Rakuten Shopping Guide for Foreign Residents in Japan

If you're living in Japan as a foreigner, Rakuten Ichiba (楽天市場) is one of the first online shopping platforms you should get familiar with. As Japan's largest e-commerce marketplace, Rakuten hosts millions of products from tens of thousands of independent sellers — covering everything from electronics and fashion to fresh food and home goods. For expats navigating daily life in Japan, mastering Rakuten can save you significant money and simplify your shopping routine.

This guide walks you through everything you need to know: how to register, navigate the platform, earn and maximize Rakuten Points, and make the most of Japan's biggest online sale events.

!Rakuten Shopping Guide for Foreign Residents in Japan

What is Rakuten Ichiba and Why Should Foreigners Use It?

Rakuten Ichiba (楽天市場, "Rakuten Market") is a marketplace model similar to Amazon's third-party seller platform — but with a distinctly Japanese flavor. Instead of Rakuten itself selling products, individual shops and brands set up storefronts within the marketplace. This means you get enormous variety, competitive pricing, and often the ability to buy directly from manufacturers or specialty retailers.

Key reasons foreign residents love Rakuten:

• Huge selection: Millions of products including niche Japanese goods unavailable elsewhere
• Rakuten Points: A powerful rewards system that acts like cashback across the entire Rakuten ecosystem
• Japanese quality brands: Access to products from trusted Japanese manufacturers at Japanese retail prices
• Sale events: Super SALE and Shopping Marathons offer massive discounts multiple times per year
• Integration: Works seamlessly with Rakuten Card, Rakuten Bank, Rakuten Pay, and Rakuten Mobile

While Amazon Japan is excellent for convenience and speed, Rakuten often wins on price — especially during promotional events — and for finding unique Japanese products that don't appear on Amazon.

For a broader look at shopping options in Japan, check out our Complete Guide to Shopping in Japan for Foreigners.

How to Register on Rakuten as a Foreigner

Creating a Rakuten account is free and straightforward, even if you don't read Japanese. Here's how to get started:

Step 1: Visit the Rakuten registration page Go to rakuten.co.jp and look for the 会員登録 (membership registration) button. Alternatively, search for "Rakuten Ichiba English beginner guide" to find Rakuten's official English-language introduction page.

Step 2: Enter your information You'll need:

• Email address
• Password
• Name (katakana entry is sometimes required — use a converter if needed)
• Address in Japan
• Phone number (a Japanese number is required)

Step 3: Verify your email Click the confirmation link sent to your email to activate your account.

Step 4: Add a payment method Rakuten accepts:

• Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB)
• Convenience store payment (コンビニ払い)
• Cash on delivery (代金引換)
• Bank transfer
• Rakuten Points (once you've earned some)

For foreigners who already have a credit card from their home country, most international cards work fine on Rakuten. However, getting a Rakuten Card (explained below) will dramatically increase your points earnings.

Tip: Use your browser's built-in translation feature (Google Translate in Chrome, for example) to translate the registration and checkout pages into English. This makes the process much smoother.

For guidance on opening bank accounts and getting credit cards in Japan, see our Complete Guide to Banking and Finance in Japan.

Understanding the Rakuten Points System

The Rakuten Points system is one of the best loyalty programs in Japan — and possibly one of the best in the world for everyday shoppers. Here's how it works:

Base earning rate: 1 point per ¥100 spent (1 point = ¥1)

This means you effectively get a 1% discount on everything you buy. But through the SPU (Super Point Up) program, you can multiply your earnings dramatically.

SPU — Super Point Up Program

SPU rewards you for using more Rakuten services. Each service you sign up for adds a multiplier to your base point earnings on Rakuten Ichiba:

At maximum SPU, a ¥10,000 purchase generates 1,600 points — that's ¥1,600 in savings. For regular shoppers, combining just the Rakuten Card and Rakuten Bank gives you a solid 4-5x multiplier that's easy to maintain.

Where can you use Rakuten Points?

• Rakuten Ichiba purchases
• Convenience stores (FamilyMart, Lawson)
• Restaurants (McDonald's, Gusto)
• Drugstores and supermarkets
• Rakuten Travel hotel bookings
• Rakuten Pay in-store payments

For more on managing your finances smartly in Japan, read our Complete Guide to Taxes in Japan for Foreigners.

Shopping Strategies: Sales, Marathons, and Bonus Days

Knowing when and how to shop on Rakuten is just as important as knowing what to buy. Here are the key events and strategies:

Rakuten Super SALE

Held four times per year — typically in March, June, September, and December — Super SALE is Rakuten's biggest discount event. During Super SALE:

• Thousands of items are discounted by 50-90%
• Stores offer up to 10x bonus points on specific items
• You can combine your SPU multiplier with store bonuses for massive point accumulation

Strategy: Make a wishlist of items you need ahead of time, then buy them all during Super SALE. This is the best time to stock up on household goods, electronics, and seasonal items.

Shopping Marathon

Shopping Marathons run approximately once per month and reward you for shopping at multiple stores. Each new store you buy from in a single Marathon increases your point multiplier:

• Shop at 2 stores → +1x points
• Shop at 3 stores → +2x points
• Up to +9x bonus for shopping at 10 or more stores

Strategy: Split purchases you'd normally make from one store across multiple stores. Buy one item from each store to trigger each multiplier step. Even buying inexpensive items (a ¥200 seasoning packet, for example) counts as a store visit.

