Hiroshima City Premium Shopping Vouchers – Guide for Residents
The English language guide to Hiroshima City’s inflation-busting (?) Premium Shopping Voucher system.
In an effort to help residents and businesses during this period of significant price increases, the Hiroshima City government is offering “Premium Shopping Vouchers.” These vouchers are available to ALL registered residents, including those of non-Japanese origin. The system is typically complicated, so we have compiled what we hope is a relatively easy-to-understand guide in English.
The following is based on information on the official Premium Shopping Voucher page, with particular reference to the section on individual applications.
Premium Shopping Vouchers: The Basics
Pay ¥10,000, and you get ¥15,000 worth of shopping vouchers — a 50% bonus on top of what you spend, funded by the city (through our taxes) to help ease the impact of rising prices and keep money circulating in the local economy.
If you’re a foreign resident with a residence card (在留カード) and you’re registered in Hiroshima’s resident registry (住民基本台帳), you’re eligible. Here’s everything you need to know.
The Hiroshima City Premium Shopping Vouchers (広島市プレミアム付商品券) are a limited-time campaign.
You pay: ¥10,000
You get: ¥15,000 face value in vouchers (50% premium)
Limit: ¥10,000 per person
Eligibility: Anyone registered as a Hiroshima City resident on or after April 1, 2026
Every applicant who applies before the deadline is guaranteed vouchers.
There are two formats to choose from: a digital voucher loaded onto your smartphone, or a paper voucher booklet.
Digital vs. Paper
| Digital Voucher (電子商品券) | Paper Voucher (紙商品券) | |
| Minimum purchase | ¥1,000 increments | ¥5,000 increments |
| What you get | ¥1,500 per ¥1,000 spent | Booklet of 10 tickets (¥1,000 × 5 + ¥500 × 5) |
| How to apply | Toshipo app → application website | Online, by mail, or in person |
| Apply by | May 31, 2026 | July 20, 2026 |
| Purchase/exchange by | July 31, 2026 | September 30, 2026 |
| Use at | Registered shops in Hiroshima City and the wider metro area | Registered shops within Hiroshima City only |
| Vouchers valid until | February 28, 2027 | — |
The digital option is the more flexible of the two, as you can buy in smaller amounts, use it across a wider area, and pay by card. On the other hand, you have to download yet another app. The paper route works just fine, has a longer application window, and doesn’t require facial ID.
How to Apply: Digital Vouchers
You’ll need the Toshipo app (としポ) — a regional loyalty points app for the greater Hiroshima area. Here’s the process from start to finish.
Step 1 — Download Toshipo
Search for としポ on the App Store or Google Play and install it.
Create an account and find your Toshipo ID (it’s in the bottom-right menu of the app).
Step 2 — Go to the application site
Visit application.hiroshima-premium.jp — accessible via the Toshipo app or directly in your browser.
Step 3 — Fill in your details
Enter your name exactly as it appears in the resident registry. For foreign residents: use the name on your residence card. If your name is in alphabet letters (romaji), enter it in uppercase. If the standard form rejects your entry, use the exception application form instead.
Step 4 — Upload your photo ID
A face-photo ID is required for digital vouchers. Your residence card, My Number card, or passport will all work.
Step 5 — Wait for approval
Approval typically takes five business days (weekends excluded). Track your status via My Page (マイページ).
Step 6 — Purchase your vouchers
Once approved, buy your vouchers through the app or online. Pay by credit card or at a Seven Bank ATM inside any 7-Eleven. You don’t have to buy the full ¥10,000 at once — you can do it in stages, as long as you complete all purchases by July 31.
Step 7 — Use at registered shops
At checkout, open the Toshipo app and scan the shop’s QR code. You’ll need internet access (mobile data or Wi-Fi) and location permissions enabled. If the app shows a “no connection” message, close and restart, and confirm that mobile data is switched on.
Gmail users: The verification email can take time to arrive. If you don’t see it after two days, try registering with a different email address, or call the helpline.
How to Apply: Paper Vouchers
Step 1 — Apply online, by mail, or in person
The application period opens May 9, 2026, and runs until July 20. Paper application forms are available at city-related facilities around Hiroshima.
Step 2 — Prepare your ID
A photo ID is not required for paper vouchers. A document showing your name and date of birth — a health insurance card, for example — is sufficient. Your residence card also works.
Step 3 — Receive your exchange postcard
After approval, the secretariat mails you a postcard (引換券) — your ticket to the next step.
Step 4 — Exchange for vouchers at a designated window
Bring your postcard and the exact cash amount to an exchange window. These are set up at supermarkets, commercial facilities, and post offices across all city wards. The exchange period is July 21 to September 30.
Step 5 — Spend at registered shops in Hiroshima City
Present the tickets at checkout. Paper vouchers are valid within Hiroshima City only (not the wider metro area). No change is given, so plan purchases accordingly.
Proxy applications: a family member, relative, or care facility worker can apply and exchange on your behalf. Anyone beyond the 4th degree of kinship, or non-relatives, will need a power of attorney (委任状) or documentation confirming the relationship.
Applying for Family Members
Digital: You can apply for same-surname, co-resident family members in a single batch (up to 10 at once). If each person wants the vouchers on their own smartphone, apply separately for each. Additional family members can be added later through My Page.
Paper: Co-resident family members can be applied for together, regardless of surname.
In either case, the ¥10,000 limit applies per person — a household of three means up to ¥30,000 spent on vouchers, with ¥45,000 in usable value.
Where Can You Use The Vouchers?
Vouchers are accepted at registered member stores (加盟店) — supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, retail shops, and more. A searchable store list is available on the official website, and the Toshipo app has a map view. Most stores will accept vouchers combined with cash or other payment methods, but it’s worth confirming at the till.
List of registered stores [ja]
You cannot use the vouchers for:
- Taxes, utility bills (electricity, gas, water)
- Gift cards, stamps, prepaid cards, or securities
- Cigarettes
- Business purchases (raw materials, inventory, equipment)
- Real estate, rent, or parking fees (except short-stay parking)
- Converting to cash or loading onto e-money or points
- In-store ticket machines or payment kiosks
Having trouble?
Application support counters (申請サポート窓口) are available around the city. Check the support counter list [ja] on the official site.
Contact
Hiroshima City Premium Shopping Voucher Call Centre
📞 050-5538-5487
Hours: Weekdays, 08:30 – 17:15
👉 Official website: shouhinken.city.hiroshima.lg.jp [ja]
👉 Residents’ page: shouhinken.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/person/ [ja]
👉 Q&A: shouhinken.city.hiroshima.lg.jp/faq/ [ja]