Retail & Shopping · Practical guide
DAISO Japan Guide for Tourists: 100-Yen Shopping, Self-Checkout & Best Buys
Prices, ordering steps, payment details, and common mistakes — in one place.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Category | 100-Yen Shop / Variety Retail Store (DAISO Official Website) |
| Store Count | Over 3,800 stores across all 47 prefectures in Japan, plus locations across 26 countries worldwide (Store Locator) |
| Ordering Style | Self-service retail shopping basket; self-checkout kiosks (or staffed cashiers) with barcode scanning and on-screen payment selection (DAISO One-Price Concept) |
| Membership Required? | No membership, registration, or ID required |
| Approximate Price Range | Base price of ¥100 per item (¥110 tax-included with 10% consumption tax; items without a price tag are ¥100). Higher-tier items (¥200, ¥300, ¥500, up to ¥1,000) have clear tax-inclusive price tags printed directly on the product (as of September 13, 2026) |
| Payment Methods | Varies by store; generally accepts cash, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, etc.), transit IC cards, electronic money (iD, QUICPay, Rakuten Edy, WAON, nanaco), and QR code payments (PayPay, Rakuten Pay, d-barai, au PAY, Merpay, etc.); search filters available on the store locator |
| Multilingual Support | Self-checkout kiosk screens support multiple languages (English, Chinese, Korean, etc.); packaging frequently features English product descriptions and illustrations |
What it is
DAISO, operated by Daiso Industries Co., Ltd. (Daiso-Sangyo), is Japan's most ubiquitous 100-yen variety store chain with over 3,800 locations across all 47 prefectures and a presence in 26 countries worldwide. It offers an immense selection of affordable household goods, stationery, kitchenware, beauty items, electronics accessories, and traditional Japanese souvenirs. Most items are priced at a uniform ¥100 (¥110 with tax), while select higher-value products clearly display separate price tags. With intuitive self-checkout registers featuring multilingual interfaces, DAISO is an essential, budget-friendly stop for tourists looking for travel essentials and gifts.
How to order
Shopping at DAISO is self-service retail with automated self-checkout registers:
- Grab a shopping basket at the entrance: Baskets and shopping carts are stacked right inside the front doors.
- Browse the aisles and check product price tags: Any item without a separate price sticker or printed price badge is standard 100 yen (which rings up at ¥110 with 10% tax). If an item costs ¥200, ¥300, ¥500, or more, it will have a prominent price badge directly on the front of the packaging.
- *Head to the self-checkout kiosks (serufu-reji)*: Follow the queuing lines to an open self-checkout terminal.
- Select your language on the screen: Tap the English, Chinese, or Korean language button in the upper corner of the monitor.
- Select shopping bags: Japan charges a small mandatory fee for disposable plastic shopping bags (usually ¥2 to ¥5). The screen will ask how many shopping bags you need; select the quantity or tap "No Bag" if you brought your own tote.
- Scan item barcodes and complete payment: Hold the barcode of each product in front of the optical scanner. When finished scanning, tap the payment button, select your payment method (cash, credit card, transit IC, or QR code app), insert or tap your payment, and pack your items at the bagging counter.
What to order first
All product categories below are verified on the DAISO Official Website and the Company Product Information:
- Authentic Japanese Souvenirs: Folding fans (sensu), Japanese tenugui cotton hand towels, wooden chopstick sets, Mt. Fuji-themed stationery, and origami paper sets; standard ¥110 tax-included (as of September 13, 2026).
- Travel Essentials & Luggage Organizers: Compression packing cubes, luggage tags, TSA-approved travel bottles, inflatable neck pillows, and universal travel adapter plugs; priced from ¥110 to ¥330–¥550 tax-included (as of September 13, 2026).
- Stationery & Washi Tapes: High-quality Japanese ballpoint and brush pens, grid notebooks, character stickers, and decorative washi masking tapes; standard ¥110 tax-included (as of September 13, 2026).
- Bento & Kitchen Gadgets: Rice ball (onigiri) shaping molds, hard-boiled egg timers, silicone food divider cups, and vegetable cutters; standard ¥110 tax-included (as of September 13, 2026).
- Japanese Snacks & Green Tea: Travel-friendly packaged rice crackers (senbei), matcha candy, roasted green tea (hojicha) bags, and dried seaweed snacks; priced at standard 100 yen base (taxed at the 8% reduced rate = ¥108 as of September 13, 2026).
Payment & practical info
Payment methods and accepted cards vary significantly between standalone street stores and shopping mall tenants:
- Accepted Payment Methods: Many locations accept cash, major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, etc.), transit IC cards (Suica, PASMO, etc.), e-money (iD, QUICPay, WAON, nanaco), and QR code apps (PayPay is the most widely supported). Always verify payment acceptance icons at the register or via the DAISO Store Locator.
- Tax-Free Shopping Status: Generally NOT tax-free. Because DAISO specializes in extreme budget 100-yen pricing, standalone street stores do not operate tax-free counters. Only select branches located inside major department stores or commercial malls with a centralized mall-wide tax-free refund counter may qualify.
- Plastic Bag Fee: Japan requires a nominal charge for single-use plastic bags. Bring an eco-bag or purchase bags on-screen at checkout.
- Wi-Fi & Power Outlets: In-store public Wi-Fi and power outlets are not provided.
Good to know / Common mistakes
- Expecting the register total to be exactly ¥100 per item: In Japan, sales tax is calculated at checkout. Standard items cost ¥100 before tax, meaning your final price is ¥110 (10% standard consumption tax). Food and beverage items carry the 8% reduced tax rate, totaling ¥108.
- Overlooking higher price tags on premium goods: DAISO sells items at ¥200, ¥300, ¥500, and up to ¥1,000. Always check the packaging: if there is no price sticker, it is ¥100; if there is a price sticker, that is the actual price.
- Assuming all locations accept the exact same cashless methods: Payment terminals vary by store landlord. Some smaller or older branches only accept cash and PayPay. Check entrance stickers or the online locator.
- Trying to claim tax exemption at regular street stores: Standard DAISO shops do not offer tax-free service.
FAQ
Q1: How much do items actually cost at DAISO in Japan? Items without a price tag cost ¥100 before tax, which equals ¥110 tax-included for general goods (10% tax) or ¥108 for food and drinks (8% tax) as of September 13, 2026. Products priced at ¥200, ¥300, ¥500, or ¥1,000 have distinct price stickers.
Q2: Can I get tax-free shopping at DAISO? At the vast majority of standalone DAISO shops, tax-free shopping is not offered. Tax exemption is only possible at specific branches located within major department stores or shopping centers that provide a unified customer service tax-free counter.
Q3: Can I pay with credit cards or transit IC cards? Payment options vary by location, but most modernized branches equipped with self-checkout kiosks accept credit cards, transit IC cards (Suica/PASMO), and PayPay, alongside Japanese cash.
Sources
- DAISO Official Website: https://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp/ (Verified: 2026-09-13)
- DAISO Official Store Locator: https://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp/shop (Verified: 2026-09-13)
- DAISO One-Price Philosophy & Information: https://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp/company/oneprice (Verified: 2026-09-13)