When in doubt, JTB travel vouchers…! It’s not too late! A complete guide to “Furusato Tax Payment” for the year-end rush!

Furusato” is a taxation system that allows you to obtain local specialties and goods from various municipalities for only 2,000 yen out-of-pocket in real terms. As the end of the year approaches, popular gifts are often sold out or shipped late, so it is best to hurry up and get your selection done. Harumi Maruyama, a consumer affairs advisor, says that the best return gift is “rice” if you are looking for a cost-effective alternative to other tax returns.

Harumi Maruyama, a consumer lifestyle advisor, says, “Rice is known as one of the most popular gifts, but the most cost-effective is 20 kg of “Sagaminori,” a blend of rice from Kaminomi-cho, Saga Prefecture. With the recent price hikes for bread and frozen foods, cooking your own meals around rice is a quick way to save money.

If you can’t eat a lot at once, or if your refrigerator is already overflowing with food ……, why not order a regular delivery?

The city of Minami-Satsuma in Kagoshima Prefecture offers a regular delivery service. Minami-Satsuma City in Kagoshima Prefecture offers a total of four A5-ranked Wagyu beef packages, while Sasebo City in Nagasaki Prefecture offers a three-month supply of their famous “steak rolls” (roll steak).

It is a matter of choice which tax payment portal site to use, but “Rakuten Furusato Tax Payment” is definitely the best choice for those who have accumulated points in the so-called “Rakuten Economic Circle. Furusato Premium” and “Furnavi” are also running campaigns offering special points and gift certificates during the busy season.

If you feel that you are about to reach the maximum deduction amount, try to fine-tune your donation by donating items with a value of 10,000 yen or less. Which are the recommended return goods?

Zentsuji City in Kagawa Prefecture offers 10 servings of authentic Sanuki udon noodles for a donation of 3,000 yen. Sake makes a great gift, and if you donate 4,000 yen to Osaki Town in Kagoshima Prefecture, you can get a locally produced limited edition potato shochu.

If you don’t get what you want, the “JTB Hometown Tax Payment Travel Coupon” offered by Kyoto City in Kyoto Prefecture is a convenient option: for a donation of 100,000 yen, you can get a coupon worth 30,000 yen that can be used for a JTB package trip. The coupon is valid for two years, so get it before you decide where to go.

The deadline for the “One-Stop Special Exception System,” which eliminates the need to file an income tax return, is January 10 of the following year. Be aware that if you forget to do so, you may not be able to receive the deduction.

From the December 23, 2022 issue of FRIDAY