Phrasebook / Shops & konbini
Japanese Phrases for Shopping and Konbini
Shopping needs little language, because prices are displayed and registers show the total. The difficulty is usually the quick questions from the cashier. Knowing what they are likely to ask makes the whole exchange much easier.
7 useful phrases
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How much is this?
これはいくらですか？
これはいくらですか？ · kore wa ikura desu ka?
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Can I buy this tax-free?
免税できますか？
めんぜいできますか？ · menzei dekimasu ka?
Bring your passport. ¥5,000 minimum per shop, per day. Since Nov 2026 you pay the tax first and claim it back after customs checks the goods as you leave Japan.
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I don't need a bag
袋はいりません
ふくろはいりません · fukuro wa irimasen
Bags cost a few yen.
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Could you heat it up?
温めてください
あたためてください · atatamete kudasai
Konbini will ask 「温めますか？」 — reply はい or 大丈夫です.
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I'm just looking
見ているだけです
みているだけです · mite iru dake desu
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Do you have a bigger size?
もっと大きいサイズはありますか？
もっとおおきいサイズはありますか？ · motto ōkii saizu wa arimasu ka?
Smaller: 小さい chiisai
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Could you gift-wrap it?
プレゼント用に包んでもらえますか？
プレゼントようにつつんでもらえますか？ · purezento-yō ni tsutsunde moraemasu ka?
Good to know
What the cashier is asking
At a konbini you may hear 温めますか？ (shall I heat it?), 袋はご利用ですか？ (do you want a bag?) or ポイントカードはお持ちですか？ (do you have a point card?). 大丈夫です answers no to all of them. Bags are usually a small extra charge.
Paying
Most registers have a small tray for cash, so place your money there and do not hand it over directly. Cards and IC cards are widely accepted in cities, but smaller shops and rural areas may be cash only. 7-Eleven ATMs are a dependable place to withdraw yen with a foreign card.
Tax-free shopping has changed
Since 1 November 2026, visitors pay the full price including tax at participating shops and claim the tax back afterwards, once customs has confirmed the goods are leaving Japan. The minimum is still ¥5,000 before tax at one shop in one day. Refund methods vary by shop, so ask how it works when you buy, bring your passport, and keep the goods available to show at departure.
Trying on clothes
Ask before using a fitting room, and take your shoes off at the entrance. Japanese sizes often run smaller than Western ones, so it is worth checking the measurements.