This section provides you useful information for buying wines in Japan and taking them home.
※This page was translated by DeepL based on Japanese. Please note that some expressions may sound unnatural.
Comparison of pros and cons of buying wines in the shop and online-shop
| Shop |
| Pros |
Cons |
Tax Free shopping is available
The price of wine includes a 10% sales tax. Travelers are entitled to get consumption tax exemption by showing their passport at the shop. In this case, the wine cannot be opened and consumed in Japan. |
Uncertainty of Stock Availability
You cannot check the stock and price of wines on online. You need to either inquire directly to the shop or visit the shop by yourself.
|
|
Limited Selection of Wines
Compared to online shops, the variety of wines is limited, and there's no guarantee that you'll find the one you're looking for.
|
|
Carrying Wine in Summer Requires Caution
The summer in Japan is very hot and humid. There is a risk of heat damage to the wine if you carry it in a harsh environment for a long time after purchase. |
Online shop
|
| Pros |
Cons |
Stock and prices can easily be found
Find out what wines are available and how much they cost on each site |
Tax Free is not available
You can only do tax-free shopping at the shop. However, you can save money if you buy it from an online shop where the selling price is at least 10% lower than the price in the shop.
|
Save time
If you order from the online shop and have it shipped to your hotel for pickup, you save time traveling to make your purchase. |
|
Refrigerated delivery available
Many online retail stores offer refrigerated delivery. The product will be delivered to your hotel in the best possible condition. |
|
You may drink it in Japan
You are free to take purchased wine home with you or drink it at your hotel or other places. |
|
Here's how you can pick up the wine you ordered.
Look up the wine you want on the internet
Put the name of the wine in the serch box. (example:Echezeaux Emmanuel Rouget 2015)
《Popular online shops in Japan》
※Credit card screening at Rakuten Ichiba has recently become more stringent. Cases have been reported where credit cards that can be used elsewhere cannot be used on Rakuten Ichiba.
Credit cards such as VISA, MASTER, and American Express are accepted almost everywhere.
Major online shops accept more payment methods.
Send the package to the front desk of the hotel where you plan to stay.
Japan has an excellent logistics system. If you specify the date and time, your package will arrive fairly accurately. Several days of delays rarely happens.
※Send an email to the hotel where you plan to stay to let them know that your luggage will be delivered. The text below is an example of the e-mail in Japanese.
Subject: 宿泊予定の【Your Name】宛てに荷物が届きます。
Body:
【Hotel Name】 フロントご担当者様
お世話になっております。
【Your Name】と申します。この度、【Check in date】から貴ホテルに宿泊を予定しております。
つきましては、オンラインショップから事前に発送される荷物を、チェックイン前にホテルでお受け取りいただきたく、ご協力をお願い申し上げます。また、内容物の品質保持のため、可能であれば荷物を涼しい場所で保管していただけますと幸いです。
配送予定日: 【Scheduled Delivery Date】
荷物の内容: ワイン
step
4Check the wine received.
Occasionally, wine may be damaged during transport. Once you receive the package, please open it on the same day and confirm that the label and bottle of wine is not damged.
If it is damaged, contact the shop where you purchased it immediately. The damage is the responsibility of the shipping company. You can choose to wait for a replacement wine to be sent or cancel your order. All you have to do is wait for the new wine to be delivered and hand over your damaged bottle to the delivery staff.
step
5Bring the wine you bought home.
1) Carry-on baggage as checked baggage: Baggage weight limits vary depending on the airline/ Requirements for checked baggage or carry-on alcoholic beverages on international flights vary according to the alcoholic content and volume, as well as the country and district. Please be aware of this.
2) Ship it overseas: See details below.
When wine is damaged (in our case)
In very rare cases, wine may be damaged during transport.
In our case, we can ship it again within 1-3 days from the time you find the damage.
If we have the same wine in stock and you still have enough time to stay in Japan, you will receive the new wine in 2-4 days.
If we do not have the same wine, or if you are already planning to return, your order will be cancelled and you will receive a refund.
Regulation for taking alcohol drinks outside of Japan/ shipping them to your home country.
The following is a country-by-country guide to the rules for taking wine home from Japan, including duty-free coverage and whether or not wine can be shipped overseas.
If the amount of wine purchased is small, the best way is to put it in a suitcase and take it home as checked baggage. However, if you purchase a large number of bottles or have a lot of other baggage, you should consider shipping overseas.
We have looked up the regulations for taking alcoholic beverages other countries on some websites of customs and other authorities.
However, please consider this article only as a reference. Laws are subject to change, so please be sure to check the information by yourself from reliable sources.
We accept no liability for any errors in the information provided here.
*You must be of legal drinking age in all countries.
Bringing and Shipping Wine to Korea
Carry-on as checked baggage
Duty free up to 2 bottles of alcoholic beverages (total volume not exceeding 2 liters, $400)
If you are bringing in goods that exceed the duty-free allowance
Voluntary declaration: 30% reduction of standard customs duty
If discovered after non-declaration, additional tax will be imposed (40% more than normal, 60% more if discovered more than once within 2 years)
International shipping to your country
Only one bottle (1 liter) for personal use or as a gift. However, an education tax will be charged.
