How to Shop on Rakuten in English: A Practical Guide for Foreign Residents in Japan

Do you need to read Japanese?

Not really. Rakuten Ichiba is a marketplace of thousands of independent shops, and every page is in Japanese. Your browser's built-in translation (Chrome or Safari) handles most of it well enough to shop. Where translation fails — product names, size tables, and a few checkout fields — this guide tells you which Japanese words to look for.

Note that Rakuten Ichiba ships within Japan. If you live outside Japan, most shops will not deliver to you.

Step 1: Create a free Rakuten account

Click 新規会員登録 (new member registration). You will be asked for an email address, a password, your name, a phonetic reading of your name, your address and a phone number. Membership is free.

• 氏名 (name): you can type your name in the alphabet.
• フリガナ (phonetic reading): this field expects katakana. Type how your name sounds — for example, Smith becomes スミス. Your phone or computer's Japanese keyboard converts romaji to katakana.
• 電話番号 (phone): a Japanese number is the safest choice, because couriers call it when they cannot deliver.
• Many people also sign up for Rakuten Points (楽天ポイント) automatically. Points are earned on most purchases and can be spent like cash on the next order.

Step 2: Enter your address the Japanese way

Japanese addresses go from the largest unit to the smallest. Enter the 7-digit postal code (郵便番号) first — the prefecture, city and district usually fill in automatically. Then add the block and building number, and finally the building name and room number.

Write the building name exactly as it appears on your lease, including the room number (for example 〇〇ハイツ 201). Couriers rely on it, and a missing room number is the most common reason a parcel comes back.

Step 3: Choose how to pay

• Credit card (クレジットカード): the easiest. Many foreign-issued cards work, but some shops or banks reject them. If a card fails, try another payment method rather than retrying the same card many times.
• Cash on delivery (代金引換 / 代引き): you pay the courier in cash when the parcel arrives. Shops add a fee, usually a few hundred yen.
• Convenience store payment (コンビニ払い) or bank transfer (銀行振込): you pay first, then the shop ships. Shipping waits until your payment is confirmed.
• Rakuten Pay (楽天ペイ) and points: available at most shops once your account is set up.

Step 4: Read the item page before you buy

Each Rakuten shop sets its own rules, so the same product can cost a different total at different shops. Check these words on every item page:

• 送料無料 (free shipping) vs 送料別 (shipping not included). Free shipping often excludes Okinawa and remote islands (沖縄・離島).
• 発送日 / 〇日以内に発送 (ships within X days). Large items such as beds or appliances can take a week or more.
• 予約商品 or お取り寄せ: a pre-order or back-order item that will not ship right away.
• サイズ (size) and 寸法 (dimensions): measurements are in centimetres. Measure your room or window before ordering furniture and curtains.
• 返品・交換 (returns and exchanges): most shops accept returns only for damaged or wrong items. Read this section before buying anything large.
• 税込 (tax included): Rakuten prices are shown including consumption tax.

Step 5: Delivery and missed parcels

At checkout you can often pick a delivery date and time slot (配送日時指定). If you are out when the courier comes, you will find a slip in your mailbox (不在連絡票). It shows the courier — Yamato, Sagawa or Japan Post — and a QR code or phone number for redelivery (再配達). Online redelivery requests work in English on most couriers' websites.

Large furniture and appliances are usually delivered to the entrance only (玄関渡し). Assembly (組立) and installation (設置) are extra services that some shops offer for a fee.

What to buy first

If you have just moved into an unfurnished apartment, start with bedding, curtains, a microwave and something to keep you warm. Our Japan home essentials page lists picks with checked prices in three budgets.