Welkatsu Complete Guide: WAON POINT Is Worth 1.5x Every 20th — Effectively 33.3% Off
On the 20th of every month, Welcia runs its Customer Appreciation Day, and 1 WAON POINT is worth 1.5 yen. Here is the whole thing in the order a first-timer actually needs it: how to build up points, how to convert them, what to do on the day, and the mistakes that cost people the most.
- On the 20th of each month at Welcia, 1 WAON POINT is worth 1.5 yen — an effective 33.3% discount.
- You need at least 200 points, and you can spend up to 30,000 points per day (worth 45,000 yen of goods).
- Since September 2024 you cannot pay with V Point directly. Convert it 1:1 into WAON POINT first — free and instant.
- From 1 March 2026, “electronic money WAON points” are being merged into WAON POINT, and points converted from partner services now arrive as WAON POINT.
- The most expensive mistake is charging WAON POINT onto electronic money WAON. That cannot be undone, and it destroys your 1.5x eligibility.
01What Welkatsu is & where it works
Welkatsu (ウェル活) means using Welcia drugstore’s monthly Customer Appreciation Day on the 20th to spend WAON POINT at 1.5x its normal value. That is the whole idea.
Which stores qualify
Welkatsu works at physical stores in the Welcia group. That is not just Welcia itself — the chains acquired into the group count too.
The official store finder currently lists 2,962 stores nationwide (as of August 2026). Openings and closures move constantly, so check whether there is one near you rather than assuming.
Find your nearest store with Welcia’s official store finder
- The online shop “Welcia.com” is excluded. Welkatsu is in-store only.
- Some prefectures have few or no eligible stores. Check the official finder above first.
- Tsuruha Drug, Kusuri no Fukutaro and other Tsuruha-side stores are not Welcia group stores, so they do not qualify.
02How much you actually save
Here is what each point balance buys, and what it saves you. The daily cap is 30,000 points, so the most you can save in one day is 15,000 yen.
| WAON POINT spent | Goods you can buy | Effective saving |
|---|---|---|
| 200 pt (minimum) | ¥300 | ¥100 |
| 1,000 pt | ¥1,500 | ¥500 |
| 5,000 pt | ¥7,500 | ¥2,500 |
| 10,000 pt | ¥15,000 | ¥5,000 |
| 20,000 pt | ¥30,000 | ¥10,000 |
| 30,000 pt (daily cap) | ¥45,000 | ¥15,000 |
- 3,000 pt per month¥18,000 / year
- 5,000 pt per month¥30,000 / year
- 10,000 pt per month¥60,000 / year
- 20,000 pt per month¥120,000 / year
- 30,000 pt per month (cap)¥180,000 / year
And what you are buying is everyday stuff — shampoo, toothpaste, detergent, drinks, snacks, over-the-counter medicine. Things you were going to buy anyway, at 67% of the price. That is where the value is.
03The rules & what changed in 2026
| Date | The 20th of every month |
|---|---|
| Hours | 07:00–24:00 (the same even at 24-hour stores) |
| Eligible points | WAON POINT only (V Point cannot be used directly since September 2024) |
| Minimum | 200 WAON POINT |
| Daily cap | 30,000 WAON POINT (¥45,000 of goods) |
| Scope | Welcia group physical stores only (no online shopping) |
Change 1: WAON POINT only, since September 2024
T Point (now V Point) used to work for Welkatsu, but since 20 September 2024 only WAON POINT gets the 1.5x rate. V Point still converts 1:1 into WAON POINT, so in practice this just adds one step.
See the conversion steps below
Change 2: from March 2026, electronic money WAON points merge into WAON POINT
This is where most of the current confusion comes from. From 1 March 2026, AEON began consolidating electronic money WAON points into WAON POINT. Points you convert in from partner services such as point sites now arrive as WAON POINT.
- Conversions from partner services now land as WAON POINT instead of electronic money WAON points (the partners themselves continue as before).
- WAON POINT can be spent directly at the register, not just charged onto electronic money WAON. That direct payment is what earns the 1.5x rate.
