What to buy in Japan: the shopping list, where to buy each thing, tax-free rules and getting it home

What do tourists buy in Japan?

Mostly food, clothes and things for the bathroom shelf. The Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) asks departing visitors what they bought, and in 2025 snacks and sweets came top by a wide margin, bought by 72.7% of visitors. The table shows the main categories for all visitors and for the three biggest English-speaking markets, with the average amount each buyer spent.

Two things stand out. Visitors from the UK, the US and Australia buy clothes more often than snacks, and they buy traditional crafts more than twice as often as visitors overall, but only about 6% of them buy medicines, against 43.9% of visitors from Taiwan, 37.1% from South Korea and 34.1% from China. The full survey, with all 16 categories and 20 nationalities, is on our page on what visitors to Japan buy.

The shopping list, category by category

Snacks and sweets

Snacks are the one thing nearly every visitor buys: 72.7% of all visitors in 2025 and over half of those from the UK, the US and Australia, with each buyer spending 11,127 yen on average. Part of the appeal is the packaging. As JNTO, Japan's national tourism organisation, puts it, "Since Japan has a regimented gift-giving culture, you'll find rows of perfectly designed gift-wrapped boxes full of sweets, crackers and jellies." For which brands to pick, where they are cheapest and what they cost, see our guide to Japanese snacks.

• Everyday snacks: convenience stores and supermarkets, where the snacks are the ones people in Japan buy for themselves, at everyday prices.
• Gift boxes and regional sweets: the basement food floors of department stores, and the souvenir shops in big stations. Many sweets are made for one region only; in Osaka, says JNTO, "Many treats are also themed around Osaka's famed takoyaki (grilled octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (savory pancakes)."
• Cheap and cheerful: Ameyoko, the row of shops under the railway between Ueno and Okachimachi stations in Tokyo, which began as a post-war black market. "There are still a lot of sweets sold here."
• Last-minute: the airport. JNTO notes that "The airport is an ideal place to purchase souvenirs for friends and family without having to carry them around for the rest of your trip."

Tea and other food make a good second choice: 41.7% of visitors bought other food and drink, rising to 51.1% of Americans and 55.4% of Australians. JNTO suggests that "Other stress-free gifts include tea, small plastic figurines and Japanese stationery." For gifts to share at work, see our guide to Japanese souvenirs.

Skincare, cosmetics and medicines

Japanese skincare, make-up and over-the-counter medicines are a big purchase for visitors from Asia: 34.6% of all visitors bought cosmetics or perfume, spending 21,128 yen each on average. Visitors from the UK, the US and Australia buy them less often (17.8% to 25.9%), and medicines rarely (about 6%).

• Where to buy: drugstores, found on almost every shopping street and in station areas, sell skincare, make-up, sun cream and medicines side by side, and many offer tax-free shopping.
• Tax-free: cosmetics and medicines count as consumables. Until 31 October 2026 they are sealed in a bag that you must not open in Japan. From 1 November 2026 the sealed bag goes, but the Japan Tourism Agency says consumables such as food, drink and cosmetics that you use up in Japan do not qualify for the refund; if you have used some, skip the kiosk and tell the customs officer at the counter.
• Medicines and your own customs: every country has its own rules on bringing medicines in. For the United States, Customs and Border Protection says that "if you are traveling with any Prescription (Rx) or Over-The-Counter (OTC) medications, you will need to comply with the laws and regulations enforced by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)." Check your own country's rules before you buy medicines in bulk. Bringing your own medicine into Japan is a separate question; see medication in Japan.

Clothes, shoes and bags

Clothing is the top buy for English-speaking visitors: 57.7% from the UK, 58.4% from the US and 60.9% from Australia bought clothes in 2025, against 47.9% of visitors overall, and each buyer spent 27,160 yen on average. Shoes, bags and leather goods came next, at 38,311 yen per buyer.

• Department stores: JNTO lists "the major department stores include Mitsukoshi, Matsuzakaya, Sogo, Takashimaya, Isetan and Matsuya". "Newer chains such as Tokyu, Odakyu and Keio were established by the railway companies, and are found near or attached to major stations."
• Brands and flagships: "Ginza boasts the most expensive real estate, and therefore many of the most famous brands have flagship stores here." Omotesando is the place for high-end fashion and Harajuku for young street style.
• Outlet malls: "Over 30 are found around Japan, often outside of the bustling city centers but still conveniently close to public transit."
• Sales: "These usually happen twice a year—first in the beginning of January for the new year, and in July during the beginning of summer." In the new year you will also see fukubukuro, lucky bags: "These are usually sold only on January 1 or 2 and offer a variety of goods in a sealed bag."

Kitchen knives and tableware

A Japanese kitchen knife is one of the souvenirs people keep for decades. JNTO says that "Japanese kitchen knives offer world-class quality, known for being both durable and light."

