How to Shop at Yodobashi Camera | Sections by Pavilion at the Shinjuku West Main Store (Hobby, Toys, Games, Cameras, Watches, Travel), the Akiba, Umeda, Kyoto and Hakata Stores, Points and Tax-Free Information

Overview

Yodobashi Camera is a large Japanese home appliance retailer. According to the company's official website, the company was founded in 1960 and opened the Shinjuku West Main Store in 1975. Besides home appliances and cameras, it also sells games, toys, plastic models, figures, suitcases, wristwatches and more.

• According to the company profile on the company's official website, Yodobashi Camera has 25 stores (checked on October 29, 2026).
• This article uses the Shinjuku West Main Store, near the West Exit of Shinjuku Station, as an example. The Shinjuku West Main Store is not a single building. It is made up of several buildings (pavilions), each selling different kinds of products.
• The Shinjuku West Main Store is open from 9:30 to 22:00.
• The rate of points you get on the amount you spend differs depending on the payment method. Details are in the "Paying" section of this article.
• According to Yodobashi Camera's official announcement, since November 1, 2026, all Yodobashi Camera stores across Japan have been handling tax-free shopping under the new tax-free system. Details are in the "Conditions" section of this article.

Getting there

Location of the Shinjuku West Main Store

• The store page for the Shinjuku West Main Store says it is a 2-minute walk from Shinjuku Station (JR Yamanote Line and other lines). The English store page mentions the West Exit of Shinjuku Station.
• The West Exit of Shinjuku Station is a large area with exits both above ground and underground. How to find your way around the West Exit is explained in Walking from the West Exit of Shinjuku Station to Nishi-Shinjuku | Free Observatories at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (Hours, Closed Days, Entrance) and Sights in the Skyscraper District.

Pavilion Guide Board

In front of the Shinjuku West Main Store, there was a large guide board showing where the pavilions are (when we took the photo on October 27, 2026). On the map on the board, each pavilion had one of the letters N, E, S, M, A, W, C, F, T, P, G, O and V, and the names of the pavilions and what they sell were written in Japanese, English and Chinese. In the lower left of the map, Shinjuku Station and "West Ent." (the West Exit of Shinjuku Station) were shown.

Above the guide board, "Welcome to Yodobashi Camera" and "友都八喜" were written. 友都八喜 is the Chinese store name used on Yodobashi Camera's official website.

On the stairs on 1F of the Multimedia North Pavilion, there was also a map showing where the pavilions are. Below the map, the opening hours were given as "あさ 9:30" (9:30 in the morning) to "よる 10:00" (10:00 at night). "よる 10:00" means 22:00. Next to it, "年中無休" (open every day of the year) was written (when we took the photo on October 27, 2026).

• Below the map, there was also a notice for the Camera Pavilion saying "カメラは隣のビルで取り扱っています" (cameras are sold in the building next door), and a notice for the Watch Pavilion saying "この館を出て右に曲がり、交差点を渡って約50m 先のビル" (leave this pavilion, turn right, cross the intersection, and it is the building about 50 m ahead).

Opening Hours

• The Shinjuku West Main Store is open every day from 9:30 to 22:00 (we checked the opening hours from October 29 to November 4, 2026 on the official store page).
• The map page for the Shinjuku West Main Store has no information on closing days. The map in the photo above said "年中無休" (open every day of the year).
• The parking information on the map page says that opening hours may change during the year-end and New Year holidays. If you are going during the year-end and New Year holidays, check the store page.

Highlights

Sections by Pavilion

Here are the main pavilions and sections of the Shinjuku West Main Store, according to Yodobashi Camera's official floor information (checked on October 29, 2026). Floor numbers follow the signs in the buildings, where the ground floor is 1F. The pavilion names are the names in the official floor information. The names on the signs at the store and on the guide boards may be different.

• Gachapon are machines where you insert coins and turn a handle, and a capsule containing a small toy comes out.
• Japanese home appliances are made for Japan's voltage and outlet shape. If you are buying something to use in your own country, check the voltage and the plug shape. Details are in Japan Plug Type and Voltage | Type A and 100V: How to Check Whether You Need a Plug Adapter or Transformer.

