6 Best Japanese Online Marketplace For Your Business

You've come to the right place if you're starting to sell online in Japan.

Japan's top online marketplaces for sellers in 2026 are Amazon Japan, Rakuten Ichiba, Mercari, Yahoo Shopping, Au PAY Market, and Qoo10. Japan is the world's third-largest ecommerce market, with B2C ecommerce reaching US$176.8 billion in 2024. Amazon Japan leads by monthly traffic with over 562 million visits per month, while Rakuten leads by registered membership with over 100 million members. Each platform serves a different type of seller and buyer, and choosing the right one depends on your product category, target audience, and language capability.

Using an online marketplace is much easier and more cost-effective than setting up your own website to sell your products.

So here, we guide you on the best Japanese online marketplaces for your business.

An overview of the Japanese ecommerce market

Japanese online consumers buy across a wide range of categories.

The strongest performing segments include food and groceries, medicine, electronics, personal care, clothing, and entertainment. Groceries alone account for approximately 20% of total ecommerce revenue in Japan, reflecting how deeply online shopping has integrated into daily life.

Japan's ecommerce market is also distinctively domestic in character.

An estimated 95% of ecommerce sales involve Japanese buyers purchasing from Japanese sellers, which means localization matters more here than in most other markets. Additionally, consumers tend to research products carefully and place high value on customer service, accurate product descriptions, and reliable delivery.

The market is also growing steadily. Japan's B2C ecommerce market is projected to expand at a 7% CAGR through 2027, driven by an aging population that is increasingly comfortable shopping online, continued growth in cross-border purchasing, and platform investment in faster logistics and loyalty programs.

But depending on your target audience, you will need to understand Japanese consumer behavior and do some Japanese market research for a successful marketing strategy.

2 things to know when selling online in Japan

1) Seller must provide their name, address, and phone number on the site where they will be selling the product

If you feel uncomfortable using your home address as your business address, consider using a virtual address like MailMate.

A virtual address as your business address

A virtual address is a cheap solution that protects your privacy and offers a professional image for your customers. 

You can receive and manage business mail using a virtual address provider like MailMate without revealing your personal address on a Japanese marketplace online. 

Compliant with legal requirements for business registration

Virtual addresses completely comply with Japanese business regulations as they act as a physical mailing for receiving mail.

Certain virtual address providers like MailMate will receive and scan your business mail for you to view online. Thus, using a virtual address is legal when registering a business in Japan. 

Mail handling for your online business

Many virtual address providers only provide the address, so you need to pick up your mail.

Instead, MailMate provides a mail scanning service where the outside content of your mail will be scanned. If you want it to be opened, click the “open” button on your dashboard.

MailMate will store your mail for you. However, MailMate will forward it to you domestically or internationally if you want to receive your physical mail.

2) Seller should submit a business opening notification

All online sellers with an online marketplace shop need to submit a business opening.

To submit a business opening notification, file a "Notification of Commencement of Business" (開業届, kaigyo todoke) with your local tax office.

This document is available at the tax office or online at the National Tax Agency website and must be submitted within two months of starting your business. Filing on time ensures you are properly registered and can affect your eligibility for certain tax deductions.

In this document, you will provide your business name, address, and activity description. If you need help, it’s best to consult with your local tax office.

The best 6 Japanese online marketplace

Japan offers a large number of online marketplaces for you to sell on. Let’s take a look at them.

1. Amazon Japan

SimilarWeb ranks Amazon Japan as Japan's number one e-commerce and online marketplace. It’s easy to see why.

Their website is in Japanese and English, easily navigable, and received over 562 million visits per month as of mid-2024 according to SimilarWeb, making it the most visited ecommerce platform in Japan.

Key features

• Amazon Sponsored Products (ASP): it is their paid advertising system to help increase your traffic and sales.

• Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): an option that lets you outsource fulfillment orders to Amazon.

• Build International Listings tool (BIL): allows you to sell globally across multiple marketplaces.

• Amazon Points System: a point card system where customers can come back to earn and use points on their site.

• Gift wrapping option: to help customize your orders for special holidays or occasions.

2. Rakuten

Rakuten Ichiba, or Rakuten Marketplace, is Japan's second most popular ecommerce marketplace by traffic according to SimilarWeb, and the largest by registered membership with over 100 million registered members. It generated more than US$40.3 billion in gross merchandise sales in 2024.

There are two hurdles when using Rakuten Ichiba as your online marketplace:

• Creating your storefront: you’ll need an official seller account, but that requires local partner support, which can be hard to acquire.

• Brand recognition: gaining trust from Japanese consumers is more difficult for new brands and unpolished-looking stores can damage your brand's credibility.

The good thing is that they have onboarding consultants, especially for overseas businesses to get you over these hurdles.

