AEON Hokkaido
We have tax-free counters at 37 stores in Hokkaido.
- We have many convenient services for our customers who are visiting from overseas.
- We will assist you in your travel of Hokkaido.
- Our stores can also serve as convenient landmarks throughout Hokkaido.
Merchandise handled／Food / Clothing / Baby products / Cosmetics / Pharmacy, etc.
Credit cards／Master / Maestro / Cirrus / VISA / PLUS / Union pay / WeChatPay / Alipay
Business Hours／Differ from store to store. Please check each store information for details.
Closed／Open year-round
Access
Aeon Soen Store / Directly in front of the East Exit of JR Soen Station
Access from Odori Park / Take the JR Bus [31] Kita 7-jo Line or [37] Minami-Shinkawa Line from the Odori Nishi 4-chome bus stop (in front of the Odori Post Office) and get off at the Shiritsu Byoin-mae stop
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Who can shop tax-free in Japan?
Tax-free shopping is for international visitors staying in Japan on a short-term (temporary visitor) status.
Always bring your passport (the original, not a copy) when you shop — the store registers
your purchase information. Residents of Japan and long-term visa holders are not eligible.
Q2. I heard Japan's tax-free system changes in November 2026. What changes?
From November 1, 2026, Japan switches to a refund-based system. You pay the full tax-inclusive price at the store, and after a customs check when you leave Japan, the consumption tax is refunded by the store or a refund provider. At the same time, the split between “general goods” and “consumables, the special sealed packaging for consumables, and the ¥500,000 daily cap on consumables are all abolished. Purchases made through October 31, 2026 still use the current system, where the tax is removed instantly at the register.
Q3. What do I need to do at the airport to get my refund?
Within 90 days of your purchase, complete the customs confirmation at your departure airport (or port) and do it before you check in / drop your baggage. Bring your passport and the items you bought, and have the export of your goods confirmed at the customs terminal or inspection point. Once confirmed, the refund is issued through the method you registered when you paid.
Please allow extra time at the airport on your departure day.
Q4. Can I open or use what I bought while I am still in Japan?
No — to qualify for the refund, the items must leave Japan with you, unused. Items you open, use, or consume before departure are not eligible. From November 2026 the sealed packaging for consumables goes away, but the rule itself does not change: please wait until after you leave Japan to open your purchases.
Q5. How much do I need to spend?
At least ¥5,000 (before tax) at the same store on the same day. This minimum stays the same under the new system. Each store’s page here shows whether it offers tax-free shopping.
Q6. Where can I shop tax-free in Sapporo?
ax-free stores are concentrated around Sapporo Station and the Odori area.
This page lists department stores and shopping complexes (such as Sapporo Stellar Place and Sapporo PARCO), specialty shops (such as Daimaru Fujii CENTRAL and Mizubasho), and large supermarkets (such as AEON Hokkaido), searchable by area and category.
Q7. Can I combine coupons with tax-free shopping?
It depends on the store. This page also features coupons for tax-free stores (for example, a 15% off coupon for Mizubasho), so please check the conditions on each store’s page.
Where combining is allowed, you save twice: the coupon discount plus the tax refund.
Q8. I am flying out of New Chitose Airport. Anything I should know?
Build the customs confirmation into your departure schedule. Because the check happens
before baggage drop, it is safest to complete it before check-in. Keep your purchases and passport in your hand luggage so you can present them quickly if asked.
Find a tax-free store
UU Hokkaido® is now being disseminated locally through 16 portals around the world.
It publishes Hokkaido sightseeing maps and CityWalk maps of Sapporo and its suburbs.