- Electronic money WAON points you already hold stay as they are. Charge them onto electronic money WAON and use them before they expire — they do not qualify for 1.5x.
04What you need to prepare
Two things is the real minimum. Get these and you can take part on the 20th of this month.
200 points or more to qualify for 1.5x. Most people convert them in from point sites or credit card rewards.
or Welcia Card
The container that holds and presents your points. The barcode in the Welcia group app works too.
How to get a WAON POINT card
The easiest route is in store. Say “WAON POINT card, please” (WAON POINT kaado o kudasai) at a Welcia register, fill in the short form, and you get it on the spot. No annual fee, no issuing fee.
Three apps worth installing
Shows your WAON POINT barcode, holds store coupons, and jumps straight to the PayPay payment screen. On the day, this one app gets you through the register.
A feature inside the Welcia group app. One free draw per day for WAON POINT coupons, and they stack with Welkatsu.
For checking your WAON POINT balance, expiry and history. Also required for conversions from V Point and point sites.
The Welcia Card adds another layer
The Welcia Card is an AEON-family credit card built around spending at Welcia. It is for people who want to strengthen the “earning” side of Welkatsu.
Welcia Card at a glance
- Annual fee: free
- At Welcia group stores: 1.5% back (3 WAON POINT per ¥200)
- Welcia Day on the 10th: 10% back at Welcia group stores (20 WAON POINT per ¥200)
- AEON group (AEON, MaxValu and so on): 1.0% back
- A standing campaign gives 1,000 WAON POINT for a new card
Applying via a point site pays better. The amount swings a lot depending on the month, so always check the current figure right before you apply (you can compare sites side by side with Pointnavi).
Check the current Welcia Card reward on PowlNote: point site rewards vary by site and by period. When we checked on 4 August 2026, Powl was offering 28,000 pt (Powl uses 10 pt = ¥1, so roughly ¥2,800). Always confirm the current amount on the linked page.
05How to build up WAON POINT
Your result on Welkatsu day is basically decided by one number: how many points you are holding on the 20th. There are four main ways to build that up.
Method 1: convert from V Point (the practical one)
V Point is far easier to accumulate than WAON POINT, and it converts 1:1, free of charge, instantly. Earning in V Point and moving it across before the 20th is the standard play.
| Rate | 1 V Point = 1 WAON POINT (equal value) |
|---|---|
| Increment | 1 point (minimum 1 point) |
| Cap | 30,000 points per month per conversion destination |
| Fee | Free |
| Timing | The conversion completes instantly; it can take about 15 minutes to appear in your history |
Method 2: convert from point sites
Points earned on point sites can be converted into WAON POINT — some sites do it directly, others go via Dot Money or a digital gift. Section 07 covers this. If point sites are new to you, read our point site starter guide first for the overall picture.
Method 3: everyday shopping
Shopping at AEON, MaxValu, My Basket and similar.
1.5% with the Welcia Card, and 10% on the 10th.
Show your card or app at partner merchants.
Method 4: credit card rewards
Earn V Point on a Sumitomo Mitsui card, then convert it into WAON POINT.
The standard card for earning V Point
- Annual fee: free for life
- Base rate: 0.5% (1 V Point per ¥200)
- At eligible convenience stores and restaurants: a much higher rate with smartphone contactless payment (conditions and caps apply)
- You earn V Point, which converts 1:1 into WAON POINT
Concentrate your everyday spending into V Point, then move it across in one go before the 20th, and your Welkatsu ammunition is ready. To push further, credit card fund accumulation and immediate sale can raise your monthly V Point on top of that.
Read the Sumitomo Mitsui Card (NL) guide06Converting V Point to WAON POINT
Get these ready first
- The iAEON app (installed and registered)
- A card that earns WAON POINT already registered in iAEON (a WAON POINT card issued inside the iAEON app also works)
- Your iAEON login ID
- Your V Point site login ID (a Yahoo! JAPAN ID, or a card that earns V Point)
The steps
Watch the direction. Picking WAON POINT to V Point instead would drain the points you need for Welkatsu.