Bonus Point Days

Rakuten runs frequent campaigns where specific days of the month offer extra points:

• 5のつく日 (Days ending in 5): Extra points when paying with Rakuten Card
• 0のつく日 (Days ending in 0): Extra points on Rakuten Pay purchases
• お買い物マラソン (Shopping Marathons): As described above

Planning your purchases around these bonus days and events can effectively give you 10-20% back in points on major purchases.

Free Points (No Purchase Required)

You can also earn Rakuten Points for free through:

• Rakuten Web Search: Up to 5 points per day just for using Rakuten's search engine
• Point Screen app: 1-3 points per advertisement you view
• Rakuten Check: Scan QR codes at participating stores to earn 5-30 points per visit

These add up slowly but are essentially free money that can offset future purchases.

Learn more about saving money on daily expenses in our Complete Guide to Cost of Living in Japan.

How to Navigate Rakuten Ichiba (With Limited Japanese)

Rakuten's interface is primarily in Japanese, which can be intimidating at first. Here are practical tips for navigating the site as a non-Japanese reader:

Use browser translation: Chrome's Google Translate and Edge's translation feature work well on Rakuten. Enable auto-translate for Japanese pages.

Search in English or romaji: Many product names appear in English on Rakuten (especially electronics, international brands, and food products). You can often find what you need by searching in English.

Search in Japanese for better results: For traditional Japanese products, searching in Japanese yields far more results. Use Google Translate to translate your search term, then paste it into Rakuten's search bar.

Understanding store ratings: Look for stores with high review scores (4.0+ out of 5.0) and many reviews. More reviews generally indicate a reliable seller.

Reading product pages:

• 商品説明 = Product description
• 送料 = Shipping fee
• 送料無料 = Free shipping
• 在庫あり = In stock
• 出荷予定日 = Expected shipping date
• レビュー = Reviews

Checkout tips:

• Use your browser translation for the checkout pages
• Select your preferred payment method (クレジットカード = credit card)
• Enter your Japanese address carefully
• Look for お届け先 (delivery address) fields

For many foreigners, the process becomes intuitive after 1-2 purchases. The layout is consistent across stores, so once you've navigated one checkout, subsequent ones feel familiar.

!Rakuten Points and SPU Program Explained

The Rakuten Card: Best Credit Card for Expats?

For foreigners in Japan, the Rakuten Card (楽天カード) is often considered the most accessible and rewarding credit card available. Here's why it's worth considering:

Key features:

• No annual fee — completely free to hold
• 1% cashback on all purchases (as Rakuten Points)
• +2x SPU bonus on Rakuten Ichiba purchases
• Accepted worldwide (Visa, Mastercard, or JCB variants available)
• English customer service available

Foreigners can apply even with limited Japanese, as the application process has been designed to be accessible to international residents with a valid residence card (在留カード) and a Japanese address.

The combination of no annual fee and meaningful rewards makes the Rakuten Card one of the most practical everyday cards for expats. Pair it with a Rakuten Bank account to unlock additional SPU multipliers and simplify your finances.

For more on credit cards and banking options in Japan, see our Complete Guide to Banking and Finance in Japan.

International Shipping with Rakuten Global Express

If you want to send Japanese purchases overseas — or buy from Rakuten while still outside Japan — Rakuten Global Express is the service to know.

How Rakuten Global Express works:

1. Register for a Rakuten Global Express account
2. You receive a Japanese delivery address (warehouse address)
3. Order from any Rakuten store using your assigned address
4. Items are consolidated at the Rakuten warehouse
5. Rakuten ships your package internationally

This is especially useful if a Rakuten seller doesn't offer international shipping directly. The service consolidates multiple orders into one shipment, which can save on international shipping costs.

Useful resources for Rakuten shoppers:

• Rakuten Ichiba English Guide — MailMate
• How to Collect Rakuten Points Like a Pro — That Japan Life
• Online Shopping in Japan Guide — Japan Handbook
• Japan Shopping Guide for Foreigners — Living in Nihon
• Daily Life Resources for Foreigners — For Work in Japan
• Career and Daily Life Tips in Japan — Ittenshoku

Rakuten vs. Amazon Japan: Which Should You Use?

Both platforms are excellent, and most experienced expats use both strategically. Here's a quick comparison:

Our recommendation: Use Rakuten for planned purchases (especially during sale events) and for Japanese specialty products. Use Amazon for urgent needs, international brands, and when you need guaranteed fast delivery.

Tips for Getting Started on Rakuten

Ready to start shopping? Here are the most important steps for new Rakuten users:

1. Create your Rakuten account — free, takes about 10 minutes
2. Apply for the Rakuten Card — no annual fee, immediate points boost
3. Open a Rakuten Bank account — adds another SPU multiplier and simplifies point management
4. Download the Rakuten Ichiba app — earns an extra 0.5x SPU just for using it
5. Enable browser translation — makes the Japanese interface manageable
6. Check the Super SALE schedule — plan major purchases around these events
7. Set up Rakuten Pay — enables earning points in physical stores too

For more on settling into daily life in Japan, explore our Complete Guide to Daily Life in Japan for Foreigners.

Rakuten is an integral part of everyday life for millions of Japanese residents — and once you're set up, you'll wonder how you ever shopped without it. The combination of competitive prices, Japan's best loyalty program, and massive sale events makes Rakuten Ichiba an essential tool for any foreigner living in Japan.