Japanese customs for tourists
Although customs procedures include various operations, the operations performed at airports mainly for foreign tourists visiting Japan for short periods of time will be explained in the following pages. Major operations include the customs declaration procedure, the duty-free procedure, and the regulation of prohibited articles for import or export. For more accurate and detailed information, please refer to the Japan Customs website.
Japan Customs
Customs Declaration Procedure
When you enter Japan, you are requested to hand in the “Customs Declaration” form of both your accompanied and unaccompanied baggage at the Customs Clearance. “Customs Declaration” forms are available on the plane/ship or at the Customs office.
More Information for the “Customs Declaration” Procedure
Personal effects and unaccompanied baggage that are for personal use, are free of duties and/or taxes within the allowance specified below. If you have both personal effects and unaccompanied baggage, please consider them together when referring to the allowance.
Clothes, toiletry articles, and other personal effects that are for personal use, as well as professional equipment that will be used during your stay in Japan, are all free of duties and/or taxes, if they are considered quantitatively appropriate and are not for sale.
Procedures of Passenger Clearance (Japan Customs)
Duty-free allowances
Personal effects and unaccompanied baggage that are for personal use, are free of duties and/or taxes within the allowance specified below. If you have both personal effects and unaccompanied baggage, please consider them together when referring to the allowance.
Clothes, toiletry articles, and other personal effects that are for personal use, as well as professional equipment that will be used during your stay in Japan, are all free of duties and/or taxes, if they are considered quantitatively appropriate and are not for sale.
Duty-free guide
| Item | Quantity | Notes |
| Alcoholic beverages | 3 bottles | Approximately 760 ml per bottle |
| Cigarettes | 400 | If a visitor brings in more than one kind of tobaccoproduct then the total allowance is 500 g. |
| Cigars | 100 | |
| Others (e.g. loose tobacco) | 500g | |
| Perfumes | 2oz | 1 oz is equivalent to approx. 28 cc.
(excluding eau de cologne and eau de toilette) |
| Other items | 200, 000yen | The total overseas market value of all articles other than the above items must be under 200, 000 yen. Any item whose overseas market value is under 10, 000 yen is free of duty and/or tax and is not included in the calculation of the total overseas market value of all articles. There is no duty-free allowance for articles having a market value of more than 200, 000 yen each or each set. |
The quantity of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, including both prescription and non-prescription drugs and some food supplements, including vitamin and mineral supplements, which a visitor can bring into Japan at one time may be limited.
Import-Prohibited Articles
When entering Japan, bringing items including drugs, firearms, counterfeit goods, items prohibited by the Washington Convention, invasive alien species or products with false origin labels is prohibited. Please refer to the Japan Customs website in the following for details.
