We adore shopping and browsing Japan’s biggest chain stores and for beauty products in Japan, the biggest Japanese drugstore is Matsumoto Kyoshi. Some branches also have pharmacy staff to assist with your medical needs.
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Most high streets and city centers in Japan have Matsumoto Kiyoshi drugstores – their red yellow and blue branding is a common site with over 3,000 Matsumoto Kiyoshi chemists and drugstores located across Japan.
From cosmetics and skincare to duty free shopping, here is our ultimate guide to Matsumoto Kinoshi drugstores and pharmacies in Japan.
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What is Matsumoto Kinoshi?
Matsumoto Kiyoshi マツモトキヨシ is the largest chain of drug stores in Japan, popular with tourists and locals alike for cheap cosmetics, skincare souvenirs and even cut price confectionery and Japanese sweets like Pocky.
As of November 2025, there are over 3,400 Matsumoto Kinoshi stores in Japan spread across all 47 prefectures.
The Japanese chain started in 1932 as a pharmacy but expanded quickly over the years and now sells lots of other non pharmaceutical items – it is our go to place for topping up our toiletries or grabbing snacks when out and about in Japan, if we can’t find a konbini like 7-Eleven.
What can you buy at Matsumoto Kiyoshi?
Given their store range and size, it is often more a case of what CAN’T you buy there.
Like Don Quijote stores in Japan, the large Matsumoto Kiyoshi stores have several floors each with different categories like cosmetics, food and drink, cleaning products, haircare and more.
The main Matsumoto Kiyoshi drugstore categories are:
Medicines and healthcare – including vitamins, paracetamol and other over the counter pharmaceuticals, plus day to day toiletries like toothpaste and deodorant.
Japanese Skincare and international cosmetic brands – moisturisers, lotions and potions from brands such as Shisedo, Nivea, Neutrogena, Canmake and Maybelline.
Haircare – shampoo, hair dye, conditioner plus accessories from brands like &honey, Shisedo, Milbon and Ichikami.
Feminine Hygiene products – sanitary pads and tampons.
Snacks and Consumables – lots of food, drink and snacks including various Japanese Kit Kat flavors, Kanro Pure sweets, energy drinks Vitamin C lemon drinks.
Assorted items – like umbrellas, rain macs, washing powder, face masks, tamagochi and more.
Plan My Japan tip – we find Matsumoto Kinoshi much cheaper than Don Quijote for classic Japanese snacks and souvenirs like Kit Kats – for instance, you can get a multipack of 7 Kit Kats in various flavours for as low as 198 Yen (plus tax) – this is way cheaper than Don Quijote.
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Tax Free Shopping at Matsumoto Kiyoshi
Some Matsumoto Kiyoshi stores in Japan have tax free shopping in place for visitors from overseas. International customers who do not live in Japan can purchase items without consumption tax on items they take back home as souvenirs.
You must present your passport or landing permit in store to get tax free shopping.
One of the key criteria for tax free shopping is that these specially packaged consumable products must not be opened until you have left the country.
Tax free purchases in Japan for overseas visitors only apply to a total purchase amount of 5,000 Yen or more (excluding tax/after discount has been applied), or 5,500 Yen (including tax).
Specially packaged consumable tax-free products must not be opened until you have left the country.
Many Japanese stores like Don Quijote, Daiso, BIC Camera and UNIQLO also have Tax Free counters – so get shopping and enjoy some cash back!
Check out this Matsumoto Kiyoshi Duty-free Discount Coupon – save even more with a 10% tax exemption plus additional discounts of 7%, 5%, and 3%!
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Other things to know about Matsumoto Kiyoshi
- Their own brand products (“matsukiyo”) are big sellers and often cheaper than the international skincare brands
- Matsumoto Kiyoshi also have overseas stores including in Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia
- Find discount coupons on the official Matsumoto Kiyoshi website here >
- The chain’s 1,000th location was on Shinkyōgoku Street, Kyoto
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