Game Pavilion and Hobby Sections

According to the official floor information, the name of this building is the Game Pavilion (ゲーム館). 1F has the video game section and the toy and hobby section (trading cards, character goods and more), and 2F and 3F are the hobby sections for Gunpla, model trains and more. The sign on the front of the building said that the "ホビー館" (Hobby Pavilion) sections are on 1F, 2F and 3F, and the "ゲーム館" (Game Pavilion) section is on 1F (when we took the photo in September 2026). Above the entrance on the left side of 1F, "ヨドバシカメラ ホビー館" (Yodobashi Camera Hobby Pavilion) was written, and above the entrance on the right side, "ヨドバシカメラ ゲーム館" (Yodobashi Camera Game Pavilion). The "ホビー館" on the sign is different from "ホビー・おもちゃ館" (Hobby & Toy Pavilion), which is a separate building.

On 1F of the Game Pavilion, there was a "キャラクターグッズ" (character goods) section with plush toys of game characters and other items (when we took the photo on October 27, 2026).

At the entrance to 2F of the Game Pavilion building, "ホビー館 2階" (Hobby Pavilion 2F) was written in Japanese. Below it, the names of the items in the section, "ガンプラ" (Gunpla), "プラモデル" (plastic models) and "フィギュア" (figures), were written in Japanese, English and Chinese. Gunpla are plastic models of the robots from the anime "Mobile Suit Gundam".

On 2F, there were many rows of shelves lined with Gunpla boxes.

At the entrance to 3F of the Game Pavilion building, "ホビー館 3階" (Hobby Pavilion 3F) was written, along with the names of sections such as plastic model paints and tools, model trains and Mini 4WD.

In the model train section on 3F, there was a display of model tracks and towns.

Hobby & Toy Pavilion

On the front of the building, there was a sign reading "ヨドバシカメラ ホビー・おもちゃ館" (Yodobashi Camera Hobby & Toy Pavilion) and a guide to the sections on each floor from B1 to 5F. Next to the entrance, Gachapon machines were lined up facing the sidewalk (when we took the photo on October 27, 2026).

On 3F inside the pavilion, there was a guide to the sections on each floor. The guide listed the following sections, starting from the top floor (when we took the photo).

• 5F: Gachapon, arcade games, seasonal toys
• 4F: Ultraman, Super Sentai, Kamen Rider
• 3F: board games, jigsaw puzzles, Ichiban Kuji
• 2F: Sanrio, PreCure, Disney
• 1F: LEGO, Tomica, Plarail
• B1: educational toys, Mell-chan, Anpanman

Ichiban Kuji is a lottery where you pay for each draw and receive the prize of the tier you draw.

In some places, Gachapon machines were stacked in many tiers on both sides of the aisle.

Travel Pavilion, Cellphone Accessories Pavilion and Watch Pavilion

In the Travel Pavilion, many suitcases were lined up on the floor.

In the Cellphone Accessories Pavilion, there were shelves lined with USB Type-C cables and smartphone cases.

On 1F of the Watch Pavilion, there were glass cases of CASIO wristwatches (G-SHOCK and others).

Where to buy

Other Stores That Are Easy for Travelers to Visit

These are examples of stores we checked on October 29, 2026, in Yodobashi Camera's official store list and in the store list on the company's official website. All the stores in the table below are open from 9:30 to 22:00.

• The English names of the stores are written with the store name after "Yodobashi Camera", as in "Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Akiba".
• Yodobashi Camera's official website says "Yodobashi Camera has the same prices at all stores", while adding that "some products differ".

Differences from Bic Camera

Bic Camera is a home appliance retailer run by a different company from Yodobashi Camera. There is also a Bic Camera store in front of the West Exit of Shinjuku Station. Bic Camera's Shinjuku Nishiguchi (West Exit) store is explained in How to Shop at Bic Camera | Sections by Floor and Opening Hours at the Shinjuku Nishiguchi (West Exit) Store, Tax-Free Shopping, Airport Delivery.

Paying

Payment Methods and Points

On the "Payment methods at Yodobashi Camera stores" page of its official website, Yodobashi Camera lists the payment methods you can use at its stores and the rate of "Gold Points" you get on the amount you spend (the point rate), as follows (checked on October 29, 2026).

• You can also pay in cash with US dollars.
• According to the official information, if you use the "Yodobashi Gold Point Card" smartphone app, the standard point rate is 10% no matter which credit card you pay with.
• The official FAQ says the point rate may differ depending on the product.
• UnionPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay and PayPay are not listed in the official list of payment methods at the stores.

