Japanese skincare and cosmetics: what to buy in Japan, tax-free rules, and how to fly them home

Drugstores are the obvious first stop. Japan's national tourism organisation, JNTO, describes them as not limited to medicine — a good place for cosmetics and toiletries, and the first place to go if you forgot to pack something. It names Kokumin, SunDrug and Matsumoto Kiyoshi among the largest chains, notes that some city-centre stores set out cosmetics samples so you can try before you buy, and says Matsumoto Kiyoshi sells many cosmetics under its own brand. Start here for sunscreen, cleansing oil, sheet masks and lotion.

Convenience stores cover the basics, often late into the night. Lawson says MUJI products are sold in about 13,000 of its stores nationwide (as of February 2026, excluding Lawson Store 100; some stores excepted), with cosmetics among them, and since 31 March 2026 it has sold Lawson-only travel-size skincare and hair-care sets in those stores. Not every store carries the full range, so treat a konbini as a stopgap rather than a place to browse.

For late-evening shopping in the cities, JNTO points to the Don Quijote discount stores, most of which stay open until late. It also describes 100-yen shops — Daiso, Seria, Watts and Can Do have the most branches — as selling almost anything you might need, which makes them worth a look for pouches and small containers before you start decanting.

Japanese sunscreens carry two numbers, explained by the Japan Cosmetic Industry Association (JCIA). SPF mainly shows protection against sunburn caused by UVB, and the higher the number the stronger the protection; products that measure significantly above 50 are labelled 'SPF50+'. PA shows protection against UVA and comes in four grades, from PA+ to PA++++ — the more plus signs, the stronger the UVA protection. The association presents both as a guide for choosing a sunscreen.

Some sunscreens also show UV耐水性 (UV water resistance) with one or two stars: the label means the product kept a set share of its SPF after contact with water. The JCIA advises choosing a sunscreen to suit the situation — a beach or snowfield is not the same as a walk to the shops — spreading enough of it evenly, and reapplying at least every two to three hours depending on conditions, because even waterproof types can rub off on clothing or with movement. It also recommends a wide-brimmed hat, a parasol, long sleeves and sunglasses.

The other label worth knowing is 医薬部外品 (iyakubugaihin, quasi-drug). The JCIA explains that under Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act, products used in the same way are split into ordinary cosmetics and 'medicated cosmetics' (薬用化粧品). Medicated cosmetics contain an 'active ingredient' for effects such as preventing rough skin or acne, whitening (美白) or deodorising, and sit in the quasi-drug category between cosmetics and medicines — the container or box says 医薬部外品. Ordinary cosmetics must list every ingredient by law; quasi-drugs list theirs under the industry's voluntary standard.

If a new product disagrees with your skin, the JCIA's advice is to stop using it at once, rinse with water or lukewarm water, cool the area without rubbing it, and see a dermatologist if the symptoms call for it, taking the product and its full ingredient list with you.

If you want a large bottle, a refill pack or a box of sheet masks rather than a single trial size, Amazon.co.jp and Rakuten Ichiba sell the same categories online. Amazon says standard delivery usually takes about one to four days after dispatch, except in some areas such as remote islands, and shows the estimated date at checkout before you order.

You can collect instead of having it delivered. Amazon Pickup lets you choose an Amazon Locker or Counter, Lawson, FamilyMart, Ministop, a Yamato Transport centre or PUDO for items shipped by Amazon.co.jp, though some items aren't eligible because of their type, size or weight; at a Yamato centre you need the tracking number and ID. Rakuten's konbini pickup at Lawson, FamilyMart and Ministop holds parcels for two or three days after arrival depending on the chain and carrier, and isn't available for parcels over 100 cm (three sides combined), date- or time-specified delivery, or cash on delivery and deferred payment.

To have it waiting at your inn, ask the ryokan first. Yamato Transport says it delivers to a hotel or ryokan if the inn is willing to accept the parcel, that some inns restrict where and when you can collect it, and that parcels should be sent at least two days before check-in — three for longer distances.

Many inns lay out more than soap and shampoo. In our directory, Fukuichi in Ikaho stocks towels, a shampoo bar of a dozen-plus brands and skincare in its bath changing rooms. Kinzan in Arima has POLA amenities at its shared baths, and Taenoyu in Nyuto is also known for POLA amenities. Guests at Hotel Iya Onsen mention L'Occitane amenities, and at Nishimuraya Honkan in Kinosaki the rooms with open-air baths stock Guerlain amenities. Beniya Mukayu in Yamashiro Onsen goes further, with its own Yakushiyama skincare and bath products, which it also sells on site.

Elsewhere the shelf is barer, or the skincare comes only if you ask. Itamuro Daikokuya near Nasu says itself that its amenities are minimal, so bring your own skincare. At Asaba in Shuzenji, two recent reviewers found skincare wasn't left in lower-grade rooms but was brought on request, and at Wataya Bessou in Ureshino skincare in the bath changing rooms is only on request. Kozantei Ubuya at Lake Kawaguchi has basic toiletries, and a 2024 guest found no men's skincare. At Gora Kansuiro in Hakone some amenities are now sold rather than provided, and the open-air baths have no soap or shampoo.

