How to Use Akachan Honpo in Japan | Tax-Free Conditions and Fee, Tax-Free Stores (Tokyo, Osaka, and More), Baby Clothes Sizes, Price Tags

Overview

Akachan Honpo is a Japanese chain of stores that sells clothes and underwear for babies and children, disposable diapers, powdered formula, strollers, child car seats, maternity clothes, and more. The company's name is Akachan Honpo Co., Ltd.

According to Akachan Honpo's store list, there are 130 Akachan Honpo stores in Japan, and 80 of them offer tax-free shopping (checked on October 16, 2026). This article is a guide to shopping at the stores in Japan. It is based on Akachan Honpo's official information (checked on October 16, 2026) and on photos taken at an Akachan Honpo store in Japan in October 2026.

• Only some stores offer tax-free shopping. You complete the tax-free procedure at the store's Tax-Free Counter.
• According to Akachan Honpo's tax-free guide, from November 1, 2026, when you shop tax-free, you pay a handling fee of 1.1% of the price including consumption tax at the register. The consumption tax amount is refunded after customs checks your purchases when you leave Japan.
• There are 14 stores in Tokyo. There are no stores in Shinjuku City, Shibuya City, Chuo City (Ginza and nearby), or Chiyoda City (Tokyo Station and nearby).
• Japanese baby clothes sizes are shown as numbers in cm, such as 50, 60, 70, and 80.

Conditions

Shopping tax-free

According to Akachan Honpo's tax-free guide (checked on November 4, 2026), the conditions for shopping tax-free from November 1, 2026 are as follows.

• Eligible shoppers are foreign nationals who entered Japan less than 6 months ago, and Japanese nationals who can show with documents that they have lived outside Japan for 2 years or more.
• Tax-free shopping must be done by the shopper in person. No one else can complete the procedure on their behalf.
• Your purchases become tax-free when the total you buy in one transaction is ¥5,000 (tax excluded) or more at the price excluding consumption tax.
• You can buy only as much as you can take out of Japan yourself when you leave.
• At the store, you pay the price including consumption tax.
• Some items in the store cannot be bought tax-free.

Steps for the tax-free procedure

1. Before you pay, the shopper tells the staff in person that they want to shop tax-free and shows their passport.
2. Pay the price including consumption tax. At this time, you pay a tax-free handling fee of 1.1% of the price including consumption tax.
3. Create an account on the refund website JPrefund and enter your information.
4. When you leave Japan within 90 days of the purchase date, have customs check your purchases at a tax-free procedure kiosk at the airport or other departure point, or at a customs counter, before you check in your baggage with the airline.
5. After the check, the store sends the refund to the destination you registered on JPrefund.

• Depending on how you choose to receive the refund on JPrefund (such as a credit card or electronic payment), a separate fee may be charged (Akachan Honpo's tax-free guide). The information does not say when the refund is paid.
• The customs check is done for each receipt. If even one item on a receipt is not with you, you cannot receive a refund for any of the items on that receipt.
• Items you send outside Japan yourself are not eligible for tax-free shopping.

Point card

• Since March 2024, only people who live in Japan can get an Akachan Honpo point card. Even foreign nationals who already have a point card cannot use it when they shop tax-free. You do not earn points, and you cannot use points. Those foreign nationals can also use the point card for purchases that are not tax-free.

Tax-free service hours

At some stores, tax-free service ends earlier than the store's closing time. For example, the English store page for Arcakit Kinshicho says that the store is open until 21:00 and that tax-free service is available from 10:00 to 20:45. The Japanese store page does not list tax-free service hours. If you go close to closing time, check at the store what time tax-free service ends.

The procedure when leaving Japan is explained in Tax-Free Shopping in Japan | The Refund Method from November 2026 and What to Do When You Leave Japan.

Comparison

Baby clothes sizes

Sizes for baby and children's clothes in Japan are shown as numbers in cm, such as 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90. Akachan Honpo Online Shop divides clothes into clothes for newborns and infants (50–80cm), baby clothes (70–95cm), and children's clothes (100–120cm). Some of the cm ranges in these categories overlap.

In May 2023, Akachan Honpo's “赤ちゃんのいる暮らし研究所” (Research Institute for Life with Babies) asked Akachan Honpo members what size of underwear their children wear. The most common size for each age is as follows.

(Source: Akachan Honpo Co., Ltd., 赤ちゃんのいる暮らし研究所, “ベビー肌着のサイズアップ、いつから？ 新生児肌着からの切り替え時は？” (When should you size up baby underwear? When should you switch from newborn underwear?))

• Every child's body size is different. This table is only a guide.
• Product pages on Akachan Honpo Online Shop list the measurements of each item of clothing in cm (body length, body width, sleeve length, etc.).

