Tax & money
Four separate Japanese taxes touch an ordinary visitor, and they are routinely confused with one another. Sorting them out is most of the work.
| Tax | What it applies to | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|
| Consumption tax (10% / 8%) | What you buy in Japan. Recoverable on qualifying goods you take home | National — National Tax Agency |
| Lodging tax | Each night you stay, per person | Each municipality, by its own ordinance |
| International tourist tax (¥3,000) | Leaving Japan, whatever your nationality | National — collected in your ticket price |
| Customs duty | What you bring into Japan above the allowance | National — Japan Customs |
The confusion that costs money is between the first and the last. "Tax-free" in a shop window means the consumption tax on your purchase; the duty-free allowance is a different rule about what you may carry in. Neither affects the other.
What changed in 2026
- 1 July 2026 — the international tourist tax tripled from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 per departure. Tickets issued before that date keep the old rate.
- 1 November 2026 — tax-free shopping moves from an instant deduction to a refund confirmed by customs at departure.
- Throughout 2026 — the number of municipalities levying a lodging tax roughly tripled, and several existing ones raised their rates.
None of these change what a hotel or a shop advertises, which is exactly why they show up as surprises at the counter.
Japanese airport charges — the JPY 1,000 to JPY 3,650 already inside your ticket
Every Japanese airport sets its own passenger charge, and leaving from Sapporo costs three and a half times what leaving from Naha does. Compare seven airports, ten terminals, and see why the LCC terminal is half the price.
8% or 10%? Japan's two consumption tax rates, and the question at the till
The same onigiri is taxed 8% taken away and 10% eaten in — and the rate is fixed by what you say, not by the container. Work out which rate applies and what it costs you.
Japan lodging tax calculator — the charge that is not in your booking price
Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Sapporo, Fukuoka and 55 more jurisdictions tax overnight stays, or will by 2027, at different rates, on different dates — and in Hokkaido two taxes stack. Work out what you will actually be asked for at check-in.
Japan tax-free refund calculator — what changes on 1 November 2026
From 1 November 2026 Japan stops deducting consumption tax at the register and refunds it after customs confirms your goods are leaving. Work out what comes back, and the 90-day deadline you have to beat.
How much of a Japan trip is tax — and how much comes back
Lodging tax, consumption tax and the ¥3,000 departure tax, added up for your actual dates, minus the tax-free refund. Only one of the three is a charge you were not already quoted.