Remote inns are where a forgotten bottle matters most. Yachi Onsen in the Hakkōda mountains provides minimal amenities (a toothbrush) and the nearest convenience store is about 35 minutes away by car. At Yarimikan in Okuhida, guests describe the rooms as very dark overall, with nowhere to do make-up. Pack a small kit with your cleanser, lotion, moisturiser and sunscreen, and ask the inn what it provides when you book.

Japan's Ministry of the Environment sets the standard for the notices hot-spring facilities must post about each spring's contraindications and bathing cautions. After bathing, it advises towelling off rather than rinsing the spring water away, then keeping warm and resting for about 30 minutes — but it adds that people with sensitive skin should rinse with fresh hot water after strongly stimulating springs such as acidic or sulphur springs, or where the water is chlorinated. For acidic and sulphur springs, it lists people with hypersensitive skin or mucous membranes, and dry skin in older people, among the contraindications for bathing.

The same standard asks bathers to pour hot water over themselves, starting with the hands and feet, and wash before getting in, to drink a glass of water before and after bathing, and never to put a towel in the bath. Facilities must post each spring's components, contraindications and bathing cautions, so look for the notice: it tells you which type of spring you're in.

Inns in our directory give the same warnings for particular waters. Naraya in Kusatsu warns that its acidic water can cause a rash, and our report suggests rinsing off afterwards if you have sensitive skin; at Boun, also in Kusatsu, guests describe the Bandai bath as stinging and Nishi-no-yu as gentler for sensitive skin. At Zao Onsen Kinosato, soap and shampoo don't work in the acidic water and the hinoki bath house has no washing stations, so guests wash in the indoor baths first. Tosen Goshobo's strongly salty, iron-rich water in Arima can irritate sensitive skin, and at KAI Enshu on Lake Hamana, whose spring the inn describes as one of the saltiest in Japan, a blogger was advised to rinse off and moisturise afterwards. At Hanzuiryo in Unzen, guests describe their skin tingling after the strongly acidic, sulphurous spring.

You don't need special products for any of this; if you moisturise after bathing, use something your skin already tolerates. The ministry notes that skin inflammation can appear during a hot-spring stay, and says to stop bathing or bathe less often until it settles; see a doctor if it doesn't.

Japan's tax-free system changed on 1 November 2026. Until 31 October, eligible visitors paid tax-exclusive prices at the till. For purchases made on or after 1 November, the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) says you pay the tax-inclusive price at a tax-free shop and the tax is refunded after customs at the airport or seaport confirms the goods are leaving Japan. Purchases of ¥5,000 or more (excluding tax) per store per day qualify, limited to quantities you can personally carry out of Japan. The old split between general goods and consumables, the ¥500,000 cap on consumables and the special sealed packaging are all abolished.

That last change matters for cosmetics. The JTA says that although the special packaging is gone, consumables such as food, drinks or cosmetics that are used in Japan are not eligible for the refund. Inspection works per receipt: if even one item from a receipt is missing, nothing on that receipt qualifies, and if you've used something, you should report it to a customs officer at the counter rather than use the terminal. If you'll open some products during the trip, it is simpler to keep them off your tax-free receipts.

At the airport, within 90 days of purchase, present your passport at a tax-free procedure terminal in the international departure lobby before you check in your bags, with all your tax-free goods with you — checked baggage can't be retrieved afterwards. A green result ends the procedure; a red one means taking the goods to the customs inspection area. Refunds are made by bank transfer, card, app or cash at the port, depending on the shop. Posting tax-free goods home yourself is no longer possible: that option was abolished on 31 March 2025, and whether a shop ships overseas is up to the shop.

On international flights from Japan, liquids, gels and aerosols in your cabin bag — including anything that can't keep its shape without its container — must be in containers of 100 ml (or g) or less, inside one clear, resealable plastic bag of up to 1 litre per passenger, according to the transport ministry (MLIT). Its list of toiletries covered includes skin lotion, hand cream and ointment, liquid foundation, mascara and liquid eyeliner, lip gloss and gel lipstick (solid lipstick is excepted), cleansing foam and make-up remover, perfume, hair spray, shampoo and conditioner, and nail polish.

Some beauty buys are outside the rule. MLIT lists sheet-type face masks, cleansing cotton sheets and wet tissues among items you can carry on regardless of quantity. Liquids bought after the security check are exempt too, but MLIT warns they may be confiscated if you change planes abroad under another country's rules, and it asks passengers to put liquids they won't need on board into checked baggage.

Checked baggage has limits as well. Under MLIT's list of dangerous goods, toiletries — hair spray, skin lotion, cleansing foam, sunscreen, perfume, nail polish and remover, bath oil and the like — and medicinal articles, including quasi-drugs, are allowed in carry-on or checked baggage only up to 0.5 litres or 0.5 kg per container and 2 litres or 2 kg per person in total, toiletries, medicines and sprays combined. The valve of a spray can must be protected by a cap or similar so it can't go off by accident. The JCIA notes that many aerosol products use flammable high-pressure gas, and airlines may set stricter rules, so check with yours.

Buying a hair iron too? MLIT says plug-in models are fine, but a cordless one with a lithium-ion battery may only fly if the battery can be separated from the heating part (the battery then travels in carry-on only); one that can't be separated isn't permitted at all. Gas-type irons are allowed with conditions, but spare gas cartridges are not.