Before boarding my plane to Tokyo, I requested from two of my closest friends what items they wanted me to deliver back to the States for them.
One person requested unusual Kit Kat flavors while another wanted beauty products. Thankfully, both of these items could easily be found at Don Quixote.
Don Quixote is a famous chain store with 630 locations worldwide, mainly across Japan [ source] .
But this location isn’t your typical, megastore near a discount retailer.
There are levels upon levels stocked with appealing Japanese goods and visitors won`t have to pay taxes on any of it.
Although it’s an entertainment place for shopping, you’ll be competing with thousands of other sightseers browsing products. It’s quite frenetic. Following these recommendations will help avoid any surprises and allow getting everything wanted from Don Quixote.
Table of Contents
Each Floor is Dedicated to a Different Speciality From Snacks to Skincare.
Navigating Don Quixote for the first time can feel perplexing, though a logical layout underlies the confusing surface. Each level focuses on distinct product categories like electronics, snacks, cosmetics, children`s items, travel necessities, and more. Browsing by floor helps visitors more easily find their desired section.
While the layout of each Don Quixote store may differ somewhat, visitors can navigate by going to the escalators. There is generally a helpful guide posted on each level informing visitors of what they can find on the store’s floors.
This organizational method makes it possible to wander your way around the aisle without getting too bogged down by the varied choices.
Go to a Smaller Store in the Very Early Morning to Avoid the Crazy Crowds.
Once I stepped foot into a Don Quixote store, the crowds absorbed me like a vacuum. I constantly bumped shoulders with people or waited patiently to get past a group the entire time I was in the store. Overwhelming is an understatement.
Avoiding all the frenzied, tax-free shoppers is difficult, however, it can be achieved by visiting a smaller store location. The Mega Don Quixote in Shibuya seems perpetually crowded with customers. Whereas the shops in less tourist-centric neighborhoods tend to be slightly more relaxed.
Many Don Quixote stores in Japan are open 24/7, so you can also get a quieter shopping experience by arriving early in the morning. We’re referring to around 6 am because the stores get crowded as soon as normal hours begin.
👉 Pro Tip: You can reach any Don Quixote location utilizing Japan’s amazing public transportation system.
You Technically Can Only Open Your Sealed Bag of Products Once You Leave Japan.
After collecting my purchases from Don Quixote, I shuffled over to the tax-free counter to get in line behind other shoppers with large baskets of items. Next to me at the register, I couldn’t help but overhear the person next to me becoming frustrated with the sales representative.
“I don’t understand. I don’t want to pay tax, but I don’t want the sealed bag,”
Equally annoyed, the salesperson reemphasized, “You cannot use the products in Japan if you get them tax-free.” The conversation seemed a standard exchange for the woman working.
It’s an unusual proviso, but accurate. You are not meant to open your sealed plastic Don Quixote bags until returning home. If using the products in the country, they want you to pay taxes. That`s why I`d suggest waiting to visit Don Quixote at the end of your Japan trip.
Don’t Go in Blind. Look Up Top Products Beforehand and Make a Wish List.
Don Quixote is not the type of store one can just casually browse around leisurely. There is too much stimulation occurring simultaneously and you’re likely to become distracted or stressed. You need to enter with an action plan for what you want to find inside the complex layout of Don Quixote.
Information on popular goods available for purchase at Don Quixote can be found through watching TikTok videos or checking the annualCosme rankings that list the best cosmetic items. To give you a starting point, some of my personal favorites I acquired were the Perfect Whip Face Wash and Matcha Kit Kats.
One thing that made my shopping haul more reasonable was taking a screenshot of the items I wanted rather than just writing out a listing of their names. This made it way simpler to spot the needle in the haystack of products.
You Must Have Your Passport With You and Purchase at Least ¥5,500 (Roughly $37) to Get Your Stuff Tax-free.
One of the first things I noticed as I weaved through Don Quixote was all the signs pointing people in the direction of the tax-free counters. The big draw of shopping at Don Quixote as a tourist (besides the cool products) is that purchases are tax-free.
It adds up to a decent savings. I ended up avoiding over ¥1,000 in taxes during my end-of-trip purchases at Don Quixote.
There are two considerations if you wish to benefit from Don Quixote’s tax-free system.
- You must have your physical passport on your person. This shouldn’t be that big of an issue considering non-residents in Japan are legally required to carry their passports on them [ source].
- You must be buying at least ¥5,500 (about $37) worth of products. That’s why it`s better to do your Don Quixote shopping in one big trip.
Failing to follow these two rules could cause you to miss out on this cost-effective benefit of being a foreign shopper in Japan.
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Overall, the Don Quixote store was somewhat crowded for my comfort level, even as a native of New York. However, it was worthwhile pushing past the urge to immediately turn around and depart because there are numerous intriguing, practical things to discover here.
This chain retailer carries almost everything you might wish to bring back from Japan, from souvenirs to beauty products. Come prepared using these tips and you`ll likely return home unharmed with a very full bag of goods.
Another thing you should get ready for is encountering behaviors that might be viewed as peculiar in America. To learn more, check out my article about American taboos that are typical in Japan.
