Snacks you cannot find at home, skincare everyone asks you to bring back, sneakers and bags in Japanese sizes and styles. Japan’s official survey of foreign visitors shows what people actually buy on their trip. Here is the ranking — and the easy way to get every item on it without spending your trip in lines or carrying bags from store to store.
01The ranking: what travelers bought in Japan (2025)
| Rank | What they bought | Share of visitors | Can soracross buy it for you? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snacks & sweets | 72.7% | Yes — Japan-only flavors, regional sweets, gift boxes |
| 2 | Clothing | 47.9% | Yes — from Japanese online shops (returns follow each shop’s policy) |
| 3 | Other food & drinks | 41.7% | Yes for packaged food and soft drinks — not fresh food or tobacco |
| 4 | Cosmetics & fragrance | 34.6% | Yes — skincare, sunscreen and makeup from official shops |
| 5 | Medicines | 27.0% | No — Japanese law does not allow us to buy medicines for you |
| 6 | Shoes, bags & leather goods | 24.5% | Yes |
| 7 | Alcohol | 22.0% | No — alcohol is outside our service |
| 8 | Health goods & toiletries | 13.2% | Yes — toiletries and personal-care goods |
| 9 | Other shopping | 11.6% | Often — send us the item and we check |
| 10 | Crafts & traditional goods | 8.3% | Often — tableware and crafts sold online |
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, “Inbound Consumption Survey — 2025 Annual Report” (published March 2026), Figure 3-1: the share of all foreign visitors who bought each category. One more number worth knowing: only 5.3% bought electronics, but those who did spent ¥36,234 on average — more than buyers of clothing or cosmetics.
02Why these sell — and how to get them without carrying
- Snacks & sweets (No. 1). Japan-only KitKat flavors, matcha sweets, regional gift boxes. They are light one by one and heavy by the dozen — and fragile in a day bag. Have them delivered to your hotel for your last nights and pack once.
- Clothing, shoes & bags (No. 2 and No. 6). Japanese brands, Japan-only lines and sizes. Online shops in Japan often need a Japanese account and phone number at checkout — soracross handles that part for you. Exchanges and returns follow each shop’s own policy.
- Packaged food & drinks (No. 3). Matcha, instant ramen, seasonings, drip coffee. We can buy packaged food and soft drinks for you; fresh food, alcohol and tobacco are outside our service.
- Cosmetics & skincare (No. 4). Japanese sunscreen, skincare and makeup — often Japan-only formulas that are hard to find at home. We buy new from official shops and deliver in the original, unopened packaging, with receipts shown on your order page.
- Electronics (5.3% — but a big spend). Hair dryers, rice cookers, cameras, games. Check the voltage: many Japanese appliances run on 100V only. Most overseas-voltage (220–240V) tourist models are sold in stores only, so we focus on dual-voltage items and models sold online — tell us what you want and we check before quoting.
03Popular — but not something we can buy for you
- Medicines (No. 5). Japanese law does not allow us to buy medicines on your behalf. Buy them yourself at a drugstore.
- Alcohol and tobacco (No. 7). Outside our service. Sake and whisky are best bought in person — and check your home country’s duty-free allowance.
- Fresh food. Outside our service. Buy it where you eat it.
Want it? Send it.
Free quote, usually within 24 hours. Nothing is bought until you say go.
04Shopping yourself vs. with soracross
| Your worry | Doing it yourself | With soracross |
|---|---|---|
| Carrying bags all trip | Shopping bags from store to store, then back to the hotel | Delivered to your hotel, timed to your stay |
| Japanese-only online shops | Kana name fields and a Japanese phone number at checkout | Send us the link — we handle the Japanese checkout |
| Foreign card declined | Your cart is gone at the last step | Pay once by card via Square |
| Sold out in the store | Walk to three more stores | We check official online stock — and tell you any reseller markup first |
| Not sure the hotel accepts parcels | You find out only after it ships | We ask your hotel in Japanese before we buy (+¥1,000) |
| Running out of days | Last-day shopping sprint | Order before or during your trip — we time delivery to your stay |
05The easy way: send your list, pick it up at your hotel
soracross is a personal-shopping service for travelers in Japan. Send us product links (Amazon, Rakuten, Yodobashi — or just product names) and get one all-in quote: item prices + our fee for sourcing and handling (minimum ¥1,000) + hotel delivery from ¥1,000. We buy new from official Japanese shops and deliver to your hotel during your stay, or to a coin locker in the area you choose. Add front-desk pre-notice (+¥1,000) and we ask your hotel in Japanese before we buy whether it will hold the parcel. Nothing to pay until you approve the quote — then pay once by card via Square.
06See a rough estimate first
Estimate your total
Enter the item's retail price to get a rough total. This is only a guide — we confirm the exact amount in your quote before you pay.
| Item price | — |
| Service fee (10% + ¥1,000) | — |
| Delivery | — |
| Estimated total | — |
Estimate only. Your actual quote depends on the items and is confirmed by us before payment.
If you don't enter a product URL yourself, a +¥1,000 item sourcing fee applies per item.
Want it? Send it.
Free quote, usually within 24 hours. Nothing is bought until you say go.
07FAQ
What is the most popular thing to buy in Japan?
Can soracross buy medicine or alcohol for me?
Can you ship my shopping to my home country?
Is shopping through soracross tax-free?
Can I order before I arrive in Japan?
Which shops do you buy from?
08Related guides
soracross is an independent purchasing agent and is not affiliated with Amazon, Rakuten or Yodobashi. Your purchase contract for the goods is with the retailer. Details are correct as of each guide's update date.