[Unit 3 Tips] – What you expect in shops and Duty-Free Purchases

Chorus of Irasshaimase

When you walk into a shop and/or restaurant, you will hear a chorus of “irasshaimase”,

which is often translated as “May I help you?” but it is just “hello” shop assistants say to their customers. They will usually bow to you as well and lots of Westerners asked me before what they should say back to them. The answer is “nothing!”

 If they bow, slightly bow back, which is like glancing at your toes. They don’t expect you to say or do anything, so just smile and walk by.

Consumption Tax

Everything you buy in Japan attracts Consumption Tax. As of January 2023, the rate is normally 10% but groceries, including take away food, attract only 8%. One thing you need to be careful in shops and restaurants is that they usually display the price before tax, and the tax will be added at the checkout.

Japan is known for many 100-yen shops, such as Daiso, Can-do, Seria, etc.

You can seemingly buy almost anything from underwear to stationery, from kitchen tools to souvenirs, for 100-yen, but as you need to pay 10% tax on top of it, you cannot buy anything if you have only one 100-yen coin!

Duty-Free Shopping

Having said that, if you spend over 5000 yen before tax in a registered shop, you may qualify for a tax-free purchase. If the shop is registered, they usually have a big sign and English-speaking customer service personnel will be available. You need your passport to get it duty-free and you will have to show your passport on the way out at the airport.

By the way, liquor is usually much cheaper in Japan, compared to prices in Australia.

If you are after ordinary liquor, prices in normal supermarkets with the 10% consumer tax are much lower than those in duty free shops on the way back into Australia.

Duty free shops on the way out of Japan usually have a very upmarket product range, so if you are after ordinary items, I recommend you get them earlier and pack them away in your suitcase.

Food Corner in Department Stores

The underground level of most department stores is a food lovers’ paradise. You will enjoy just looking at the beautiful display of all sorts of food!

Convenience Stores

One fantastic thing in Japanese cities is that you have convenience stores everywhere! They are open 24/7, have everything you need, including ATM’s, and they are literally everywhere! When my son was young, I used to set a convenience store near accommodation as our emergency meeting point should there be any emergency in the accommodation.

• buy most items normal supermarkets sell in Australia (food, toiletries, underwear, socks, etc.)
• buy HOT food. They usually have some popular foods like yakitori and hotdogs near the checkout, ready to eat but if you pick up something from an aisle, they usually have a microwave to warm it up for you (or you can do it yourself)!
• buy HOT or COLD drinks.
• buy alcohol – You will be asked to declare by pressing a button on a device that you are 20 years old or over (The Legal Age was lowered to 18 in Japan but you are still NOT allowed to drink, smoke or gamble until you are 20) at the check-out. If you are lucky enough to look younger, you may be asked to show an ID.
• buy tickets to museums, concerts, etc. Ghibli Museum tickets are sold in Lawson convenience stores only! (Having said that, Ghibli tickets may be best purchased 3 months in advance before you leave, because it is very popular after the recent renovation! In Australia (and I believe in many countries), a Japanese travel agency called JTB Travel sells them outside Japan.)
• buy transport tickets such as 1-day bus passes and/or multiple use prepaid cards
• buy postage stamps and/or send mail/parcels
• photocopy any documents
• print out your photos and documents
• withdraw money from an ATM
• send your luggage to your departing airport (you will have to do it a few days in advance but not having to carry it with you is great!) 
• buy magazines, DVD’s etc. (Not sure if they have English ones though)
• pay bills (probably you don’t need to…)