Highlights

Store sections

At the store where the photos were taken, the signs above the sections showed the section names in Japanese and English. For example, the sign above the stroller section said “おでかけ strollers・baby carriers・car seats” (おでかけ: going out), and the sign above the section for clothes worn outdoors said “おそとのふく baby & kids outer・shoes” (おそとのふく: outdoor clothes).

The photo shows the stroller section at the store where the photos were taken. According to the guidance on Akachan Honpo's store pages, you can try out the strollers on display in the store. If you want to try one, ask a store staff member.

The photo shows the baby shoe shelves at the store where the photos were taken. Above the shelves there is a sign that says “シューズ” (shoes).

The photo shows the romper section (rompers are baby clothes with the top and bottom joined together) at the store where the photos were taken.

The photo shows the children's pajama section at the store where the photos were taken. The green tags on the pajamas say “お着替え応援 パジャマ” (pajamas that help with changing clothes).

The photo shows the section for babies' winter outerwear (thick padded suits with the top and bottom joined together) at the store where the photos were taken. In October, when the photos were taken, winter clothes were on display.

The photo shows the baby jacket section at the store where the photos were taken. In the back there is a sign that says “SERVICE COUNTER.”

Akachan Honpo also sells clothes from SiMPLE FREE, its own original brand (Akachan Honpo Online Shop information). What the sections look like and which items are on display differ by store and season.

Checkout and store

How to read price tags

On the price tags at the store where the photos were taken, the largest number was the price excluding consumption tax. The word “税抜” (before tax) was not written on the price tags at the store where the photos were taken. Below that number, in parentheses, the price including consumption tax was written in small print together with the word “税込” (tax included). When you are not shopping tax-free, you pay the tax-included amount at the register. For purchases made on or after November 1, 2026, you pay the tax-included amount at the store even when you shop tax-free.

How to pay

• According to Akachan Honpo's FAQ, payment methods include credit cards, cash, and smartphone payments.
• Akachan Honpo's tax-free guide shows the logos of UnionPay and Alipay, and the logos of payment apps from various regions that are part of Alipay+ (Kakao Pay, NAVER Pay, Toss Pay, GCash, Touch 'n Go eWallet, TrueMoney, and others).
• Accepted payment methods differ by store. The payment methods accepted at each store are listed on that store's page in Akachan Honpo's store list.

Checking store stock

• On product pages on Akachan Honpo Online Shop, you can check stock at stores. However, this display is for reference only and can differ from actual stock. You cannot ask a store to hold items for you. Prices can also differ by store (Online Shop information).
• Store addresses, opening hours, and phone numbers are listed in Akachan Honpo's store list.

Gift wrapping

At Akachan Honpo stores, you can have items wrapped in Akachan Honpo wrapping paper or in gift bags (Akachan Honpo's in-store services information). The information does not say whether there is a charge for wrapping. Some items cannot be wrapped.

Where to buy

Stores where you can shop tax-free

According to Akachan Honpo's store list (checked on October 16, 2026), there are 14 stores in Tokyo, and 13 of them offer tax-free shopping. There are no Tokyo stores in Shinjuku City, Shibuya City, Chuo City (Ginza and nearby), or Chiyoda City (Tokyo Station and nearby).

The table below shows examples of stores that offer tax-free shopping and are easy to reach from a station (Akachan Honpo's store pages).

The floor numbers in the table are the same as the building signs (the ground floor is 1F).

• A list of all stores where you can shop tax-free, including other stores, is on the Akachan Honpo official website under “免税対応店舗一覧” (List of tax-free stores). The page is in Japanese.
• Opening hours differ by store. Check the store page before you go.

Good to know

Things to note

• According to Akachan Honpo's information, items bought in a store can be returned within 30 days, counting the day of purchase. Bring the unused, unopened item to the store together with the receipt. If you paid by card or smartphone payment, also bring the card or smartphone you paid with, or a statement showing the payment. You might not be able to return items at a store other than the one where you bought them. Drinks, food, swimwear, and some other items cannot be returned.
• Akachan Honpo's information does not say whether items bought tax-free can be returned. Check at the Tax-Free Counter when you buy.
• Akachan Honpo Online Shop delivers only within Japan. It cannot ship outside Japan. It might not be able to deliver to hotels or airports (Online Shop information).
• According to Akachan Honpo's information, you can have items bought in the store sent from the store for a shipping fee. The information does not say whether items can be sent outside Japan or to your accommodation. Check at the store.
• Both strollers and large packs of disposable diapers might not fit in a suitcase. How to send luggage to your accommodation or the airport is explained in Send Your Suitcase by Courier | Airport to Accommodation, Accommodation to Airport (Yamato Transport).