How does age verification work for alcohol?
Any order containing alcohol asks for your date of birth before you reach the payment screen. We cannot sell to anyone under 20. The date itself is never stored — only the fact that the check passed — and the courier may ask for ID again on delivery.
Updated 15 June 2026
What does the law say?
The sale of alcohol to persons under 20 is prohibited by law in Japan.
In Japan the sale and consumption of alcohol by anyone under 20 is prohibited by law. Mail-order sellers must verify age and must display the statutory sentence in type at least as large as the price. We show it on the product page, in the cart and on the screen before payment.
For deliveries outside Japan the drinking age of the destination country applies — usually 18 or 21. It is the buyer's responsibility to confirm the recipient meets it.
What happens to the date of birth I enter?
It is not stored. The check runs on the date you type, and the order records only a flag saying the check passed. The date itself never reaches our database.
- After that, we don't ask again on this device for 30 days.
- Orders with no alcohol in them never show the age step at all.
- The courier may ask for ID on delivery, so keep some to hand.
A few other things we are required to say
- We do not sell alcohol to anyone under 20.
- Please avoid alcohol during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
- Drink in moderation. Drink-driving is against the law.
- You may not send alcohol as a gift to a recipient under the legal drinking age.
Questions
Do I have to upload an ID?
It says I am under 20 — why?
Read next
If your question is not here, email us. info@guida.jp