E-Commerce Alcohol Sales in Japan –Jasumo.com, Rakuten Ichiba

Japan is one of the most advanced e-commerce markets in the world, with an annual market value exceeding US$200 billion. Alcohol is increasingly part of this digital growth, driven by two key trends:

Inbound tourism – Tourists visiting Japan are spending record amounts (¥8.1 trillion in 2024 alone), and many choose to order alcohol online for delivery to hotels or as gifts to take home.

Consumer behavior shift – Japanese consumers value convenience and now buy craft beer, spirits, and premium wine online through marketplaces like Amazon Japan and Rakuten Ichiba.

For foreign alcohol brands, e-commerce is a critical distribution channel because it provides:

Jasumo.com – Tourist and Consumer Marketplace

National coverage without needing physical retail shelf space.

A direct line to tourists who may not know local shops.

A way to test consumer demand and build brand visibility.

At JapanPint, we manage end-to-end e-commerce activation for alcohol brands. This includes direct listings on our own Jasumo.com platform, as well as integration into Japan’s largest online malls: Amazon Japan, Rakuten Ichiba, and Yahoo! Shopping.

Jasumo.com – Our Flagship Consumer Marketplace

URL: https://jasumo.com/product-category/alcoholic-beverages/

Jasumo.com is JapanPint’s consumer-facing marketplace with more than 70,000 monthly visitors. It was designed to target tourists and foreign residents in Japan, making it one of the most effective entry points for imported alcohol.

Setup and management of listings on Rakuten, Amazon Japan, and Yahoo Shopping.

Search engine optimized product descriptions in Japanese.

Fulfillment, warehousing, and customer service support.

Why Jasumo Matters for Foreign Brands:

Inbound tourists often cannot navigate Japanese-only e-commerce sites. Jasumo provides an English-friendly interface alongside Japanese listings.

Tourists frequently buy alcohol as souvenirs, gifts, or for special occasions, making them highly receptive to imported craft products.

Jasumo is cross-integrated with travel services, SIM cards, and tourist experiences, enabling cross-selling opportunities (e.g., tourists buying a SIM card also discover your craft beer or rum).

Core Features:

Detailed product pages with tasting notes, brand stories, and serving suggestions.

Delivery to hotels, private accommodations, or customer addresses nationwide.

Payment systems that accept international credit cards.

Bundling with travel products (e.g., “Tokyo Food & Drink Experience Pack”).

Amazon Japan

URL: https://www.amazon.co.jp

Amazon is the largest e-commerce platform in Japan, with over 50 million active users. It is a key marketplace for alcohol brands that want broad reach.

Challenges for Alcohol on Amazon Japan:

Strict compliance checks for alcohol products, requiring proof of legal importer and sales license.

Need for Japanese-optimized product descriptions for ranking and discoverability.

Highly competitive environment with domestic breweries, large spirits brands, and existing importers.

JapanPint’s Amazon Services:

Account Setup & Brand Registry – Establishing your alcohol brand under JapanPint’s importer license.

Listing Optimization – Japanese SEO content, keywords, and formatting for Amazon’s search algorithm.

Brand Storefronts – Creation of branded Amazon “mini-stores” to showcase multiple SKUs.

Advertising Management – Sponsored product campaigns to build visibility against local competitors.

Inventory & Fulfillment – Warehousing and delivery integration with Amazon FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon).

Rakuten Ichiba

URL: https://www.rakuten.co.jp

Rakuten Ichiba is Japan’s second-largest e-commerce platform and remains the most trusted online shopping mall among Japanese consumers. It is particularly strong in alcohol sales, especially wine, beer, and sake.

Why Rakuten Matters:

Japanese consumers often prefer Rakuten because of its loyalty program (Rakuten Points).

It allows sellers to create branded storefronts with a strong visual presence, unlike Amazon’s uniform listings.

Rakuten’s demographics include older and high-income Japanese consumers, who are prime targets for premium imports.

JapanPint’s Rakuten Services:

Store Setup – Building a Rakuten storefront that complies with alcohol regulations.

Content Localization – Professional translation of product details into Japanese, styled for Rakuten’s consumer base.

Promotional Campaigns – Running Rakuten Super Sale promotions and seasonal campaigns.

Customer Engagement – Handling reviews, questions, and buyer communication in Japanese.

Logistics – Ensuring compliance with Rakuten’s shipping speed and service standards.

Yahoo! Shopping Japan

URL: https://shopping.yahoo.co.jp

Yahoo! Shopping is Japan’s third-largest online marketplace, with a user base that includes many price-sensitive buyers. For alcohol, Yahoo is particularly effective for promotions and bulk pack sales.

JapanPint’s Yahoo! Services:

Product Listing – Creating compliant, SEO-rich listings in Japanese.

Pricing Strategy – Positioning products competitively in a price-sensitive environment.

Promotions – Leveraging Yahoo! campaigns, vouchers, and discounts to boost sales.

Bilingual Support – Managing buyer inquiries in Japanese and English.

How JapanPint Delivers End-to-End E-Commerce Success

Foreign producers often underestimate the complexity of Japan’s e-commerce environment for alcohol. Success requires:

Regulatory Clearance First – Products must be compliant before being listed.

Localization – Japanese SEO optimization is critical; direct translations do not sell.

Platform Expertise – Each marketplace (Amazon, Rakuten, Yahoo) has its own rules, formats, and consumer base.

Integrated Logistics – Nationwide fulfillment, warehousing, and returns handling.

JapanPint manages all of these steps seamlessly, ensuring that your alcohol brand not only enters but thrives in Japan’s digital retail ecosystem.

Case Example: Rum on Amazon & Rakuten

A premium rum brand cleared compliance with JapanPint. We:

Launched it on Amazon Japan with targeted sponsored ads to gain visibility in the rum category.

Opened a branded store on Rakuten Ichiba to build credibility and highlight tasting notes.

Promoted seasonal gift packs during New Year and Golden Week holidays.

Cross-listed on Jasumo.com for inbound tourists.

Within six months, the brand established itself as a recognized name in the premium rum space in Japan.

Japan’s e-commerce market provides an unparalleled opportunity for foreign alcohol brands to connect with Japanese consumers and inbound tourists alike. From Jasumo.com to Amazon Japan, Rakuten Ichiba, and Yahoo! Shopping, JapanPint provides the expertise, licenses, and infrastructure to bring your products online and into the hands of buyers nationwide.

E-Commerce Activation (B2C Channels)