Key features

• Rakuten’s Super Points: a loyalty-based rewards program where members can receive benefits, such as cashback and discounts. An incentive to keep buying on Rakuten.

• Customization: Brands have control over their storefront design.

• In-country warehousing: Rakuten will allow international merchants to use their warehouse to better shipping costs in Japan.

• Cross-border management: similar to Amazon’s FBA, Rakuten offers international freight management, multichannel order fulfillment, and return management for online orders.

3. Mercari（メルカリ）

Mercari is Japan's largest consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace app and one of Japan's first unicorn companies after its launch in 2013. It holds over 70% market share in Japan's online C2C marketplace segment, with approximately 22 million monthly active users.

GMV for the Japan marketplace grew 5% year on year in Q2 FY2025, supported by a redesigned platform and improved anti-fraud measures.

Mercari has historically been a C2C flea market platform, but it has expanded significantly. It now operates Mercari Shops, a B2C marketplace that allows registered businesses to sell new products alongside individual sellers.

In September 2025, Mercari also launched the Mercari Global App, a new cross-border platform initially available in Taiwan and Hong Kong, with plans to expand to over 50 countries within three years and more than 100 countries in the longer term. The cross-border business is currently focused on Japan's entertainment and hobby sector, including anime, gaming, and pop culture merchandise.

For sellers, Mercari remains the lowest-friction entry point into the Japanese market. The flat 10% commission with no monthly fee means you can test demand before committing to a more expensive platform. Strong communication skills in Japanese are still recommended for C2C selling, but Mercari Shops offers a more structured B2C environment for businesses.

Key features

• Method of delivery: shipping only, no in-person pickup

• Many payment options: credit cards, convenience store payment, and other electronic payment methods

• Easy shipping: print your shipping label after a sale and drop it at any participating convenience store

• Chat feature: buyers and sellers communicate directly within the app to confirm details before and after purchase

• Mercari Shops: a dedicated B2C storefront option for businesses selling new products

• Cross-border selling: the Mercari Global App enables Japanese sellers to reach overseas buyers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and expanding markets, with Mercari handling inspection, shipping, and payment in the buyer's local currency

4. Yahoo! Shopping Japan

Believe it or not, Yahoo! Shopping has a strong presence in Japan. People buy and sell items ranging from electronics, fashion, and home appliances. 

One of the biggest benefits of Yahoo! Shopping is that any searches on Yahoo! will redirect you to their e-commerce site. If you decide to have Yahoo! Shopping as your Japanese online marketplace, you’ll need to understand Yahoo's SEO and advertising strategy on Yahoo.

In October 2022, Yahoo Shopping fully absorbed PayPay Mall, merging the two platforms into a single unified marketplace. This consolidation strengthened Yahoo Shopping's product selection and user base significantly, and the platform now handles over 400 million product listings.

Key features

• Easy store setup: they have several basic templates to help you set up your storefront.

• Various point systems: unlike other Japanese ecommerce sites, Yahoo! Shopping offers PayPay Bonus, PayPay Bonus Lite, and T points.

• Analytics suite: you can see various analytics such as keywords users searched to reach your site, demographics, and sales.

5. Au PAY Market (Wowma)

Au PAY, formerly known as Wowma, is a growing e-commerce market in Japan. It was originally launched as "Wowma!", combining DeNA Shopping and the au Shopping Mall before being rebranded as Au PAY Market in May 2020 as part of KDDI's broader digital payment and commerce ecosystem.

Au PAY Market is primarily an online shopping platform, but it benefits from integration with KDDI's large base of au mobile subscribers across Japan, giving it a broad built-in audience.

Key features

• Large user base: being part of a mobile phone company automatically has a large user base connected with Au Pay.

• Optimized for mobile users: being part of KDDI as Au PAY prioritizes their mobile phone users.

• Mobile-first shopping experience: Au PAY Market is optimised for mobile purchases and integrates with the au PAY digital wallet, allowing customers to pay and earn Ponta points in a single flow.

6. Qoo10 Japan

Qoo10, now owned by eBay, is another online marketplace in Japan for sellers. Similar to any Japanese e-commerce site, they have a wide range of categories to sell from such as beauty, fashion, sports, digital, home, living, books, food, and entertainment.

Their motto is to create a “fun, convenient, price competitive and secure shopping experience.” with a focus on customer satisfaction with their purchases.

Key features

• Photo review function: users can upload a photo of your products for better real-life impressions and credibility.

• Promotional tools: the Qoo10 platform allows discounts, coupons, and time-limited sales, to help sellers attract and retain customers.

• Direct communication: buyers and sellers can directly communicate with each other for better customer relationship-building.

