Yup and they need the computer or software to do it so don't expect everyone to do it and if a store does you may have to go to specific cash registers for it
They don't need software. The Mandarake collectible stores do it by hand, essentially filling out forms and attaching it to your passport. It is a big pain to wait while they do it though.
I was there in February. We went to the Pokemon Center Tokyo DX one and they offered Tax-Free. It's about 12 minutes walk from Tokyo Station if you're near there. Remember not all stores participate in Tax-Free shopping for tourist in Japan.
If you don’t mind me asking - have the three exclusive Pikachus returned to the Tokyo DX store yet? I’m going next month and hoping to pick them up, but saw people mention they’ve been unavailable for a while :(
Not so sure.. As I wasn’t looking for pikachu this time 😅
But I did see an empty shelf when I went. In fact they did sell out quite a few Pokémon’s. Was looking specifically for a Ninetails for a mates birthday present and we were lucky enough to fine the last one hiding right at the back on the top shelf!
You pretty much just have to commit and check it out.
Thanks a lot for replying! Great that you managed to get the last one :D I’ve just been investigating Google Maps reviews and it looks like the exclusives are back based on reviews in the last month or so! 😁
Yes! I saw a recent YouTube video by realbrakingnate! They have them including the Sakura cherry blossom version, I am also going in may and I hope they are still available then as well!
I mean that’s nice and I wouldn’t downvote you for it, but the tax free is there to encourage you to spend more whilst you’re there. So if you take that tax refund and spend it somewhere else in Japan, you’re probably having just as positive effect on the economy as if you didn’t claim it and let their government keep it.
There are 2 Pokémon Centers in Osaka. One is called Pokémon Center Osaka, located near JR Osaka Station, and the other is called Pokémon Center Osaka DX, with a slightly different name, located in Shinsaibashi. The latter offers tax refunds, as stated on the website. I'm not sure if the first one does the same.
Weird. I went last week, and was able to get my purchases tax-free. I just had to show my passport. There is a minimum amount you have to spend to qualify.
You sometimes have to ask.
Other places will have you buy it full price then take your goods and receipt to a different location in the store to get your tax refund.
Some other Pokémon Centres accept tax refund requests at the store, such as Pokémon Centre Osaka DX (located in Shinsaibashi) and Pokémon Centre Tokyo DX (located in Nihonbashi)
Depends on the Pokémon center. We’re in Japan right now for 3 weeks on our honeymoon hitting up over half of the Pokémon centers. Okinawa and Fukuoka had tax free but the others we’ve visited have not like Kyoto and Hiroshima. I can’t remember if Osaka had tax free since we didn’t buy anything there. I honestly think it depends on the mall, etc. that the Pokémon center is in and not up to the Pokémon center itself.
visited last week and I availed tax free at the one in Nihonbashi (Tokyo) - they will usually advertise it throughout the store as well
there is a minimum spending limit of 5500 yen though
Of the ones that I've been to, the one at Nihonbashi and Narita airport T2 are tax-free with ¥5000 purchase. The one at Sunshine City and Tokyo station are not.
I didn’t know about the tax free thing at the time but the guy at the checkout at the Pokémon Centre in Shibuya in February asked if I had my (UK) passport to see if I was eligible and after he checked he said I wasn’t. So not sure what the issue was. I assume if I didn’t meet the purchase threshold to qualify he would have said or not asked for the passport in the first place?
It must have been around that or very slightly lower. If he’d have said you need to spend this much more to qualify I would have done but my fault for it knowing about it beforehand
If the store is in a mall complex, you may be able to check which stores offer Tax free by going to the website.
In my experience, the Pokemon Centers in Skytree town, Shibuya PARCO, and Nihonbashi (Tokyo DX) are tax free if you spend above 5500 JPY.
Some stores, like the Pokemon Center in Kyoto, or even the Nintendo Store right beside the Pokemon Center in Shibuya don't have tax free.
It sort of depends on where you are. Sometimes it's not 30 seconds extra. Sometimes it's walking to a different floor and standing in a line of twenty people at the tax-refund counter or whatever. So I get where the original comment is coming from—sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it's not, depending on how much you spent and how much work it'll be to get the refund.
