Ginza Shopping Discounts: Mitsukoshi App vs Matsuya JCB

Latest Ginza Shopping Discounts! From Mitsukoshi app 5% discount to Matsuya JCB benefits, learn how to buy Celine, Comme des Garçons, and Bao Bao at the cheapest prices in 2026, plus tax-free fee comparisons.

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Planning to shop for Celine, Comme des Garçons, or Bao Bao in Ginza?

Wait! Are you still reading blogs that say “Go to the 7th floor and get a blue/red guest card”?

🚨 That information is now outdated.

As of March 2025, Mitsukoshi and Isetan department stores officially discontinued physical guest card issuance, and Matsuya Ginza has enhanced JCB card benefits. If you go based on old information, you might be confused on-site.

Today, we’ll analyze the completely changed discount methods (app vs card) and tax-free fee differences in microscopic detail, revealing the 2026 latest strategy to shop 13% cheaper than others.

Ginza’s Big 3 Department Stores Have Completely Different Discount Methods!

Ginza Mitsukoshi · Matsuya Ginza · Ginza Six!

These three representative Ginza department stores have completely different discount methods (requirements) and brand lineups. This one table will settle everything.

🛍️ Ginza Department Store Discount & Brand Comparison Table

💡 Tax-free Fee: Most charge 1.55%, but Matsuya Ginza officially deducts 1.54%. Slight, but Matsuya is cheaper!

💡 Avoid Wasted Trips!

• ❌ Comme des Garçons → Not at Matsuya / Ginza Six
• ❌ Bao Bao → Not at Mitsukoshi / Ginza Six

1️⃣ Ginza Mitsukoshi: Physical Cards Are Gone

Ginza Mitsukoshi is Ginza’s landmark and the mecca for Comme des Garçons (CDG) shopping.

The most important change is that paper guest cards have disappeared. Now, you cannot get discounts without a smartphone app.

✅ How to Get 5% Discount (MITSUKOSHI ISETAN JAPAN App)

1. Preparation: Download and register for the ‘MITSUKOSHI ISETAN JAPAN’ app in Korea beforehand.

📌 Pro Tip: This is the same app for Shinjuku Isetan Department Store. (The two department stores merged, so you can use one app for both!)

➡️ iPhone App Store Download 🍎
➡️ Google Play Store Download 🤖

2. Arrival: Visit Ginza Mitsukoshi New Building 7F Tax-Free Counter.

3. Activation: Show your passport (temporary visitor sticker) and staff will activate the REWARDS (5% coupon) in your app.

4. Payment: Show the app screen at checkout → Instant discount!

💡 Important Notes

• Passport and card must be in the same name (name matching required)
• Discount exclusions: Food, restaurants, items under ¥3,000, sale items, etc.

🚫 5% Discount Excluded Brands

• Big 3 Luxury: Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Chanel
• Watches/Jewelry: Rolex, Cartier, Tiffany, Bulgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, Tudor, A. Lange & Söhne
• Fashion/Accessories: Berluti, Foxy, Goyard, Chrome Hearts, Leica, Mikimoto, Liberano & Liberano, Saint-Louis
• Others: Graff (perfume only), Gold Salon SGC, Harry Winston, food, restaurants, sale items, etc.

✅ Mitsukoshi’s Powerful Weapons: Comme des Garçons & Handkerchiefs

Mitsukoshi has unique charms that other stores don’t have.

❤️ Comme des Garçons: The Only 5% Discount Location!

• 4F (Pocket): The most beloved Play line (heart patch cardigan, striped shirts) and women’s line. (Opening run essential!)
• 6F (Homme): Men’s line is on a separate floor. If you’re a couple, split up and conquer 4F and 6F.
• Ginza Six and Matsuya don’t have CDG stores, and Dover Street doesn’t offer discounts. For cheap CDG, Mitsukoshi is the only choice.

🎁 Luxury Handkerchiefs (1F): Top Gift Choice

• Get brand handkerchiefs from Vivienne Westwood, Polo, Lanvin, etc. for around ¥1,000. (※ Note: Items under ¥3,000 may be excluded from 5% discount)

👜 Celine (1F): Bags & Wallets Specialist

• Carefully curated selection of women’s bags and wallets. No apparel, so keep that in mind!

2️⃣ Matsuya Ginza: Don’t Forget Your JCB Card

If Mitsukoshi is for CDG, Matsuya is heaven for Celine and Issey Miyake (Bao Bao). The key here isn’t the app, but your payment card.

✅ JCB Card 5% Discount Formula (~2026.3.31)

Matsuya Ginza is running a JCB card special promotion.

• Requirements: JCB card in your name (can be issued in Korea, any card company)
• Method: Present JCB discount coupon (with barcode) at purchase and pay with JCB card

🎒 Matsuya’s Powerful Weapons: Celine & Issey Miyake

1. Celine (1F & 2F): ‘Full Lineup’ with Apparel

• 1F (Accessories): Bags, wallets, accessories
• 2F (Apparel): Women’s ready-to-wear, shoes
• Unlike Mitsukoshi (1F bags only), Matsuya uses 2 floors with much more products and a comfortable shopping environment. If you want to see apparel or shoes, this is the place.