• Kappabashi Kitchen Town, Tokyo: "Tokyo's restaurateurs and passionate home chefs come here to stock up on kitchenware and decor." "The main road street of Kappabashi is almost a kilometer long", and it is "Just a short five-minute walk from Tawaramachi Station, on the Ginza Line, Kappabashi is also only a 15-minute walk from popular sights in Asakusa". "At some shops, you can have your name inscribed on the blades". It is also good for "surprisingly affordable ceramics, perfect for souvenirs", and for the plastic food samples you see in restaurant windows.
• Nishiki Market, Kyoto: "You can find some of the best quality cooking utensils in Kyoto at a 450-year-old vendor".
• Tableware: "Elegant Japanese cups, cute chopstick rests and palm-sized sake cups make useful, portable reminders of your visit to Tokyo."

Anime, manga and games

In Tokyo, head to Akihabara, the electronics district that is also packed with shops selling anime, manga and games, and to Nakano Broadway, which JNTO singles out for anime goods.

Visitors from the UK and the US buy these about twice as often as visitors overall: 9.0% of Britons and 10.9% of Americans bought books and magazines in 2025 (4.6% of all visitors), and 8.2% and 8.1% bought music, video or game software (3.9%). Before buying games, films or software, check that they will work on your devices at home.

Electronics

Cameras, headphones and gadgets are a smaller purchase, bought by 5.3% of visitors (8.7% of Britons), but one of the biggest spends per buyer: 36,234 yen on average. Before you buy, check the voltage. JNTO explains that "The voltage used throughout Japan is uniformly 100 volts, A.C. There are two kinds of frequencies in use—50 Hertz in eastern Japan and 60 Hertz in western Japan (including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka)."

That matters both ways. Something made for the Japanese market may only be rated for 100 V, while the UK and Australia use 230 V and the US 120 V, so check that the label or the charger says 100–240V before you buy anything you plan to use at home. For your own devices in Japan, "Certain types of electrical appliances such as dual-voltage hair dryers, travel irons and shavers should work wherever you are in Japan. However, in other cases, a step-down transformer is required to convert the voltage." Adapters and transformers "are sold in electronics quarters such as Tokyo's Akihabara and Osaka's Nipponbashi, or at major home appliance mass retailers such as Yodobashi Camera or Bic Camera." Ask, too, whether the warranty is valid outside Japan.

Traditional crafts

About one in five visitors from the UK (20.1%), the US (19.0%) and Australia (18.5%) bought a folk or traditional craft in 2025, more than twice the rate for visitors overall. Japan's government designates crafts that meet its standards: there are 244 of them, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (as of 27 October 2025). Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square's English directory lists 23 in Tokyo, 17 each in Kyoto and Niigata, 16 in Okinawa, 15 in Aichi and 10 in Ishikawa; by type, textiles (38), ceramics (33), and wood and bamboo crafts (33) are the biggest groups, followed by lacquerware (23).

• Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square, Tokyo: a shop for designated crafts from all over Japan, at "1F, 8-1-22 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo", open "11:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Open all year round (except for New Year's holidays)"; hours change on some days, so check before you go.
• Kyoto: JNTO suggests that you "head to the Kobo-ichi Market on the 21st of each month and browse through over a thousand shops selling everything from kimono to antiques".
• Okinawa: Okinawan pottery is called yachimun, and Yachimun-dori in Naha is a street of pottery shops; one offers pottery-making classes.
• Make your own: JNTO lists workshops where you can make a small taiko drum to take home in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, or Kutani porcelain at Kaga Onsen in Ishikawa, which is then shipped to your home address. In Seki, Gifu, the Seki Swordsmith Museum lets you watch smiths at work on designated days.

Sake and whisky

Japanese alcohol is a popular buy with visitors from Australia (37.1%) and the UK (33.3%). Bottles are heavy and count as liquids, so check the rules on flying with alcohol and your home allowance below before you buy.

Where to shop in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka

Tokyo. JNTO sums it up: "Akihabara is the place to go for electronics, Nakano Broadway for anime goods, Omotesando for trendy high-end clothes, Harajuku for younger women, and of course, Shinjuku and Shibuya have a bit of everything you could possibly want."

Kyoto. "Head to Shijo Street to find the aforementioned Takashimaya and Marui department stores". A short walk away, "Nishiki Market offers an array of both fresh and preserved foods, including duck specialties, Japanese sweets, and all manner of pickles." It is also the place for yuba (tofu skin), green tea from Uji and Kyoto ceramics. JNTO advises that "it is best to visit as close to 11 a.m. as possible since it can become very crowded".

Osaka. Grand Front Osaka "features a massive 44,000 square meters of shopping space split among three buildings. It's easily accessible from Osaka Station". Further south, the Dotonbori district is "a great place to go to browse and eat-till-you-drop", the Shinsaibashi area "dates back to the 17th century", and "Nearby there's Amerikamura, the heart of youthful fashions and trends."

Department stores, 100-yen shops and the airport

• Department stores: the best one-stop shop, with food, cosmetics, fashion and homeware under one roof. JNTO's advice: "Try working your way up, from the basement food level to the many retail shops, to the restaurants on the top floors." The basement food floor is the place for boxed sweets to give as gifts.
• 100-yen shops: chains where most stationery, kitchen gadgets, snacks and household goods cost 100 yen plus tax. Good for small gifts and for anything you forgot to pack.
• The airport: souvenir shops before security, and duty-free shops after it. JNTO points out that many Japanese souvenirs suit limited cabin space, as they are "compact, resilient and cleverly packaged". At Kansai Airport you will also find umeboshi, pickled plums from nearby Wakayama.

