How to See a Doctor in Japan: First-Visit Checklist, Reception Flow, and What Foreigners Need to Know
A pharmacist's guide for foreign residents and visitors to seeing a doctor in Japan — picking the right department, what to bring, the reception-to-checkout flow, finding English-speaking clinics, and what to do at night or on holidays.
How to See a Doctor in Japan: First-Visit Checklist, Reception Flow, and What Foreigners Need to Know
"My fever won't go down — how do I see a doctor here?"
"Should I go to a clinic or a hospital?"
These are two of the most common questions foreign residents and visitors ask at the pharmacy counter. Japanese healthcare is generous by international standards, but the first visit is the steepest learning curve because reception, booking, and payment all follow rules that differ from country to country. This guide walks you through the whole process.
Quick Reference: Where Should You Go Today?
| Situation | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Cold, fever, mild stomach pain | Local clinic (Internal Medicine) |
| Skin, eye, or ENT issue | The relevant specialty clinic (dermatology, ophthalmology, ENT) |
| The clinic told you to "go to a bigger hospital" | General hospital (bring the referral letter) |
| Life-threatening symptoms at night or on a holiday | Emergency room or call 119 for an ambulance |
| Unsure at night or on a holiday | Call #7119 (national emergency consultation line) |
1. Hospitals vs. Clinics
Japanese law draws a clean line between the two:
- Clinic (shinryōjo): 19 beds or fewer. Your neighborhood doctor's office. Start here for a first visit.
- Hospital (byōin): 20 beds or more. General hospitals, university hospitals. At specified large hospitals, walking in without a referral letter may incur an additional "selected medical care fee" (senteiryōyōhi). The amount and which hospitals qualify can change with regulatory revisions and vary by institution, so check the hospital's notice before you go.
The takeaway: going straight to a university hospital is more expensive. The standard route is to see a clinic first and have them write a referral if escalation is needed.
2. Picking the Right Department
If you're not sure, start with Internal Medicine (naika). The internist will examine you and refer you to a specialist if needed.
| Symptom | Department |
|---|---|
| Cold, fever, abdominal pain, fatigue | Internal Medicine |
| Persistent cough, asthma | Respiratory Medicine |
| Stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation | Gastroenterology |
| Itchy skin, rash | Dermatology |
| Red, itchy eyes | Ophthalmology |
| Earache, blocked nose, sore throat | ENT (jibi-inkōka) |
| Menstrual or gynecological issues | Gynecology |
| Mental health, insomnia | Psychosomatic Medicine / Psychiatry |
| Children's symptoms | Pediatrics |
| Injury, fracture, joint pain | Orthopedics |
3. What to Bring on the Day
For both clinics and hospitals, bring all of the following on a first visit to be safe:
- Health insurance card (My Number Card configured for insurance use, or a traditional health insurance card)
- Photo ID (residence card or passport)
- ¥5,000 to ¥10,000 in cash — cashless payment is increasingly available, but acceptance varies by clinic, so carrying extra cash is safer
- Medication notebook (okusuri-techō) if you take regular medication
- The actual medications you currently take, so the doctor can check for interactions
- A symptom note: when it started, where it hurts, what it feels like
If you're not confident in Japanese, bring a written description of your symptoms in both English and Japanese. A Google Translate printout is fine.
4. The Reception-to-Checkout Flow
1. Reception
You'll be asked Hajimete desu ka? — "Is this your first time?" Answer "yes, first visit" (hai, shoshin desu).
You'll hand over your insurance card and ID, and receive a first-visit questionnaire.
2. Filling Out the Questionnaire
You'll write down your symptoms, medical history, allergies, and current medications. If Japanese is hard, ask at reception whether they have an English questionnaire — clinics in tourist areas and major cities often do.
3. Waiting
You'll wait until your name is called. Wait times of 30 minutes to 2 hours are normal. The actual consultation takes 5–15 minutes.
