Akihabara Duty Free Shops

After visiting Japan, many tourists are returning home with Japanese products, watches, perfumes, electronics and even home appliances. The offer is wide and varied, the quality is good and the price is probably better than home.

I noticed that many visitors are not aware about a Japanese law that makes the Japanese products even more affordable for the foreign visitor: if during the same day you spend more than 10001 yen on the same shop, you are allowed to receive the 5% consumption tax refund. However, not all the products are included in the tax exemption (cigarettes, food, alcohol, medicine, cosmetics or batteries are not refundable) and the tax refund service is available only at large department stores and at the shops marked as Duty Free. But in the well-known tourist areas you will find many Duty Free shops, like the ones from this photo, lining the Chuo-dori street from Akihabara, Tokyo.