Shopify store development cost in Japan – typical ranges by scope
The cost of building a Shopify store in Japan runs from a few hundred thousand yen for a theme-based shop to several million for a custom design or a migration from another platform. A price on its own tells you little until you know what it covers. This page breaks down typical costs by scope, what a quote should include, what pushes the price up and how to prepare – and why UNANOBO builds a free demo of your store before quoting.
- Free demo – decide after you see it
- By message, in Japanese or English
- One person from demo to launch
FREE DEMO
See your store before the quote
Send your brand name, the products you sell and your current site or social links. We build a free demo of your Shopify store, agree the scope with you, then send the estimate.
- A demo store with your real products
- See exactly what needs custom work
- A quote based on an agreed scope
Shopify store development cost: typical ranges by scope
What you pay depends mainly on how much is built for you. These are typical ranges among agencies in Japan; the number of products and the features you need move them up or down.
- Theme setup (about ¥300,000–1,000,000): an existing theme adapted with your logo, colors and photos. A good fit for a small catalog and a quick start
- Customized theme (about ¥800,000–2,000,000): a theme as the base, with a reworked home page, product pages and custom sections
- Custom design (about ¥1,500,000–4,000,000): a design created from scratch that carries your brand into every detail
- Migration (from about ¥500,000): moving products, customers and URLs from BASE, WooCommerce, MakeShop or similar. Data volume drives the price
- Large builds with integrations (¥5,000,000 and up): links to inventory or order systems, subscriptions, wholesale, multiple languages and currencies
Published Shopify price ranges differ by a factor of ten depending on which of these they assume. When comparing quotes, line up the scope first and the numbers second. For the wider picture, including BASE and WordPress, see e-commerce site development cost.
What a quote includes – and what you pay separately
"Full Shopify build" means different things at different agencies. Check that your quote lists these items:
- Store setup: store details, tax and shipping, payments, notification emails, legal pages such as the Specified Commercial Transactions Act notice and privacy policy
- Design: home page, collection pages, product pages and the cart
- Product upload: how many products, and whether image editing and descriptions are included
- Apps: choosing and configuring reviews, subscriptions, pre-orders, delivery date selection and so on
- Growth setup: GA4, Google and Meta connections, basic SEO titles and descriptions
- Launch checks and training: test orders, mobile checks and a walkthrough of the admin
Some costs sit outside the build fee and recur: the Shopify plan, a paid theme (usually a one-time purchase), monthly app fees and payment processing fees on each sale. Our page on Shopify pricing plans explains the plans. Adding the build fee to one year of running costs often shows why two quotes look so different.
A demo shows whether a theme is enough and what deserves custom work. Send your brand name and products to start.
What pushes a Shopify build cost up
Quotes usually climb when one or more of these is part of the project. Knowing which ones you really need makes the budget easier to plan.
- A large catalog or many size and color variants to upload and organize
- Selling models beyond the standard setup: subscriptions, pre-orders, B2B wholesale prices
- Data links to inventory or order systems, or to a fulfillment warehouse
- Selling abroad in several languages and currencies
- Handing product photography and copywriting to the agency as well
- Carrying over customer accounts, order history and loyalty points in a migration
You can add most of these later. Launching on a theme and adding features as you learn what sells keeps the first investment small and lets real customer data guide the next one.
What the free demo gives you
- 01A working demoA demo site you can open and click through on a computer and a phone.
- 02A structure proposalWhich pages you need, what goes on each and where visitors get in touch.
- 03Plan and estimateAfter you have seen the demo you get the plan to launch and an estimate.
Why it is safe to ask
- The demo is free. If you decide not to go ahead, it costs you nothing.
- Everything happens by message, in Japanese or English.
- Your domain, hosting, ad and analytics accounts stay in your name.
- The founder handles your project from the first demo to growth after launch – one contact all the way.
Demo sites we built
Café & roastery – KashtanMenu, events and an online bean shop
Beauty salon – MIRTABooking form, price list and team
Renovation – KUTEstimate request, projects and prices
Template demos with fictional brands. Yours is built with your own brand and content.
How to prepare and keep the cost under control
Most of a build fee is working time. Having these ready before you ask for a quote cuts back-and-forth and makes the estimate more accurate.
- A spreadsheet of products: name, price, SKU, variants, stock
- Product photos and logo files
- Shipping methods, rates and your return and exchange policy
- Business details for the legal notice page
- Two or three stores you like, and what you like about them
- For a migration: admin access to your current platform and an export of your data
The cheapest quote can become the most expensive once fixes and add-ons arrive after launch. Compare quotes on three points: the scope, the tasks included and the support after launch. For how to choose a partner and how a build runs, see Shopify store development.
We can build the free Shopify demo from your current site or social accounts before the product list and photos are done.
How UNANOBO prices a Shopify build: free demo first, then the quote
Before quoting, UNANOBO builds a free demo of your Shopify store with your brand and your products. Clicking through a real home page and product page makes it clear whether a theme setup is enough or which parts deserve custom work.
The process is free demo, feedback, launch, growth. The plan and estimate are based on the scope agreed during the demo, so every line of the quote ties to work you have already seen. The founder handles the project personally, from the first demo to ads and SEO after launch, and everything runs by message in Japanese or English. Your Shopify account and domain stay in your name.
How it works
- 01
Free demo
We start with a free demo built around your brand.
- 02
Feedback
Structure, tone and details are refined with you, on the demo itself.
- 03
Launch
The site goes live on a solid SEO foundation.
- 04
Growth
SEO and ads take it further, guided by the numbers.
FAQ
Does the free demo cost anything?
No. Send your brand name, the products you sell and your current site or social media links, and we build a demo store from them. Costs start only after you have seen the demo and decided to go ahead.
What if I decide not to go ahead?
Then you pay nothing. You are free to choose another agency or build the store yourself. The demo also works as a clear reference for scope and budget.
How long does a Shopify build take?
Typically one to two months for a small theme-based store, and two to four months with a custom design or a migration. Ready product data and photos speed things up. We propose a schedule around your target date at the demo stage.
What do I need to prepare before getting a quote?
To start, just your brand name, the type and number of products, and your current site or social links. The product list, photos and shipping rules can come together while we settle the scope around the demo. You get a clear list of needed materials.
Can the whole project really run remotely by message?
Yes. Everything from the first discussion to post-launch work runs by message, and you review the demo by opening a link whenever it suits you. Replies come within two business days, in Japanese or English.
I sell on BASE now. What does moving to Shopify cost?
Migration cost depends on the number of products and variants, how much customer data moves over and how many URLs need redirects. Send us your current store URL and we will show the migrated store as a free demo, then quote for that scope.
Related pages
FREE DEMO
See your Shopify store first
Send us your brand name and what you sell, and we will build a free demo of your Shopify store. The quote comes after the scope is clear.