Whisky prices are crazy in Japan… Just have a look.
Now compare that to what we have… Why are we getting ripped off?
How Cheap Is Whisky in Japan
RSmith on 19/06/2026 - 18:21
Last edited 20/06/2026 - 10:09 by 1 other user
Last edited 20/06/2026 - 10:09 by 1 other user
Comments
It's mostly tax here in australia
our alcohol tax is honestly wild. Makes up ~half of the price
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In years gone by i probably thought it would be better lower but now i'm wondering how much more alcohol problems we would have with cheaper booze.
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I think that's the wrong conclusion.
We have massive alcohol problems and our alcohol is hideously expensive. So it seems that alcohol problems will exist regardless of cost.
To me, that shows we should try to address alcohol problems in ways other than tax.
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We have massive alcohol problems and our alcohol is hideously expensive. So it seems that alcohol problems will exist regardless of cost.
Doesn't mean it wouldn't get worse with cheaper booze. I know i would have drunk more back then if it was cheaper. I barely drink anyway these days so I'm not particularly worried either way. Japan may have cheaper booze but don't the also have significant inheritance taxes?
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I got a bottle of Suntory Gin for the equivalent of 7 dollars AUD.
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A couple of years ago I picked up a bottle of the Nikka Black Clear 4 litres in your pic for around $35 and drove it around the country. It helped make a lot of friends along the way and I even brought back the empty bottle. Too bad it'll cost like $375 or so to refill it here.
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yep love going to Japan to get wasted on whisky
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$2 Sapporo highballs from 7-11 are hard to pass up
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Crazy how an iced coffee is the same price as a 9% Suntory lemon drink.
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😲
Do you get 50 cents off in the 7/11 app?
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wasted on whisky
Which whisky ?
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what ever was cheap. im a cheap drunk
sapparo whisky was nice.- 2
what ever was cheap.
They're all cheap…
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It was cheaper than beer at the bars last time I went
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Tokyo ghetto whisky…
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Same reason a pack of ciggies over there costs $5 while over here it's $40 - $50: tax and reckless government spending.
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Generally alcohol in Japan is cheap. Bearing in mind that shelf price is excluding taxes but even factoring that in, it's still cheap. The bottles are smaller so factor that in (if you're going to Lawsons)
If you're going to Japan, by all means, bring back your DF allowance from there (if you can get a direct flight). But strangely, Singapore is more expensive than Australia for booze of late (I found the booze at Adelaide cheaper) 🤷♀️
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Ignore japanese duty free at airport - get your spirits in normal shops, pack in luggage (wrap in thick clothes or bubble wrap) - best deal ever.
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Yep, just calculate per 100ml. I found DF shopping to be slightly frustrating in Japan and Korea outside of the airports (the Lotte stores are only open certain times etc).
Just go to a bottle o
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Do the airlines count that towards your baggage allowance if bought from normal shops?
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If you buy in the shops, it counts as it has to be checked, max 5L pp. But you have to pay Australian duty on the difference between 2.75L and 5L. Do the math as to whether it's worth it (often not - that tax cost is about $130-150)
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Yep crazy hey.. and the fact you can buy it from the local chemist :D
Mind you the strong dollar helps. The previous time I went to Japan we were getting about 55 yen to the dollar vs 100 something earlier this year.But that's what you get when your government doesn't tax the shit out of everything.
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I was at Changi airport looking at a bottle of Japanese Hibiki 40 year old for $60,000 SGD or $66000 AUD dutyfree.
You'd want to hope it's a bit cheaper than that in Japan or you might have to budget a bit more on the holiday.- 1
Get on the B̶e̶e̶r̶s̶ Whisky
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Many many years ago I picked up a couple of bottles of Nikka Yoichi 15YO for $50 each. You can look up what they’re worth now (and I still have an unopened one).
As a rough guide whiskies in Japan are about half of what you’d pay for here
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Jesus. 2.5k
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Well, shoppers accept paying whatever for whisky so it all makes sense.
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Very cheap along with food
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Albo collecting taxes
Indeed..I remember when alcohol was like 1/4 the price before the current Labor term right?
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You must be drunk already.
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At the rate they're all spending, they need to! I swear that everyday I see some article talking about something new they want to spend money on..
Tho I see they did make some tax concessions on small business, so kudos for that.
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Tho I see they did make some tax concessions on small business,
tik tok campaign must be hurting them…
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Yikes. I just saw an article outlining where Ms Hanson proposes we reduce spending (I agree but it won't be popular and I also think it's about 30 years too late, so futile), and another one where Gina Rhinehart wants to offer some remote Australian islands (in FNQ? I forget) to Musk for free so he can launch satellites from there and manufacture something or other maybe microchips?
Meanwhile Musk is proposing he move rocket and satellite manufacturing to the moon as it will be more efficient to launch them with the reduced gravity…
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@Satchimo: Gina was talking up giving israel land in QLD to make "weapons" and "domes". I expect it will be part of Pauline Rinehart's One Nation policy soon.
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I went to a restaurant that had a 2 hour all you can drink menu for $10. I enjoyed the highball, sake, wine and Shochu highball. I got through the menu twice and somehow made it back to the hotel for a good night's sleep.