Retail & Shopping · Practical guide

Alpen & Sports DEPO

Alpen TOKYO Megastore, Snowboard Gear & Tax-Free Shopping

What to expect, how it works, payment details, and common mistakes — in one place.

Quick Facts

Last checked against official information: 2026-11-09.

Feature Details
Japanese nameスポーツデポ (Sports Depo)
CategoryRetail / Mega Sports Department Store, Outdoor Camping ("Alpen Outdoors"), Snowboarding & Golf (Alpen Group Official Website)
Store CountAround 190 general sports stores across Japan — 164 Sports DEPO and 26 Alpen stores (as of June 2026) — anchored by the iconic 10-story flagship "Alpen TOKYO" (Shinjuku East Exit) and massive suburban "Sports DEPO" megastores, operated by Alpen Co., Ltd. (the wider Alpen Group, including GOLF5 and Alpen Outdoors, runs over 400 stores in total) (Store Locator)
Ordering StyleSpecialty retail browsing: explore dedicated category floors (Run, Basketball, Soccer, Camp, Ski/Snowboard, Golf); computerized 3D foot-scanning stations; centralized Tax-Free cash registers
Membership Required?No membership or ID required to purchase (optional Alpen Group Members app); physical foreign passport required for Tax-Free export registration
Approximate Price RangeSports apparel & accessories ~¥1,980–¥7,980; running shoes & limited sneakers ~¥9,800–¥25,000; professional ski, snowboard & outdoor gear ~¥25,000–¥120,000+ (as of November 8, 2026; subject to revision); Tax-Free available on purchases of ¥5,000+ (excluding tax)
Payment MethodsCash, major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UnionPay with contactless NFC tap), Japanese transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA), electronic money (iD, QUICPay, Rakuten Edy), and smartphone QR code payments (PayPay, Rakuten Pay, d-Barai, au PAY, Alipay, WeChat Pay)
Multilingual SupportDedicated Tax-Free counters with multilingual staff (English, Chinese); multi-language floor directories and tax-free export guidance across major urban flagships
Alpen TOKYO and Sports Depo flagship store in Shinjuku, Tokyo
Photo: Comyu · CC BY 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

What it is

Alpen & Sports DEPO (アルペン / スポーツデポ), operated by Alpen Co., Ltd., is Japan's largest sporting goods and outdoor conglomerate. Operating around 190 Sports DEPO and Alpen stores nationwide, Alpen achieved global fame with the opening of "Alpen TOKYO" in Shinjuku—a colossal 10-story sports department store occupying the former Yunika Building right outside Shinjuku Station's East Exit! Spanning basement level B1 through the 8th floor, Alpen TOKYO unites three world-class specialty concepts under one roof: Sports DEPO (running, basketball, soccer, and Japan-exclusive sneakers), Alpen Outdoors (camp gear with fully pitched test tents), and GOLF5 Prestige (luxury custom golf fitting). For international travelers heading to ski resorts in Niseko or Hakuba, or sneaker collectors hunting limited Japanese colorways, Alpen is the ultimate retail destination.

How to shop

  1. Visit the Shinjuku Flagship or Suburban Megastores:
    • Alpen TOKYO (Shinjuku East Exit): Accessible on foot from Shinjuku Station. Floors B1 to 8F are color-coded and organized by sports discipline.
    • Sports DEPO / Alpen Outdoors (Suburban Flagships): Massive single-floor warehouses located along major highway bypasses and shopping malls.
  2. Experience Professional 3D Foot-Scanning:
    • In the running or ski footwear departments, step onto their computerized 3D foot-scanning sensor pads.
    • Within seconds, the scanner calculates your exact arch height, foot width, and pronation angles, allowing expert staff to recommend the perfect fit.
  3. Winter Sports & Gear Tuning:
    • Explore the dedicated ski and snowboard floors (Floors 7F & 8F at Alpen TOKYO).
    • Staff provide customized binding mounting, thermal boot heat-molding, and professional snow wax tuning.
  4. Checkout & 2026 Tax-Free Refund Registration:
    • Bring your selections to the designated Tax-Free Service Counter (免税カウンター).
    • Inform the clerk: "Tax-Free kudasai".
    • Present your physical foreign passport with temporary tourist entry stamp.
    • Under Japan's refund-based tax-free system (2026 rules), you pay the full tax-inclusive total at the store while your passport details and item records are transmitted digitally to Japan Customs. The tax is refunded by the store after Customs confirms the export, using the refund method registered at purchase (for example a refund to your card, or cash at a contracted refund counter, minus any handling fee) — ask at the register which method applies; Customs itself does not hand out the money.
    • When departing Japan (within 90 days of purchase), present your passport at an airport tax-free procedure terminal before checking your baggage. If the terminal clears the purchase, confirmation is complete; only if it flags the purchase do you take the goods to the customs inspection point for a physical check. Every item on the receipt must leave Japan with you.
    • Once Customs has confirmed the export, the store refunds the tax through the refund method you registered at purchase — for example back to your card, or cash at a contracted refund counter (a handling fee may be deducted). There is no general airport counter that pays out refunds for every shop, so confirm your store's method when you buy.

Services & options

  1. Japan-Exclusive Running Shoes & Sneakers (Asics, Mizuno, Nike Japan): Exclusive colorways and wide-width (Wide / 4E) sizing tailored for comfortable long-distance travel.
  2. Japanese Powder Snow (Japow) Ski & Snowboard Gear: Top-tier snowboards, Gore-Tex alpine jackets, and goggles from Burton, Salomon, and Japanese winter specialists.
  3. Alpen Outdoors Camping Gear (Coleman Japan, Snow Peak, SOTO): High-performance Japanese compact camping stoves, titanium cooksets, and LED lanterns.
  4. Honma & Majesty Japanese Golf Equipment (Golf5): Master-crafted Japanese forged irons and drivers celebrated for exquisite balance and luxurious gold accents.

Payment & practical info

Good to know / Common mistakes

FAQ

Sources