Tax-free shopping in 2026

Japan charges consumption tax at 10%, or 8% on food and non-alcoholic drinks, and visitors can shop without it. The basics:

• Who: short-term visitors who have been in Japan for less than six months. Bring your passport; a photocopy is not accepted.
• How much: 5,000 yen or more before tax, at one shop on one day, in a shop that shows the tax-free sign.
• Until 31 October 2026: the tax is taken off at the till. Consumables (food, drink, cosmetics and medicines) are capped at 500,000 yen per shop per day and sealed in a bag that must stay closed until you leave Japan.
• From 1 November 2026: you pay the full price including tax, and JNTO explains that "the consumption tax equivalent is refunded after Customs confirms at departure that the goods are being taken out of Japan." The sealed bags and the 500,000 yen cap go. You must leave within 90 days of the purchase, and at the airport you scan your passport at a tax-free kiosk before check-in and security. Anything missing from a receipt, because you ate it, used it up or left it behind, loses the refund for that whole receipt.
• Posting it home: "As of April 1, 2025, tax-free shopping does not apply when items are sent overseas by the purchaser via international parcels. (Direct shipping arranged by the store may still be available.)"

Our tax-free calculator works out what you save and walks through both systems.

Getting it home

On the plane

On all international flights from Japanese airports, liquids, aerosols and gels in your cabin bag must be in containers of 100 ml or less, packed in one clear resealable plastic bag of up to 1 litre. MLIT is firm that "LAGs carried in containers larger than 100ml are not to be accepted, even if the container is only part-filled." "Medications, baby milk/foods and special dietary requirements are exempted." So sauces, sake, skincare in large bottles and anything else liquid belongs in your checked bag, unless you buy it after security: "LAGs purchased at retail shops after screening check point at each airport in Japan are exempted. But, in a transit at other states, these LAGs may be confiscated according to the regulation of those states".

For alcohol, MLIT's rules are:

• Up to 24% alcohol (beer, wine, most sake): allowed, in its retail container.
• Over 24% and up to 70% (most whisky, shochu and other spirits): up to 5 litres per person, in the retail container.
• Over 70%: not allowed.

Knives go in your checked bag, never your cabin bag (see above). For packing and sending suitcases ahead, see our guide to luggage in Japan.

Customs at home

What you can bring into your own country is set by your own government, not Japan. Two examples:

United Kingdom. From any country, you can bring in bread (but not sandwiches filled with meat or dairy products), cakes without fresh cream, biscuits, chocolate and confectionery (but not those made with a lot of unprocessed dairy ingredients), pasta and noodles (unless mixed or filled with meat), and packaged soup, stocks and flavourings. From outside the EU, which includes Japan, you cannot bring in meat or meat products, or milk or milk-based products other than powdered infant milk, infant food or special food needed for medical reasons, and honey is limited to 2 kg per person. For other goods, "You can bring in other goods worth up to £390 (or up to £270 if you arrive by private plane or boat)." The alcohol allowance is 42 litres of beer and cider, 18 litres of wine and 4 litres of spirits over 22% alcohol. Be careful with the total: "If you go over your allowance, you pay tax and duty on the total value of the goods, not just the value above the allowance."

United States. "Personal exemptions - or the value of goods that do not require the traveler to pay duty will be $200, $800 or $1600 depending on the countries visited." For food, "As a general rule, condiments, vinegars, oils, packaged spices, honey, coffee and tea are admissible." "You may bring bakery items and certain cheeses into the United States." But "almost anything containing meat products, such as bouillon, soup mixes, etc., is not admissible", so read the ingredients of instant noodles and soup packs, and "Because rice can often harbor insects, it is best to avoid bringing it into the United States." Gifts need care too: "Do not gift wrap items you carry or send into the United States; they may need to be unwrapped during inspection." and "All items you receive as gifts while abroad and items you buy to give as gifts must be declared."

Everywhere else. Australia, New Zealand, Canada and other countries have their own food, alcohol and duty rules. Check your customs or biosecurity authority's website before you fly, and declare food if you are unsure.

Paying, bargaining and gift wrapping

• Paying: cards are accepted in department stores, chains and most shops in the cities, but small shops and market stalls may take cash only. See cash or card in Japan and using credit cards in Japan.
• Bargaining: JNTO says, "In general, most shops won't haggle about prices. At any big name shop, at best, they have a price-matching system." Markets are the exception: at Ameyoko, "Some stores offer cheap prices, and you can also negotiate the price on the spot."
• Gift wrapping: "Most shops, especially in tourist areas, offer a free (or reasonably priced) wrapping service upon purchase." If you are flying to the US, leave gifts unwrapped.
• Prices: they change from shop to shop and with the exchange rate, so this guide does not list them.

To cite or link to this page: What to buy in Japan: the shopping list, where to buy each thing, tax-free rules and getting it home — Japan Pocket Guide, https://japanpocketguide.com/shopping/what-to-buy/ Copy