Can I bring Baijiu to Japan?
Baijiu→Japan
✅ Allowed
About Baijiu
Baijiu is a traditional Chinese distilled spirit with high alcohol content (typically 40-60% ABV). International travelers can bring baijiu within standard spirits limits (usually 1 liter duty-free). Premium brands like Maotai are popular gifts but may require customs declaration if their value exceeds duty-free limits. Ensure bottles are well-sealed and packaged.
📋 Carrying Limits
- Quantity Limit:Duty-free allowance: Up to 2.28L of all alcohol combined (3 × 760ml equivalent) per traveller aged 20 or older entering from abroad for personal use, combining accompanied and unaccompanied baggage
✅ Declaration Requirements
✅Required
📌 Quick Summary
🔗 Official Information Source:
Last Updated:October 13, 2026
Reliability:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📝 Important Notes
- •✅ ALLOWED with Limits: You can bring baijiu (Chinese liquor) to Japan for personal use in reasonable quantities when arriving from abroad; the duty-free allowance is limited to travellers aged 20 or older.
- •📋 Quick Summary:
- •Age Requirement: 20 years or older for the alcohol duty-free allowance and for drinking in Japan
- •Duty-Free Limit: Up to 2.28L total of all alcohol per traveller aged 20 or older arriving from abroad for personal use; combine accompanied and unaccompanied baggage
- •Applies To: All baijiu types (Maotai, Wuliangye, Luzhou Laojiao, etc.)
- •Declaration: Required for all passengers entering Japan, including within the duty-free allowance
- •👤 Age Rules:
- •20+ Years Old:
- •You must be 20 years or older to use the alcohol duty-free allowance
- •Japan's legal drinking age is 20 (not 18 or 21)
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring Baijiu purchased at duty-free on the plane?
Baijiu purchased at airport duty-free and sealed in a Secure Tamper-Evident Bag (STEB) can usually be brought on board, even if it exceeds the 100ml limit. However, keep the receipt and ensure the bag remains sealed until you reach your final destination.
What should I consider when bringing Baijiu?
The most important thing when bringing Baijiu is to confirm if it exceeds the duty-free allowance or declaration threshold of your destination. It's recommended to keep purchase receipts and ensure Baijiu is in its original packaging for easier customs inspection. If the Baijiu is of high value, always use the red declaration channel.
❓ More Questions
Can I bring Maotai to Japan?
Yes! You can bring Maotai (茅台) from abroad to Japan in reasonable quantities for personal use. The duty-free allowance is: Up to 2.28L of all alcohol combined (3 × 760ml equivalent) per traveller aged 20 or older entering from abroad for personal use, combining accompanied and unaccompanied baggage. Maotai is highly valued, so keep original packaging, receipts, and authenticity certificates. Pack very carefully as bottles are fragile. The taxable excess of distilled baijiu normally uses the simplified passenger rate of ¥300/L, not a percentage of the bottle's price. All passengers entering Japan must submit a customs declaration, even within the allowance. Travellers under 20 have no alcohol duty-free allowance, including for an adult's gift. Drinking is prohibited under 20 in Japan; alcohol held for the person's own drinking may be confiscated or disposed of. Four 500ml bottles total 2L and fit within the allowance if no other alcohol is carried. If dutiable goods exceed ¥300,000 in value, commercial-cargo Customs procedures are required.
Is baijiu allowed through airport security?
For international departures from Japan, ordinary cabin liquids must be in individual containers of **100ml or less**, in one transparent resealable bag of **1L or less per person**. Larger airport duty-free liquids may qualify in a **STEB** kept unopened until transfer security screening; a generic sealed bag is not enough. Departure screening is unchanged, and city tax-free purchases above the limit must be checked. For flights to Japan, check the departure and transit airports' rules. Separately, the Japanese dangerous-goods allowance permits retail-packed alcohol **over 24% and up to and including 70% ABV**, up to **5L per passenger**, in cabin or checked baggage, subject to security screening; alcohol above 70% is outside this allowance. Pack baijiu carefully in checked luggage with bubble wrap and soft items for protection.
How can I tell if my baijiu is authentic?
Authentic baijiu (especially Maotai) has: original packaging with holograms, anti-counterfeit labels, certificates of authenticity, and receipts from reputable sellers. Buy from official stores or trusted sources. Customs may question expensive bottles without proper documentation, so keep all paperwork.
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