At the checkout in the Travel Pavilion, there was a sign showing the point rate for each payment method (when we took the photo on October 27, 2026). The sign listed 8% for credit cards, 10% for the e-money Rakuten Edy and transit IC cards, 8% for QUICPay+ and iD, and 10% for J-Debit.

Gold Point Card

• You can use Gold Points on your next purchase, with 1 point worth 1 yen.
• According to the official information, the Gold Point Card has no joining fee or annual fee, and you can sign up right away at the store.
• Points are valid for 2 years from the last day you made a purchase using the Gold Point Card.
• The official website does not say whether travelers who do not live in Japan can get a Gold Point Card. If you want one, ask the store staff.

Extended Warranty

• Yodobashi Camera has an extended warranty (Gold Point Warranty) for Gold Point Card members. According to the official information, among the products designated by Yodobashi Camera, it covers those bought for ¥10,000 (tax included) or more, and by using points worth 5% of the purchase price, you get a 5-year warranty.
• According to the official information, breakdowns that happen while you are using the product outside Japan, and cases where the product cannot be repaired in Japan, are not covered by the warranty.

Conditions

Tax-Free Shopping from November 1, 2026

Japan's tax-free system changed on November 1, 2026 (according to the Japan Tourism Agency). In its official announcement (October 28, 2026, partly revised on October 29), Yodobashi Camera says that from November 1, 2026, all Yodobashi Camera stores across Japan handle the procedures under the new system.

• For purchases made on or after November 1, 2026, you pay the price including consumption tax at the store. After that, you complete the required procedures and receive a refund of the consumption tax amount.
• Yodobashi Camera has set up tax-free counters at 11 major stores and offers the "Downtown Refund Service", where you can receive the consumption tax amount in cash on the spot. The announcement says that if you choose a "cash" refund in the store procedure, you can receive the refund in cash on the spot.
• The 11 stores are the Shinjuku West Main Store, Multimedia Ikebukuro, Multimedia Akiba, Multimedia Ueno, Multimedia Yokohama, Multimedia Umeda, Multimedia Kyoto, Multimedia Meitetsu Nagoya, Multimedia Hakata, Multimedia Sapporo and Multimedia Sendai.
• The announcement says that tax-free items bought at Global Blue member stores can also be processed for a refund at Yodobashi Camera's tax-free counters.
• According to the announcement, you need to register a credit card to use the Downtown Refund Service. If customs does not approve your purchases when you leave Japan, the amount you received at the store is charged to the registered card. This service is provided in partnership with Global Blue.
• The announcement does not state the reception hours of the tax-free counter or the refund fee (checked on November 4, 2026). According to the floor information of the Shinjuku West Main Store, the tax-free counter is on 6F of the Multimedia North Pavilion. It is not stated whether this counter is the same as the tax-free counter mentioned in the announcement.

• According to the Japan Tourism Agency, from November 1, 2026, purchases qualify when the total amount bought at the same store on the same day is ¥5,000 (tax excluded) or more.
• According to the Japan Tourism Agency, the customs check is done for each receipt from one purchase. If even one of the items on a receipt is not with you, you cannot receive a refund for any of the items on that receipt.

Good to know

Shipping Outside Japan

• The FAQ of Yodobashi.com (Yodobashi Camera's online shop) says it cannot deliver outside Japan.
• The official website does not mention any service for shipping items bought at the stores outside Japan. Ways to send large luggage to the airport or your hotel are explained in Send Your Suitcase by Courier | Airport to Accommodation, Accommodation to Airport (Yamato Transport).

Taking Photos Inside the Stores

• On the free Wi-Fi page of Yodobashi Camera's official website, taking photos of products on display and exhibits inside the store and posting them on social media or blogs is given as an example of how to use your smartphone.
• The same page asks you not to use your smartphone in ways that break laws or etiquette or in ways that bother other people, and not to take photos inside the store for purposes other than personal use.
• When you take photos inside the store, be careful not to include other customers or store staff in them. In the photos in this article, the faces of people who appear are blurred.

Other Information

• Inside the stores, you can use the free Wi-Fi "Yodobashi_Free_Wi-Fi". According to the official information, you can use it just by connecting and agreeing to the terms of use, and no registration is needed.
• Opening hours and sections may change. Before you go, check the official store page.