How to Shop at ABC-MART in Japan | Tax-Free Conditions, Shoe Size Chart (cm, EU, US), Reading Price Tags, Checking Store Stock, GRAND STAGE

Overview

ABC-MART is a Japanese chain of shoe stores that sells sneakers, leather shoes, boots, sandals, children's shoes, and more. It sells shoes from brands such as NIKE, adidas, New Balance, VANS, and CONVERSE, as well as shoes from brands owned by the ABC-MART company (such as HAWKINS).

According to the ABC-MART company profile, there are 1,088 ABC-MART stores in Japan, and 136 of them are in Tokyo (as of August 31, 2026). The same company group has 332 stores in Korea and 63 in Taiwan. This article is a guide to shopping at stores in Japan. It is based on ABC-MART's official information (checked on October 16, 2026) and on photos taken at an ABC-MART store in Japan in October 2026.

• Only some stores offer tax-free shopping. At stores that offer it, you can buy tax-free when your total after discounts is ¥5,000 (tax excluded) or more.
• Japanese shoe sizes are given in cm. This article includes a chart that matches cm sizes with EU and US sizes.
• On the price tags and POP (information signs in the sections) at the store we photographed, the large number was the price without consumption tax (before tax), and the price including consumption tax (tax included) was written in small print.
• Store stock is separate from the stock of the ABC-MART online store.

The photo shows the New Balance shoe section of an ABC-MART store inside a shopping mall. The look of the sections and the items on display differ by store. Prices may change depending on the season.

Conditions

Buying tax-free

According to ABC-MART's information, the conditions for buying tax-free are as follows.

• Tax-free shopping is available only at some ABC-MART stores. Items you buy at the ABC-MART online store are not tax-free.
• Tax-free shopping is for people who do not have Japanese nationality and are visiting Japan for a short-term stay, such as for tourism.
• Your total after discounts must be ¥5,000 (tax excluded) or more.
• According to ABC-MART's information, you can buy up to 10 items tax-free. The information does not say what happens if you buy more than that. Ask at the cash register.
• You must show your own actual passport. You cannot buy tax-free with a copy of your passport, a photo of your passport, or a residence card.
• When you pay with a credit card, UnionPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay, or similar, the name on the card or payment account must be the same as the name in your passport. When you buy tax-free, credit cards and UnionPay cards cannot be used unless the cardholder's signature is on the back of the card.
• You cannot buy tax-free items for business use or for resale. Some items, such as consumables, are not tax-free.

The store search on ABC-MART's official website does not let you filter for stores that offer tax-free shopping (checked on October 16, 2026). Before you buy, check with the store staff whether that store offers tax-free shopping.

Changes from November 1, 2026

Japan's tax-free system changed on November 1, 2026 (Japan Tourism Agency information).

• For purchases made by October 31, 2026, you paid the price without consumption tax at the store.
• For purchases made on or after November 1, 2026, you pay the price including consumption tax at the store. When you leave Japan, customs checks your items at the airport or port, and after that, the store where you bought them refunds the consumption tax. To get the refund, you must leave Japan within 90 days of the purchase date and have customs check your items as you leave.
• The refund method (such as a bank transfer or a refund to your credit card) differs by store. As of November 4, 2026, ABC-MART still has not explained how to receive the refund for purchases made on or after November 1. Ask at the cash register when you buy.

ABC-MART's information does not say whether tax-free items can be returned or exchanged. Ask at the cash register when you buy.

The procedures when you leave Japan are explained in Tax-Free Shopping in Japan | The Refund Method from November 2026 and What to Do When You Leave Japan.

Comparison

Japanese shoe sizes (cm, EU, US)

Japanese shoe sizes are given as a number in cm that matches the length of the foot (example: 26.5). The ABC-MART online store's information has a chart that matches Japanese sizes (cm) with EU and US sizes. A "—" in the chart means that ABC-MART's chart does not list an EU size for that cm size.

Unisex sizes

Women's sizes

• The "H" in US sizes means "half." On shoes and boxes, the same size may be written in different ways, such as "6 1/2," "6H," or "6h" (ABC-MART's information).
• This chart is a guide only. Even within the same brand, sizes differ by type of shoe (model). Some brands, such as CONVERSE, have their own size chart. For example, according to ABC-MART's information, for CONVERSE, 23.0cm corresponds to US 4.
• Shoe boxes may show only the US or EU size (ABC-MART's information).