2. Bao Bao & Pleats Please (1F & 4F): The Only Discounted Location

• 1F (Bao Bao): The only Bao Bao store among Ginza department stores. (Not at Mitsukoshi/Ginza Six!)
• 4F (Pleats Please): Perfect gift for mothers, ‘Pleats Please’ is also on 4F.
• The only store where you can get an additional 5% discount not available at flagship stores. (Aim for 1-2 PM logistics restocking time!)

3️⃣ Ginza Six: No Discount, But Best Service

Ginza Six has no additional discount unlike Mitsukoshi and Matsuya, but it’s an essential stop on your Ginza shopping route.

👜 Celine ‘Full Line’ Flagship Store is Only at Ginza Six

If you want to see Celine properly, Ginza Six 1F is a must-visit.

• Men’s and women’s full line
• Apparel / Bags / Shoes / Accessories / Sunglasses all displayed
• Faster new arrival stock than department stores
• 👉 When selection matters more than price, Ginza Six is the answer.

👜 Last Resort for Rare Stock (Rare Colors/Sizes)

• Colors and sizes sold out at department stores
• Irregular restocks of popular models
• 👉 The last place to check is Ginza Six flagship store.

🎒 Tourist Service Center ‘TERMINAL GINZA’ (1F)

• Tax-free counter (10:30-20:30)
• Foreign currency exchange (USD·EUR·KRW included)
• Luggage storage (Sagawa Cubin): Same-day storage available. Rates revised as of December 1, 2024. (Under 100cm: ¥800, Under 160cm: ¥1,000)
• Convenience store (LAWSON): Not a regular convenience store, but a gift-specialized Lawson with selected premium products from around Japan. Perfect for souvenirs! (24-hour operation)

Brand-Specific Best Price Shopping Routes (Celine·CDG·Bao Bao)

👜 Celine (CELINE)

👉 Recommended: Matsuya Ginza

Reason: Unlike Mitsukoshi (bags/wallets only), Matsuya has separate stores on 1F (bags/wallets) and 2F (apparel/shoes), offering more products in a comfortable shopping environment.

Strategy: Get 5% discount with JCB card plus tax-free. (JCB card coupon 5% + tax-free approx. 8.46% = approx. 13.46% discount)

If you don’t have a JCB card: Ginza Mitsukoshi is the cheapest option. (App coupon 5% + tax-free approx. 8.45% = approx. 13.45% discount)

If you’re looking for new arrivals or rare colors/sizes: Go to Ginza Six for men’s/women’s full line + fastest new stock arrival. (Note: No 5% discount, only tax-free available.)

Avoid: Mitsukoshi

• Only bags and wallets (no apparel)

👕 Comme des Garçons

👉 Recommended: Ginza Mitsukoshi

Reason: Matsuya and Ginza Six don’t have Comme des Garçons apparel stores!

Strategy: Get app 5% discount at 4F (Women’s/Pocket) and 6F (Men’s) to buy basic items.

If your size is sold out: Go to Dover Street Market behind Uniqlo. (Dover has more stock, but no 5% discount available.)

🎒 Bao Bao & Issey Miyake: If Not at Matsuya, Try 442!

👉 Recommended: Matsuya Ginza (1F)

• ✅ 5% JCB discount
• ✅ Lowest tax-free fee (1.54%)
• ✅ Full Bao Bao collection
• Total Savings: Up to 13.46%

Alternative: Issey Miyake 442 (Aoyama)

• Full Issey Miyake line including Bao Bao
• No tourist discount
• 15 minutes from Ginza
• Aim for the 1-2 PM logistics restocking time!

Shopping Pre-Check List (Important Notes)

Make sure to check these points so you don’t get flustered at the checkout counter.

1. Passport is Mandatory: Photos or captures are never accepted. 🙅‍♀️ You must have your physical passport for tax refunds, discount coupon issuance, and tax-free procedures. (Checking the temporary visitor sticker is essential!)

2. Card in Your Own Name: The name on the credit card used for payment and the name on the passport must match exactly, down to the last letter. Tax-free may be denied if the names differ, even for family cards.

3. Discount Excluded Brands: High-end luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Chanel, and Rolex, as well as food items and sale products, are excluded from the 5% guest card discount. (However, tax-free is still possible!)

4. Tax-Free Criteria & Receipt Consolidation ⭐: Tax-free is available for purchases over ¥5,500 (including tax) or ¥5,000 (excluding tax).

   • Advantage of Department Stores: You can combine the amounts spent at multiple shops within the same department store during a single day.
   • Example: Handkerchief (¥1,500) from 1F + Socks (¥2,000) from 2F + Cosmetics (¥2,000) from B1 = Total over ¥5,500, so Tax-Free is OK!

🧡 Related Ginza Shopping Guides

• Ginza Complete Guide: Best Restaurants, Cafes & Shopping
• Tokyo Luxury Shopping: Department Store Comparison
• JCB Card Benefits in Japan: Complete Guide