How to Use 100-Yen Shops in Japan | Reading Prices at DAISO, Can Do and Seria, What They Sell, Payment and Returns
Japan's 100-yen shops are chain stores that sell kitchenware, cleaning supplies, stationery, sweets and more, mostly for 100 yen per item (110 yen including tax; 108 yen including tax for food). Using DAISO, Can Do and Seria as examples, this article explains the tax-included amount you pay at the register and how to spot items that are not 100 yen, what the sections carry, how to find a store, how to pay and the return rules, based on each company's official information and photos taken in the stores.
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Overview
Japan's "100-yen shops" are chain stores that sell many everyday items, such as kitchenware, cleaning supplies, stationery and sweets, for 100 yen each (¥110 (tax included)). They are common near stations, in shopping complexes and in residential areas, and are handy for picking up things you have run out of during your trip or for finding lightweight souvenirs. This article focuses on DAISO, which has 4,784 stores in Japan (its signs also show the name in katakana as "ダイソー"), and also covers Can Do and Seria.
The photos show examples of individual stores at the time they were taken. The product range, facilities, opening hours and accepted payment methods vary by store.
Prices
A 100-yen item costs 110 yen at the register
"100 yen" is the price before consumption tax. At the register you pay ¥110 (tax included), which includes 10% consumption tax. Food and drink such as sweets and beverages are taxed at 8%, so they cost ¥108 (tax included) (National Tax Agency guidance on the reduced tax rate; alcoholic beverages are taxed at 10%). Seria states on its official website that its products have a uniform price of 110 yen for general goods and 108 yen for food.
Not everything costs 100 yen
DAISO and Can Do also sell items priced above 100 yen, such as 200, 300 and 500 yen (DAISO's official product pages; Can Do's company history). DAISO's official product pages show both the pre-tax and the tax-included price, such as "100 yen (110 yen incl. tax)" and "200 yen (220 yen incl. tax)". In the store, check the label on the packaging or the price tag on the shelf.
On the packaging in the photo, the top right corner reads "200円（税込220円）" (200 yen; 220 yen incl. tax).
In the store in the photo, the section for cables and smartphone accessories had price tags of 300 yen, 500 yen and so on.
Consumption tax on food from April 2027
In September 2026, the Japanese government approved, at a Cabinet meeting, a proposed amendment that would lower the consumption tax rate on food and drink to 1% for the two years from April 1, 2027 to March 31, 2029 (National Tax Agency; Cabinet Secretariat). If the bill passes the Diet, tax-included food prices will change during this period. This article will be rewritten once the change is finalized.
What to buy
Use the aisle signs
In large DAISO stores, each section has a numbered sign with the category written in Japanese and English.
The sign in the photo reads "8 掃除 Cleaning supplies". Use these signs to find the section you are looking for, or ask a staff member. DAISO classifies its stores as large, standard or small, and Can Do also states that the variety and quantity of its products differ by store size and region. If you already know what you want, you are more likely to find it in a large store.
Sections in the store where the photos were taken
Here are items travelers often use, photographed in a DAISO store. Not every store carries the same products.
The tableware, glassware and chopsticks section. It carries items shaped for the Japanese table, such as chopstick rests, small plates and rice bowls.
The kitchenware section, with cooking utensils, bento boxes and baking supplies.
The socks and tights section. Useful if you run out during your trip.
The stationery section, with ballpoint pens, pencil sharpeners and notebooks.
The snacks section. Products from Japanese confectionery makers are sold in small bags. Food costs ¥108 (tax included) (see "A 100-yen item costs 110 yen at the register").
Reading the packaging
Packaging is mostly in Japanese. Like the product in the photo, many packages also give the product name in English and show how to use the item with pictures. Figures such as size and load capacity are also printed on the packaging.
Where to buy
How to find a store
| Store | Number of stores and store locator |
|---|---|
| DAISO | 4,784 stores in Japan (as of the end of February 2026). The store locator on the official website is in Japanese only and can search from your current location. You can filter for stores that accept credit cards, e-money or barcode payment, and for stores open past 8 p.m., 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. |
| Can Do | 1,355 stores (as of the end of February 2026). The official store locator is in Japanese and can filter by store size, types of payment accepted and products carried (items of 200 yen or more, food, drinks). The official website has English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) and Korean versions |
| Seria | 2,134 stores. The official store locator is in Japanese, and each store's page lists its opening hours by day and the payment methods accepted at that store |
- DAISO's corporate website has no English version; the store locator and the official FAQ are in Japanese only.
- DAISO's official app lets you check the stock at individual stores (stock as of the previous evening; some stores are not covered. The app's supported languages are not stated officially). Can Do and Seria do not offer stock checks by phone, web or app. None of the three chains will set items aside for you.
- DAISO has about 1,107 stores in 25 countries and regions outside Japan (as of the end of February 2026).
- The online shops of all three chains serve Japan only, with no information on overseas shipping. Travelers will need to buy in store.
- You need a data connection to use the store locators, maps and apps on the spot. See Getting Online in Japan | eSIM vs SIM Card vs Pocket Wi-Fi, What to Check First, and Airport Pickup.
Paying
How to pay
- Accepted payment methods vary by store (official guidance from all three chains). DAISO's official FAQ states that some stores accept credit cards and PayPay, au PAY, Rakuten Pay, Merpay, d-Barai (d払い) and EPOS Kantan Kessai (エポスかんたん決済).
- Each Seria store page lists, one by one, the credit cards, transit IC cards, e-money and QR code payment services accepted at that store. Can Do's store pages also list the types of payment accepted.
- Whether transit IC cards (such as Suica) are accepted also depends on the store. See Welcome Suica: How to Buy and Use It | A 28-Day IC Card for Visitors to Japan for how to buy a card.
- The Japan National Tourism Organization advises carrying cash, as there are still many situations in Japan where you need to pay in cash.
- There is a charge for plastic shopping bags (at DAISO, in all stores since July 2020). If you bring your own shopping bag, there is no bag fee.
- Prices are not negotiable (Can Do's official FAQ: "We do not offer discounts or price reductions").
Tax-free shopping
Tax-free purchases are possible only at stores licensed by the government as tax-free shops, and conditions apply, such as spending ¥5,000 (tax excluded) or more at the same store on the same day (Japan Tourism Agency). The official websites of DAISO, Can Do and Seria have no list of, or information about, stores that offer tax-free shopping.
Good to know
Returns and exchanges
These are the rules for returns and exchanges for the customer's own reasons. All of them require the receipt and are accepted only in person at the store where you bought the item. You cannot return items after you have gone home, so check your purchases in the store.
| Store | Deadline and conditions |
|---|---|
| DAISO | Within 14 days counting from the day after purchase. Food, personal seals (hanko), opened or used items and pet food are excluded |
| Can Do | Within 30 days of purchase. Unopened and unused items only. Food is excluded unless it is defective |
| Seria | Within 30 days of the purchase date. Opened items, food, special orders and shopping bags are excluded |
Other points
- DAISO's store locator also shows stores of the company's other brands (Standard Products, THREEPPY and CouCou). Items bought at these stores can be returned only at a store of the same brand.
- When taking photos inside a store, keep other customers and staff out of the frame, and follow any signs prohibiting photography (Seria's official FAQ).
- For things you can do at a convenience store, such as buying drinks and bento or using an ATM, see What You Can Do at Japanese Convenience Stores | ATM Cash Withdrawals, Payment Methods, Sending Luggage.