What is 「地域商品券」 on PayPay? How to check those vouchers.

Lately I’ve seen quite a few posts on Facebook about the 地域商品券 (chiiki shouhinken) section in PayPay—things like:

Load 5,000¥, but you can use 6,000¥

At first, I assumed it was just a regular point/bonus campaign. But after digging a bit more, it turns out this is actually a consumer support program rolled out by local municipalities across Japan—and it’s built right into the PayPay app.

What are regional gift vouchers?

In simple terms, these are electronic vouchers issued by 自治体 (cities/wards/prefectures) to:

• help residents cope with rising prices

• encourage shopping locally

• promote cashless payments

Because PayPay supports many participating regions in digital form, you don’t need paper tickets like before.

Depending on the campaign, there may also be an extra “premium,” for example:

• pay 5,000円 and get 6,000円 to spend

• or in some places, pay 10,000円 and get 13,000円

That said, the bonus level varies by municipality.

Where do I find it in PayPay?

Open the PayPay app:

1. Go to ホーム

2. Select すべて

3. Look for 地域商品券

If there’s an active campaign in the area you live in, you’ll see:

• the registration period

• participation conditions

• the maximum amount you can buy

• the usage period

Some places let you buy right away, while others require registration first and then a lottery.

Where can I use them?

It depends on the specific campaign, but they’re usually valid at:

• supermarkets

• drug stores

• restaurants

• local shops

When you pay, PayPay may automatically prioritize using the 地域商品券 portion first—if the store is eligible.

Still, keep these points in mind:

• not every PayPay-accepting store is eligible

• each municipality has its own list of participating shops

Can everyone register?

That also varies by local area.

Many campaigns are limited to:

• residents living in the area

• people whose registered address is in that city

But some campaigns are broader and open up to more people.

What I find especially noteworthy

This feature has actually been around for quite a while, but many PayPay users still don’t seem to notice it.

With prices in Japan rising continuously, more and more municipalities are launching consumer support programs like this.

If you’re living in Japan, I think it’s worth occasionally opening PayPay and checking this section—because you might find a pretty generous campaign in your area.