Point Activity Annual Calendar 2026 — Rakuten Super SALE, days-ending-in-5, furusato nozei timing
Why an annual calendar pays off
Point activity is a world where "when you move" swings your cashback by 2–3×. The same purchase, simply timed to the Rakuten Super SALE or a day ending in 5, makes the effective rate jump. This article maps 2026's big events month by month, turning "shift the purchases that can wait onto the festivals" into a concrete strategy.
Monthly big-event calendar
| Month | Main events | What to target |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | New-year sales · lucky bags | Year-start bulk-buy of appliances / daily goods |
| Feb | Tax-return prep | File last year's point earnings |
| Mar | Rakuten Super SALE · new life | Peak for moving / fiber / card issuance |
| Apr | New life continues · new fiscal year | Smartphone MNP · subscription review |
| May | Golden Week · Rakuten Marathon | Travel booking · mid-point furusato nozei |
| Jun | Rakuten Super SALE · pre-summer bonus | High-value cards · FX offers |
| Jul | Summer bonus · mall rival sales | Appliances · travel |
| Aug | Obon · travel peak | Overseas hotels (Hapitas 4–6%) |
| Sep | Rakuten Super SALE | Bulk-buy · furusato nozei |
| Oct | Furusato-nozei regulatory milestone | Plan your within-year donations |
| Nov | Black Friday | Cheapest window for appliances / gadgets |
| Dec | Rakuten Super SALE · year-end | Furusato-nozei deadline (Dec 31) |
※ The Rakuten Super SALE is normally 4×/year (Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec). The Shopping Marathon runs 1–2×/month.
Recurring monthly events
Apart from the year's big events, there are "standing days" that come around every month. Just make them a habit and your missed cashback plummets.
- Days ending in 5 (5th, 15th, 25th): big PayPay awards on Yahoo! Shopping
- Repdigit days (11th, 22nd, etc.): Rakuten Ichiba coupon drops
- Hapitas Day: several times a month, higher rates on Rakuten Ichiba and more
- Shopping Marathon: up to +9× from the shop-around
- Super DEAL boosts on the 1st: Rakuten's high-cashback items
Year-end / new-year strategy
December is point activity's most important month. Furusato nozei's deadline is December 31, and with credit-card payment "payment date = donation date." Since it overlaps the Rakuten Super SALE, splitting donations across 10 municipalities via the Marathon shop-around maximizes cashback.
- Dec: do furusato nozei timed to the Rakuten Super SALE (see the furusato-nozei chapter)
- Jan: don't forget the point-site route for lucky bags / new-year sales
- Feb: if last year's earnings exceed 200,000 yen, file a tax return (see the tax chapter)
Stacking with the economies
The strongest move is layering the economy's standing cashback + the point-site route onto the calendar's "festivals."
- Wait for the festival dayShift non-urgent buys onto the Super SALE / days ending in 5.
- Go via the point siteApp on iOS, dedicated browser on Android / PC.
- Pay with the economy's cardRakuten Ichiba → Rakuten Card, Yahoo! → PayPay Card.
- Secure SPU / PayPay StepMake standing cashback and festival cashback two stories.
Details in the Rakuten economy and PayPay economy chapters.
FAQ
Won't what I want sell out if I wait for a festival?
Difference between Rakuten Super SALE and the Shopping Marathon?
How do I manage the calendar?
This article was written from publicly available information on each point site as of May 2026. Cashback rates, campaign terms, and redemption rules can change without notice — always check each site's official page for the latest. This site uses each point site's referral program, but going through a referral link never changes the rate you receive.