Rakuten is often described as Japan's answer to Amazon, but it works differently. Instead of acting as a direct retailer, it hosts individual shops run by merchants, and each shop has its own design and personality. That means you can find items that are harder to locate on more standardized platforms, especially Japanese products, fashion, and niche goods. The site also offers travel booking, banking, and other services in Japan, though the international version focuses mainly on shopping.

The global site ships to many countries, though shipping costs and delivery times vary by seller. Customer service is handled by individual shops, so reading reviews and checking policies is a good idea. For people outside Japan who want access to Japanese products, it's one of the main channels. The platform also runs frequent promotions and a points system that loyal shoppers use heavily.