Use your Yahoo! JAPAN ID, or the details of a card that earns V Point.
Confirming the destination requires your iAEON login ID. Enter the amount in increments of 1 point, up to 30,000 points per month.
The conversion completes instantly, though the history can take about 15 minutes to update. Check your balance on the My Page screen in the iAEON app.
07Choosing a point site
Point sites are advertising platforms. Companies pay for advertising and part of that budget comes back to users as points. They have been around in Japan for over 20 years, they are free to use, and they are how most people build a serious Welkatsu balance. The mechanics and safety questions are covered in our point site starter guide.
Routes into WAON POINT
The main point sites and their routes
| Point site | Character | Main route into WAON POINT |
|---|---|---|
| Moppy | Long-established, the widest range of offers | Direct to WAON POINT eGift (mind the fee) / via digital gift |
| Hapitas | Clean interface, good for beginners | Via WAON POINT eGift / via V Point |
| Point Income | Frequent bonus campaigns | Via digital gift / via Dot Money |
| Powl | Surveys and mini games. 10 pt = ¥1, and you can cash out from ¥50 | Direct to V Point (from 500 pt = ¥50) → WAON POINT |
| Chobirich | Often pays the most on credit card offers | Via Dot Money |
The main ways to earn
A few percent of your spend, just for clicking through first.
The classic high-value offer, worth thousands of yen each — for example the Rakuten Card or the Mitsubishi UFJ Card.
High value, but read the conditions (deposit amounts and so on).
Free trials, brochure requests and other small offers.
Large amounts, so the rebate is large too.
Low value each, but they add up daily.
Going deeper
How point sites work, whether they are safe, and how to pick offers are all covered in our point site starter guide. To compare rates offer by offer, see the Pointnavi guide.
08What to do on the day
If the preparation is done, there is almost nothing to it. You are just adding “pay with WAON POINT” to an ordinary shopping trip.
In the iAEON app or the Welcia group app. Balance × 1.5 is your spending limit for the day.
Eligible hours are 07:00–24:00. Expect crowds on the 20th from late afternoon onwards.
Target amount ÷ 1.5 = points needed. ¥4,500 of goods needs 3,000 points. Cover the remainder with cash or PayPay.
The WAON POINT barcode in the Welcia group app, or your WAON POINT card.
“支払いはWAON POINTで” — I’ll pay with WAON POINT. Forget this and you only earn points; you do not get the 1.5x payment.
The discount is printed on the line marked 「感謝デー特別値引」. If that line is there, the 1.5x rate was applied.
09What is excluded
Almost everything in the store qualifies for 1.5x. These do not.
All tobacco products, including heated tobacco.
Anything dispensed against a prescription. Over-the-counter medicine is fine.
Shopping vouchers, beer vouchers, postcards and the like.
Amazon gift cards and other prepaid cards.
Courier fees and utility bill collection.
The paid bags mandated by each municipality.
- Cosmetics that never go on sale (brands like Obagi) — the more consistently full-price something is, the more the 33.3% is worth.
- Alcohol (beer, chuhai) — heavily taxed, so the absolute saving per item is large.
- Bulky essentials (toilet paper, detergent, rice) — things you have to buy anyway, bought in one go.
- Baby and pet supplies — predictable consumption, easy to stock up on.
10Tactics and common mistakes
The five mistakes people actually make
- Charging WAON POINT onto electronic money WAON — irreversible, and it takes your 1.5x eligibility with it.
- Paying with “electronic money WAON” — a different points system entirely, and not eligible for 1.5x.
- Forgetting to say you are paying with WAON POINT — showing the barcode only earns points; it is not a payment.
- Spending under 200 points — below 200 it stays at 1 point = 1 yen. Wait until you have more.
- Buying online — Welcia.com is excluded. In-store only.
Tactic 1: work out the points first
- Target amount ÷ 1.5= WAON POINT needed
- Example: ¥4,500 of goods3,000 pt
- Example: ¥15,000 of goods10,000 pt
- Daily cap30,000 pt = ¥45,000
Tactic 2: combining points with cash or cashless
You can combine them. But only the portion paid in points gets the 1.5x rate.