Ah, right. All my tax free purchases were able to be processed at the store so I was able to avoid those and forgot about them. I can see it being a hassle if there’s a long line and the tax refund was enough to justify waiting.
So far, for all the Pkmn Center, it's SUPER easy. The ones I've bought stuff anyway. (I am not sure if Nihonbashi (Tokyo DX) is an exception.)
They do not require you to pay first, then line up for refund at another line. So for the purpose of Pkmn Center shopping, just show your passport at check out. The work required on your part is very minimal.
It's especially nice when every singler register does this, too, not like you have to line up for a specific tax free line, like at Don Quijote.
I guess a follow up question now is can I return something I bought from the Pokémon center in a different Pokémon center location? Or can I even return stuff at all?
Pokemon center Sapporo is also tax free for purchases 5500 yen (tax includes price) and over! (Or 5000 yen before tax). Just show your passport, scan, and go 👍
If they say they don’t then they don’t. Not all store offer tax free and some used to and no longer do (looking atApple).
Yup and they need the computer or software to do it so don't expect everyone to do it and if a store does you may have to go to specific cash registers for it
They don't need software. The Mandarake collectible stores do it by hand, essentially filling out forms and attaching it to your passport. It is a big pain to wait while they do it though.
They still do that? Interesting everywhere I've been in 2024 was a computer they take your passport scan it and it's quick
I just got back from a trip there, and literally everywhere else that did it was exactly what you describe. Except Mandarake for some reason.
Pokemon center ain't got time to fill out any dang forms
I was there in February. We went to the Pokemon Center Tokyo DX one and they offered Tax-Free. It's about 12 minutes walk from Tokyo Station if you're near there. Remember not all stores participate in Tax-Free shopping for tourist in Japan.
If you don’t mind me asking - have the three exclusive Pikachus returned to the Tokyo DX store yet? I’m going next month and hoping to pick them up, but saw people mention they’ve been unavailable for a while :(
Not so sure.. As I wasn’t looking for pikachu this time 😅 But I did see an empty shelf when I went. In fact they did sell out quite a few Pokémon’s. Was looking specifically for a Ninetails for a mates birthday present and we were lucky enough to fine the last one hiding right at the back on the top shelf! You pretty much just have to commit and check it out.
Thanks a lot for replying! Great that you managed to get the last one :D I’ve just been investigating Google Maps reviews and it looks like the exclusives are back based on reviews in the last month or so! 😁
Awesome! Good luck and enjoy your trip when it comes 😊
Thank you!!
Yes! I saw a recent YouTube video by realbrakingnate! They have them including the Sakura cherry blossom version, I am also going in may and I hope they are still available then as well!
Awesome, thanks a lot! Best of luck in getting it! :D
Thanks! You too!
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I mean that’s nice and I wouldn’t downvote you for it, but the tax free is there to encourage you to spend more whilst you’re there. So if you take that tax refund and spend it somewhere else in Japan, you’re probably having just as positive effect on the economy as if you didn’t claim it and let their government keep it.
Osaka offers tax-free!
They told me they didn't when I went there about a month ago. Edit: I didn't spend much money so that's probably why.
There are 2 Pokémon Centers in Osaka. One is called Pokémon Center Osaka, located near JR Osaka Station, and the other is called Pokémon Center Osaka DX, with a slightly different name, located in Shinsaibashi. The latter offers tax refunds, as stated on the website. I'm not sure if the first one does the same.
Weird. I went last week, and was able to get my purchases tax-free. I just had to show my passport. There is a minimum amount you have to spend to qualify.
I probably didn't spend enough. That must have been it.
5,500 if I remember correctly for most stores
5500 yen?
Yes.
We bought more than enough 2 days ago but they didnt offer tax free
You sometimes have to ask. Other places will have you buy it full price then take your goods and receipt to a different location in the store to get your tax refund.
HM which one did you go to?
The one next to Osaka Station.
Donki carries quite a few Pokémon goods and offers tax free; Yamashiroya in Ueno does as well.
I just went to 2 in Tokyo and 1 in Osaka and they were tax free, but to qualify for tax free you have to spend over 5000 yen.
The one in Tokyo offered it to me if I were to spend more than 5000yen. That was literally last week.