Seller fees: a quick comparison

Understanding fees before committing to a platform can save you significant money. Here is a summary of the main costs for each marketplace as of 2026.

Amazon Japan charges a referral fee of 8 to 15% depending on the product category, plus a monthly professional seller fee of approximately 4,900 yen. FBA storage and fulfilment fees apply separately but make Amazon the most accessible platform for foreign sellers who want to avoid managing Japanese logistics directly.

Rakuten Ichiba charges a monthly flat fee starting from around 19,500 yen depending on your plan, plus a sales commission of 2 to 7% and a system fee of 0.1% per transaction. Sellers must also budget for the Super Points program contribution. The higher upfront cost reflects Rakuten's positioning as a full brand storefront platform rather than a simple listing service.

Mercari charges a flat 10% commission on every sale with no monthly fee, making it the lowest barrier to entry for sellers who want to test the Japanese market before committing to a more expensive platform.

Yahoo Shopping charges no monthly store fee or initial setup fee for most sellers, but takes a commission on each sale. The platform earns primarily through advertising, so paid promotion is more important for visibility here than on other platforms.

Au PAY Market charges a monthly fee plus a commission that varies by product category. Contact Au PAY Market directly for current rates as these are subject to change.

Qoo10 charges a commission per sale with no monthly fee. Rates vary by category and promotional participation level.

How to choose the best ecommerce platform in Japan for your business

While it would be best to sell your products on all these Japanese online marketplaces to maximize your outreach, that is not practical in the long run.

Instead, think about which would be best for your business. If your business caters to foreigners, then Amazon might be the best platform for that.

However, if you are trying to reach potential Japanese consumers, then Rakuten or Yahoo! Shopping Japan would be the better option.

Look at who your target audience is, how they are searching for your products, and what platform aligns best with your brand and product offerings.

Build trust with Japanese consumers

Building trust among Japanese consumers can be difficult in a Japanese online marketplace. However, here are some tips to consider when building your audience.

a) Use reviews and testimonials

Many Japanese consumers use reviews to hear about what the average person thinks of the product. So, it would be best to have your customers leave feedback to enhance your trust in the Japanese online marketplace.

b) Have exceptional custom service

Customer service in Japan has high standards, so your service is expected to be prompt, courteous, and provide clear answers. 

As such, having someone on your customer service team who is fluent in Japanese is important. Politeness and cultural etiquette will help you build credibility with Japanese customers.

c) Show your product’s quality

Quality over quantity is what people say. And it’s true.

If your product is produced in its best quality, then describe it. Include detailed specifications, materials, and benefits to convey your product’s reliability.​

Frequently asked questions

What is Japan's top online marketplace?

By monthly traffic, Amazon Japan is the most visited ecommerce platform in Japan, followed by Rakuten Ichiba and Yahoo Shopping, according to SimilarWeb. By registered membership, Rakuten leads with over 100 million members. The right platform for your business depends on your product category, target audience, and whether you need English-language seller support.

Do I need a Japanese business registration to sell on Japanese online marketplaces?

Most major platforms including Amazon Japan, Rakuten, and Yahoo Shopping require sellers to have a registered business in Japan or to apply through an authorised local partner. You will also need to file a Notification of Commencement of Business (開業届, kaigyo todoke) with your local tax office within two months of starting your business.

Which Japanese marketplace is easiest for foreign sellers?

Amazon Japan is generally considered the most accessible platform for foreign sellers due to its English-language seller interface, the FBA fulfilment option that removes the need for local logistics management, and its Build International Listings tool for cross-marketplace selling. Mercari is the easiest entry point for individual sellers due to its flat 10% commission and no monthly fee structure.

What is the best Japan online shopping?

Japan's top online shopping sites for consumers are Amazon Japan, Rakuten Ichiba, and Yahoo Shopping, which together account for the majority of ecommerce traffic in Japan according to SimilarWeb. Amazon leads by monthly visits, Rakuten by loyalty program engagement, and Yahoo Shopping by product volume with over 400 million listings.

What is the equivalent of Amazon in Japan?

Amazon Japan is the direct equivalent and operates a fully localized Japanese platform. Rakuten Ichiba is the largest Japan-origin ecommerce marketplace and the closest domestic equivalent.

What is the equivalent of eBay in Japan?

Yahoo Auctions is best known for the eBay equivalent in Japan.

In closing

Japanese online marketplaces offer opportunities for businesses to start selling in Japan or expand their reach in the online Japanese market sphere. With careful planning, you can establish and grow your business online in Japan." Replace with a two-sentence summary that restates the core facts: the market size, the leading platforms by different metrics, and the key decision factor for sellers. This makes the closing a citable summary rather than a throwaway sign-off.

With careful planning, you can establish and grow your business online in Japan.