Tactic 3: stacking campaigns
There are three things worth stacking.
- Manufacturer rebate campaigns from P&G, Kao and others
- Cashless payment campaigns such as PayPay (subject to the proportion rule above)
- Gatcha! Mall coupons and store-level sales
See the stacking guide and current campaigns
Tactic 4: write the list the day before
The 20th is where “it’s cheap” turns into things you did not need. Write the list the day before and keep it to these three categories.
- Items that never go on sale (brand cosmetics and the like)
- Essentials you will definitely use (toilet paper, detergent)
- Consumables you repurchase anyway
Tactic 5: mind the hours
The eligible window is 07:00–24:00. Even at a 24-hour store, outside those hours there is no 1.5x. Going at 2am does nothing.
11FAQ
Can I still use V Point for Welkatsu?
Not directly at the register, since September 2024. But it converts 1:1 into WAON POINT free of charge, and once converted it works normally. The conversion completes instantly, though it can take about 15 minutes to show in your history.
What is the difference between WAON POINT and “electronic money WAON points”?
They are different things. Only WAON POINT gets the 1.5x rate, and only WAON POINT can be spent directly at the register. Electronic money WAON points are for charging onto electronic money WAON and are not eligible. Note that since 1 March 2026 electronic money WAON points are being merged into WAON POINT.
I charged my WAON POINT onto electronic money WAON. Can I undo it?
No. AEON states explicitly that points once received cannot be restored. Spend the charged balance as electronic money WAON. If you are doing Welkatsu, the rule is to never charge your WAON POINT and leave it as points.
Is it 1.5x on any day other than the 20th?
No. The 1.5x rate applies only on Customer Appreciation Day, the 20th of each month. Every other day it is the normal 1 point = 1 yen.
At a 24-hour store, which hours qualify?
From 07:00 to 24:00 on the day. Even at a 24-hour store, outside that window there is no 1.5x.
What are the minimum and maximum?
A minimum of 200 points, and up to 30,000 points per day. Below 200 points it is treated as 1 point = 1 yen with no 1.5x. Separately, the V Point to WAON POINT conversion cap is 30,000 points per month.
If I pay part in cash, does it still count?
Only the amount paid in WAON POINT gets the 1.5x rate. Whatever you pay in cash or with PayPay does not. Combining them is perfectly fine.
Does Welcia’s online shop qualify?
No. Welcia.com and other online shops are excluded. Welkatsu works only at Welcia group physical stores.
Can I shop for family and friends at the same time?
Yes, within your own account’s daily cap of 30,000 points.
Will Welkatsu end after the Tsuruha merger?
Welcia Holdings became a wholly owned subsidiary of Tsuruha Holdings on 1 December 2025, but as of August 2026 the monthly Customer Appreciation Day is still running. Note that Tsuruha-side stores such as Tsuruha Drug are not Welcia group stores and do not qualify.
What if there is no Welcia near me?
Other group brands qualify too — HAC Drug, Kokumin, Super Drug Himawari and others. Use the official store finder to check what is within reach.
—Summary: how to start
In order, this is all there is to it.
- Get a WAON POINT card (free at any Welcia or AEON register)
- Install the Welcia group app and the iAEON app
- Build up V Point or point site points via point sites or the Sumitomo Mitsui Card (NL)
- From around the 13th, draw Gatcha! Mall once a day
- Convert into WAON POINT by the day before the 20th — and never charge it
- On the 20th, 07:00–24:00, go to the store and say “shiharai wa WAON POINT de”
- Confirm the 「感謝デー特別値引」 line on your receipt
- AEON, “Issued points are being unified into WAON POINT” (official WAON site)
- AEON, “From March 2026 the point conversion destination changes from electronic money WAON points to WAON POINT” (notice dated 27 February 2026)
- smart WAON, “Using WAON points and WAON POINT after the consolidation”
- smart WAON, “V Point / WAON POINT mutual exchange” (increments, caps, processing time)
- Welcia official store finder (store count)