Highlights

Inside the store

At the store we photographed, shoes were displayed by brand on walls and shelves, with boxes of the same shoes stacked below. The label on the side of each box shows the size.

A POP that says "STAFF RECOMMEND" marks items that the store's staff recommend. ABC-MART says it also sells limited-edition items made together with brands and sold only at ABC-MART.

On the running shoe price tags at the store we photographed, there were three boxes: “初心者用” (for beginners), “中級者用” (for intermediate runners), and “上級者用” (for advanced runners). The box that fits the shoe is marked with a red dot. There are also boxes for features, such as “衝撃吸収” (shock absorption), “安定性” (stability), “速乾性” (quick-drying), and “防水” (waterproof), and the features that apply to the shoe are marked with a red dot. The price tags are only in Japanese, so ask the store staff if you are not sure.

There are also sections for leather shoes, boots, and business shoes. According to the ABC-MART online store's information (checked on October 16, 2026), ABC-MART group stores, with the exception of some stores, run a “second pair half price” campaign on business shoes (when you buy two pairs of business shoes, one of the two pairs is half price). The online store does not run this campaign. Check at the store which shoes are included and how the price is calculated.

In the children's shoe section at the store we photographed, there was one chair next to the shelves where you can sit and try on shoes. The shelves in the photo show children's shoes from brands such as PUMA and FILA.

Checkout and store

How to read price tags

On the price tags at the store we photographed, the largest number was the price without consumption tax (“税抜” (before tax)). Below it, the price including consumption tax was written in small print with “税込” (tax included), and this is the amount you pay at the cash register. On the "STAFF RECOMMEND" POP too, the “税抜” price was written large and the “税込” price small. On the left of the price tag, there are labels such as "MEN'S" (for men) and "MEN'S & WOMEN'S" (unisex).

Checking store stock

• The stock at ABC-MART stores is separate from the online store's stock. Even if the online store has an item in stock, the store may not have it.
• According to ABC-MART's information, to ask whether a store has an item in stock, call that store. The store staff can also check the stock at other nearby stores, so if the store does not have the size you want, ask the store staff to check the stock at other stores.
• You can find a store's phone number with the store search on ABC-MART's official website. The store search is in Japanese.

Coupons and prices

• ABC-MART hands out coupons in stores and in flyers inserted in newspapers. These coupons cannot be used at the online store (ABC-MART's information).
• The tax-free information on ABC-MART's official website does not mention coupons for travelers. For coupons offered on other companies' websites, check those companies' information for which stores accept them and the conditions of use.
• Prices are, as a rule, the same at ABC-MART group stores. However, prices may differ by store, for example because of events in the area or in the shopping facility (ABC-MART's information).

Where to buy

ABC-MART and ABC-MART GRAND STAGE

Besides ABC-MART, the ABC-MART company also runs stores called ABC-MART GRAND STAGE. The GRAND STAGE official website describes GRAND STAGE as stores that carry shoes and clothing from popular brands such as NIKE, adidas, and VANS.

GRAND STAGE stores in places that travelers often visit include the following (GRAND STAGE store list, checked on October 16, 2026).

The floor in the table is written as on the building's signs (the ground floor is 1F).

• Store opening hours and phone numbers are listed in the store list on the GRAND STAGE official website.
• Ask each GRAND STAGE store whether it offers tax-free shopping.

Good to know

Points to note

• Items bought at the ABC-MART online store cannot be returned or exchanged at ABC-MART stores. However, items ordered at the online store and picked up at a store can be returned or exchanged only at the store where you picked them up (ABC-MART's information).
• If you take shoe boxes home, your suitcase fills up quickly. Ways to send luggage to your accommodation or the airport are explained in Send Your Suitcase by Courier | Airport to Accommodation, Accommodation to Airport (Yamato Transport).
• How to use cash and cards in Japan is explained in Do You Need Cash in Japan? | Where Cards Work, ATMs That Accept Overseas Cards, and Currency Exchange.