Duty-Free Shops in Narita Airport!

This video, created by “Traveler’s Factory（成田空港免税店）”, introduces duty-free (tax-free) shops in Narita Airport.

Narita International Airport represents international airports in Japan, and is located in Narita, Chiba prefecture.
Narita airport consists of three terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, and Terminal 3, and has wide variety of stores.
If you are planning to travel abroad or use Narita Airport for sightseeing around Japan, we recommend taking a look at the video to get a feel for the duty-free shops there.

What is a “Duty-Free” Shop? Some Benefits of Duty-Free Stores.

Photo：Duty-Free Shop

Duty-free shops, which are shown in the video, are stores where people can purchase items at a price exempted from customs or sales tax in order to encourage consumption outside of Japan.
Therefore, we mostly see these kinds of stores at airports or in busy shopping districts.

One of the best benefits of duty-free shops is that we can get items at a cheaper price without sales tax.
For example, you can buy alcohol and tobacco at prices exempt from alcohol and tobacco taxes, as well as sales tax. This means you can get these items for a cheaper price than at ordinary retail stores in Japan.

Why are Duty-Free Shops Tax Exempt?

Photo：Duty-Free Shop

All the items are at duty-free shops are tax exempt because the Japanese sales tax system cannot be applied at international airports; International airports do not belong to any country.
In addition, these items are regarded as “exported goods” to be used outside of Japan.

Japanese people can also enjoy shopping at duty-free shops in Japan; If they are at the airport for international departures, they can purchase items after departure procedures. They are also asked for their passports when making a purchase.
If you see stores with a sign saying “Duty-Free Shop” or “Tax Free Shop,” you can buy tax-exempt items.

What Kind of Duty-Free Shops are there in Narita Airport?

Source :YouTube screenshot

In Narita Airport, most people go to either Terminal 1 where ANA is in service, or Terminal 2 where JAL is in service.
In both terminals, there are some duty-free shops selling brand-name products such as Tiffany & Co., Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel, where you can buy designer wallets, bags, watches, and so on.

From 0:37 in the video, you can see signs of some popular shops such as: “Dior,” “GUCCI,” “GIORGIO ARMANI,” “HERMES,” and “CHANEL.”
You can also see the cameraman purchasing a Chanel perfume at 2:17.

At Narita Airport's duty-free shops you can shorten your pre-departure shopping by using the “pre-order” or “mail order” services. You can pre-order the items you want before even going to the airport!
Each shop has different opening hours, but most shops open at 7 a.m. and close at 9 p.m.

You might also see some duty-free shops when returning to Japan from foreign countries. Some of these shops sell foreign spirits and perfumes, and you can buy brand-name products at tax-exempted prices. It's much more affordable to buy expensive products you can rarely get, at these stores.
At duty-free shops, a wide variety of items such as food, cameras, electronics, watches, and even traditional Japaneses crafts are popular among foreign visitors, .

Precautions when Using Duty-Free Shops

Photo：Tourist

However, there are some precautions you need to bear in mind when using duty-free shops.

First, you are not allowed to open or use tax-free items before leaving Japan; These are sold to be consumed outside of the country.
Moreover, because these tax-free items are treated as “exported goods,” it is prohibited to use them within Japan.
If you are foreign visitors from outside of Japan, you can also use the “Okinawa Regional Duty-Free Shop System” to buy some items at duty-free shops in cities like Akihabara. In this case, it’s also prohibited to use your tax-free items before leaving Japan. In extreme cases it’s possible that you may be asked to pay taxes when you leave the country. If you follow the guidelines listed above though, you'll have nothing to worry about!

In addition, if you plan on using a flight connection overseas, you have to be careful when purchasing tax-free alcohol and tobacco; the amount of alcohol and tobacco you can bring into each country is different.
Moreover, in some countries, the items you bought at duty-free shops are treated as imported items. In this case, it’s possible that you will be asked to pay tariffs. That being said, before buying tax-free items, we recommend checking the laws in the country you are going to.

Overview of Duty-Free Shops in Japan

Source :YouTube screenshot

Today we introduced a video on duty-free shops at Narita Airport and tax exemption there.
Unfortunately, some Japanese people probably think that they cannot buy items at these kind of stores before departures.

If you have a chance to visit international airports in Japan, like Narita Airport in this video and Kansai Airport in Osaka, please try visiting the duty-free shops they have!

【Official Website】 Narita International Airport Official Website
https://www.narita-airport.jp/en/

【Tripadvisor】 Narita International Airport (NRT)
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Airport-g298161-qNRT-Narita_Chiba_Prefecture_Kanto.html