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Cruise Passengers: Where to Do the Tax Refund
Do it at the airport or seaport of your final departure from Japan — not at ports where you only temporarily leave Japan (Customs cruise leaflet).
| Itinerary | Where |
|---|---|
| Cruise from/to Japan with foreign port calls, then fly home | At the departure airport (fly & cruise) |
| Cruise from abroad, ending abroad | At the last Japanese port, before baggage drop |
Shore-pass (船舶観光上陸許可) holders show passport (or copy) + the landing permit when buying.
→ Estimate your refund with the free calculator · Departure checklist · All guides
Planning a Japan trip after Nov 1, 2026?
- Tax-Free Refund Field Guide ($7) — a step-by-step English guide to the new refund process, from shop to airport.
- Japan Trip Planner Pack ($9) — planning templates for a first Japan trip.
- Tax-Free Receipt Tracker 2026 (from $5) — spreadsheet that flags the ¥5,000 minimum, 90-day deadline and estimated refund per shop/day.
Paid products by GuroWorks, the publisher of this free site (advertisement for our own products). 14-day refund on Gumroad for the guide. The calculator stays free.
Related guides
- Tax Refund with Visit Japan Web
- Regional Airports: New Chitose, Fukuoka, Naha, Chubu
- Connecting Flights: Which Airport?
Official sources
Rules checked October 30, 2026 (JST). Rules can change; always confirm with the official pages and your shop.
- Japan Customs — To Cruise Ship Passengers (PDF): www.customs.go.jp
- Japan Tourism Agency — Traveler FAQ (Refund Method, Japanese): www.mlit.go.jp
- Japan Tourism Agency — Eligible purchasers list (PDF, Japanese): www.mlit.go.jp