Bringing and Shipping Wine to China
Carry-on as checked baggage
Tax exemption for alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content of 12% or more up to 1.5 liters (2 bottles)
International shipping to your country
Importer and exporter registration is required. Not practical for personal purposes.
Bringing and Shipping Wine to Taiwan
Carry-on as checked baggage
Carry-on as checked baggage
Duty free up to 1 bottle within 1 liter
Any amount exceeding the duty-free allowance must be declared at Taiwan Customs
(Customs duty, liquor tax and business tax will be imposed)
Up to 5 liters including taxable allowance.
Taxation on the portion exceeding the scope of tax exemption
International shipping to your country
As with checked baggage, up to 5 liters can be shipped. However, there is no duty-free allowance, and customs duties, liquor tax, and business tax will be imposed.
See Examples of tax computation.
Bringing and Shipping Wine to United States
Carry-on as checked baggage
Alcoholic beverages up to 1 liter are allowed duty-free.
Laws differ from state to state regarding exceeding the duty-free allowance.
International shipping to your country
We are not permitted to ship alcoholic beverages to the United States.
Bringing and Shipping Wine to Hong Kong
Carry-on as checked baggage
There are no carry-on restrictions or taxes on wine. You can bring it home within the airplane's baggage limits.
International shipping to your country
As with take-out, there are no restrictions.
Bringing and Shipping Wine to Australia
Carry-on as checked baggage
Up to 2.25 liters are duty-free.
If you exceed the duty-free range, you will have to pay customs duty, consumption tax, and liquor tax on all alcoholic beverages.
International shipping to your country
There is no duty-free coverage for international shipments.
You must pay customs duty, sales tax, and liquor tax on all alcoholic beverages.
Bringing and Shipping Wine to Canada
Carry-on as checked baggage
For wine, you may bring in 1.5 liters (up to 2 bottles).
If you exceed the duty-free range, you will have to pay customs duty and other taxes.
International shipping to your country
Personal importation requires prior registration, which is not practical for personal use.
Bringing and Shipping Wine to Philippines
Carry-on as checked baggage
In the case of wine, up to two bottles are exempt from tax.
International shipping to your country
There is no duty-free scope; the recipient must clear customs and pay the tax.
What we can do at our shop
COCOS is a wine shop located in Higashi-Osaka City, Osaka.
Not only in a physical shop but you can also buy wines on our web site.
It takes about 40 minutes by train from Umeda, Osaka, the center of the city. You can come to our shop from the Osaka Expo site (Yumeshima Satation) without changing trains.
Wine Storage Method
We store all of wines at a constant temperature.
The wine sales area in our physical shop is separated for wine. Inside it is air-conditioned and kept at a constant temperature all year round.
Next to the physical shop, there is a wine warehouse for the online shop. Wines there are also kept at a constant temperature to ensure that the wines are stored in the best possible conditions.
Wine Pricing and Availability
The prices listed on the online shop are the same as the prices in the physical shop.
However, we use different inventories for the shop and the online shop. If you can't find the wine you are looking for in the physical shop, you might be able to buy it if it is in stock on online shop. It could takes a little bit of time to check it's availability.
Some wines are only sold in the shop because of the winery's policy. Here is an example.
Armand Rousseau , Harlan Estate(2019VT Later) , Magna Pramia 2013 Destiny Bay ,etc...
Please contact us for price and availability.
Possible payment methods at COCOS
Acceptable payment methods differ between online shops and physical shop.
Online Store
Credit Card:VISA、MASTER、American Express、Diners Club、JCB、Amazon Pay
Brick-and-Mortar Stores
Credit Card:VISA , MASTER , American Express , Diners Club , JCB , Amazon Pay
QR Cord:Paypay , d払い , au pay , R pay , メルペイ , ゆうちょpay , We Chat Pay , Quick Pay
IC:iD , Pitapa , 楽天Edy , Waon , Nanaco , Pasmo , Suica , Icoca ,
TAX FREE is available at the physical shop. This scheme only applies to bottles of wine and whiskey that cost more than 5000 yen to 500,000 yen, not including tax.
Please bring your passport.
Cushioning material to protect bottles from cracks and scratches.
To protect your precious wine from scratches and cracks, it is packed and shipped with cushioning material.
Wines over 50,000 yen (tax-excluded) will be shipped in this cushioning material as standard.
Wines under 50,000 yen will also be packed with this cushioning material for 500 yen (tax included).
Order wines online: Use the link below to choose the number of items you want to add to your cart.
■Examples of wrapping for wine
■Examples of wrapping for Champagne
Here is a link to an online shop that sells them for less expensive.
Email inquiries
If you have any questions, please contact us by e-mail.
※We use translation applications such as DeepL to reply to enquiries, which may include unnatural expressions.
