-free rules, Don Quijote’s tax-free page and store hours) | Rule change: purchases from November 1, 2026 | Visit Japan | Japanese Best

Don Quijote is one of the store chains in Tokyo that offers tax-free shopping to visitors. For purchases made on or after November 1, 2026, Japan’s tax-free system works as a refund system: you pay the tax in store and get it back after customs confirms that you are taking the goods out of Japan. This page sets out, from Japan Tourism Agency and Ministry of Finance documents, the rules for purchases made up to October 31, 2026, the rules for purchases made from November 1, 2026, and what each means at a Don Quijote till and at the airport.

Purchases up to October 31, 2026 vs. purchases from November 1, 2026

Purchases up to October 31, 2026 Purchases from November 1, 2026
Price you pay in store Tax-free price (consumption tax not charged) Tax-included price; the tax is refunded later
Minimum spend ¥5,000 (excl. tax) per store per day for general goods, and the same for consumables ¥5,000 (excl. tax) per store per day, unchanged
Consumables cap ¥500,000 per store per day Abolished
General goods vs. consumables Separate categories (can be combined if the general goods are sealed like consumables) Category split abolished
Special sealed packaging for consumables Required Abolished, but consumables used up in Japan are not refunded
Quantity — Limited to what you can carry out of Japan yourself when you leave
When the tax comes back Not charged at purchase After customs confirms at departure that you are taking the goods out, within 90 days of purchase

The middle column applies only to purchases made up to October 31, 2026. The right-hand column applies to purchases made from November 1, 2026. If your trip spans the change date, the rules depend on when you buy, not when you fly.

How the refund works (purchases from November 1)

  1. In store: show your passport (or the documents listed for your status) and pay the tax-included price. The store records the purchase electronically.
  2. At departure, within 90 days of purchase: before you check in your bags, present your passport at the tax-free kiosk or electronic terminal at the airport or port. Customs may ask to see the goods.
  3. Refund: once customs has confirmed the export, the consumption-tax amount is refunded by the store or by a refund agent the store uses. Ask the store how and when you will be paid.

The Japan Tourism Agency specifically warns that customs confirmation cannot be done after your bags have been checked in with the airline. Keep tax-free purchases accessible until you have been through the kiosk.

Who can shop tax-free

Tax-free shopping is for people taking goods out of Japan, mainly visitors in Japan on short-term status, who must show a passport. Japanese nationals living abroad can also qualify with additional documents proving overseas residence. Gold and platinum bullion and goods that are already exempt from consumption tax are excluded.

What Don Quijote’s own page says (as of October 3, 2026)

  • General goods (electronics, bags, clothing, watches): ¥5,000 or more excluding tax, same store, same day.
  • Consumables (food, cosmetics, drinks, medicines): ¥5,000 to ¥500,000 excluding tax.
  • If general goods and consumables are each under ¥5,000 but total ¥5,000 or more, the purchase qualifies, and the items are packed in designated packaging that must not be opened before leaving Japan.
  • PPIH (Don Quijote’s parent group) applies a ¥500,000 limit on tax-free consumables across all its stores.

When we checked on October 3, 2026, Don Quijote’s English tax-free page described the rules for purchases made up to October 31, 2026. For purchases from November 1, 2026, check with the store, in particular whether the group-wide ¥500,000 consumables limit still applies.

Opening hours of major Tokyo stores

Opening hours as listed on each store’s official Don Quijote page (linked in the table), checked October 3, 2026:

Store Address Hours
MEGA Don Quijote Shibuya Main Store 28-6 Udagawachō, Shibuya 24 hours
MEGA Don Quijote Shibuya Annex 2-25-12 Dōgenzaka, Shibuya 24 hours (since August 1, 2026, according to the store page)
Shinjuku Tōnan-guchi (Southeast Exit) 3-36-16 Shinjuku, Shinjuku 24 hours
Shinjuku Kabukichō 1-16-5 Kabukichō, Shinjuku 24 hours
Akihabara 4-3-3 Sotokanda, Chiyoda 24 hours
Asakusa 2-10 Asakusa, Taitō 24 hours
Ikebukuro East Exit Ekimae 1-22-5 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima 24 hours

Hours can change, and store pages also announce temporary changes such as stocktaking days, so check the store page before a late-night visit.

Japanese Best checklist

  • Buying on or before October 31, 2026: the pre-refund rules apply. Consumables are sealed and must stay sealed until you leave Japan.
  • Buying on or after November 1, 2026: you pay tax in store. Keep the goods with you, go to the tax-free kiosk before checking bags, and leave within 90 days.
  • Do not use up consumables in Japan that you want refunded.
  • Carry your passport. It is needed both in store and at the departure kiosk.

Not yet surveyed on site: we have not yet compared prices between Don Quijote, drugstores and convenience stores, recorded floor layouts or timed the tax-free counters. We will add these only after checking them in person, with dates.

Sources

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