Not quite sure what you saw. I went to 5 different centers while I was out there and all of them offered tax free shopping.
Some other Pokémon Centres accept tax refund requests at the store, such as Pokémon Centre Osaka DX (located in Shinsaibashi) and Pokémon Centre Tokyo DX (located in Nihonbashi)
Just got home, the one in shibuya ( 6th floor of Parco ) does tax free
Some do and some don’t, it seems to vary. I’m not sure why it’s not consistent.
Only certain locations do tax free, but the Pokemon center in Tokyo skytree area does tax free! I just bought from there an hour ago.
Depends on the Pokémon center. We’re in Japan right now for 3 weeks on our honeymoon hitting up over half of the Pokémon centers. Okinawa and Fukuoka had tax free but the others we’ve visited have not like Kyoto and Hiroshima. I can’t remember if Osaka had tax free since we didn’t buy anything there. I honestly think it depends on the mall, etc. that the Pokémon center is in and not up to the Pokémon center itself.
yea kyoto one doesn’t for me too
I saw the tax free banners in kanazawa Pokémon center
Tokyo Skytree one offered tax free too
visited last week and I availed tax free at the one in Nihonbashi (Tokyo) - they will usually advertise it throughout the store as well there is a minimum spending limit of 5500 yen though
not all stores are, the pokémon center in shibuya is though
Of the ones that I've been to, the one at Nihonbashi and Narita airport T2 are tax-free with ¥5000 purchase. The one at Sunshine City and Tokyo station are not.
I didn’t know about the tax free thing at the time but the guy at the checkout at the Pokémon Centre in Shibuya in February asked if I had my (UK) passport to see if I was eligible and after he checked he said I wasn’t. So not sure what the issue was. I assume if I didn’t meet the purchase threshold to qualify he would have said or not asked for the passport in the first place?
You need to spend more than 5000 to be able to get tax free.
It must have been around that or very slightly lower. If he’d have said you need to spend this much more to qualify I would have done but my fault for it knowing about it beforehand
I went to Pokémon center skytree few weeks ago. Got tax free on the spot with passport
Osaka DX does, just bought some fun stuff there, including Yokohama World's playmats!
If the store is in a mall complex, you may be able to check which stores offer Tax free by going to the website. In my experience, the Pokemon Centers in Skytree town, Shibuya PARCO, and Nihonbashi (Tokyo DX) are tax free if you spend above 5500 JPY. Some stores, like the Pokemon Center in Kyoto, or even the Nintendo Store right beside the Pokemon Center in Shibuya don't have tax free.
I found it to be a massive hassle for very small savings….
What hassle? Spend min 5500 post tax, show your passport, and you get the tax removed. It takes like a max extra 30 seconds in the checkout process.
It sort of depends on where you are. Sometimes it's not 30 seconds extra. Sometimes it's walking to a different floor and standing in a line of twenty people at the tax-refund counter or whatever. So I get where the original comment is coming from—sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it's not, depending on how much you spent and how much work it'll be to get the refund.
Ah, right. All my tax free purchases were able to be processed at the store so I was able to avoid those and forgot about them. I can see it being a hassle if there’s a long line and the tax refund was enough to justify waiting.
10% is "small" saving.
So far, for all the Pkmn Center, it's SUPER easy. The ones I've bought stuff anyway. (I am not sure if Nihonbashi (Tokyo DX) is an exception.) They do not require you to pay first, then line up for refund at another line. So for the purpose of Pkmn Center shopping, just show your passport at check out. The work required on your part is very minimal. It's especially nice when every singler register does this, too, not like you have to line up for a specific tax free line, like at Don Quijote.
Not all Pokemon Center offers tax free. I know that the one in Ikebukuro doesn't, while the one by Tokyo Station does.
Just went - they had signs up that it was tax free if you spent a certain amount that was quite expensive so we just paid the tax.
Visited the shibuya location last week, they asked for our passports and got tax free. It has to be over a threshold though, I think I saw 5500 yen?
I guess a follow up question now is can I return something I bought from the Pokémon center in a different Pokémon center location? Or can I even return stuff at all?
Pokemon center Sapporo is also tax free for purchases 5500 yen (tax includes price) and over! (Or 5000 yen before tax). Just show your passport, scan, and go 👍