4. Consultation
You explain your symptoms to the doctor. Having notes or a translation app ready lets you speak more calmly.
5. Payment
Pay at the cashier window. If a prescription is issued, you'll receive it as a separate paper.
6. Pharmacy
Bring the prescription to a nearby dispensing pharmacy — usually a shop with a "処方せん受付" (prescription accepted) sign next door to the clinic. See Types of Pharmacies in Japan for details.
5. Payment Differs for Residents and Short-Term Visitors
Residents enrolled in Japanese public health insurance
- Present your My Number health insurance card or your traditional insurance card
- Out-of-pocket cost is generally 30% (10–30% depending on age and income)
- Typical first-visit cost at a clinic: ¥1,500 to ¥3,500 (medication separate)
Short-term visitors
- Japan's public insurance does not cover you, so the usual flow is to pay out of pocket at the time of care and claim reimbursement from your travel insurer afterward
- Actual costs vary widely by department and the tests performed. Check your travel insurance coverage and required documents before you travel
- Always get an itemized receipt — you'll need it for the reimbursement claim
Showing a private travel insurance certificate at the hospital counter is generally not enough to settle the bill on the spot. Most hospitals expect you to pay first, collect the paperwork, and reimburse later through your insurer.
That said, some hospitals partner with travel insurance companies and can process care cashlessly. Before you leave home, ask your insurer for their list of partner hospitals in Japan.
6. The My Number Health Insurance Card Transition
Japan is currently in a transition period in which the My Number Card can be registered to function as a health insurance card ("My Number hokenshō").
- Traditional paper and plastic insurance cards do not become unusable overnight. Through transitional measures and "qualification confirmation certificates" (shikaku kakunin-sho), both forms are accepted in parallel during this period.
- Long-term residents who register their My Number Card for insurance use can have their prescription history and checkup records shared between clinics, which tends to make repeat visits smoother.
- The details of the system are still subject to regulatory revisions — check the latest MHLW guidance before relying on a specific procedure.
7. Walk-In vs. Appointment
- Large hospitals and specialty clinics: appointment required as a rule. Book by phone or via the hospital's website.
- Neighborhood clinics: many accept walk-ins. Note that morning reception often closes around 11:00 and evening reception around 19:00.
- Dental clinics: almost always by appointment.
If a phone call in Japanese feels hard, options include using online medical booking services, or asking the hotel front desk or a coworker to call on your behalf.
8. Finding English-Speaking Healthcare
The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) maintains a public portal for finding medical institutions that handle foreign languages.
- JNTO "Guide for when you are feeling ill": filter by supported language, department, and insurance acceptance
- AMDA International Medical Information Center: phone-based medical interpretation and clinic referral, multiple languages
- Himawari (Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Information Center): search Tokyo-area clinics with foreign-language support
In addition, many embassy websites publish a list of English-speaking clinics in Japan — bookmarking yours before departure is a reliable safety net.
9. When You're Sick at Night or on a Holiday
A weakness of Japanese primary care is that most clinics are only open on weekdays during the day.
Your main options are:
- Call #7119 — the emergency consultation service, which can advise whether you should seek care. Coverage, hours, and language support vary by region, so also check your local municipality's guidance.
- For sudden illness in children, call #8000 — the national pediatric medical consultation line, where pediatricians and nurses can advise.
- Holiday emergency clinics (kyūjitsu kyūkan shinryōjo) — operated by each municipality on holidays. Search your city's website.
- Hospital emergency rooms — for life-threatening symptoms, do not hesitate.
See What to Do When You Get Sick at Night in Japan: How to Use #7119 for details.
10. Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I fill a foreign prescription at a Japanese pharmacy? A. Japanese pharmacies can only dispense against prescriptions issued under Japanese law by a physician licensed in Japan. A foreign prescription cannot be brought directly to a Japanese pharmacy to receive the same drug. For short trips, bring what you need from home; for longer stays, see a Japanese doctor and have them prescribe an equivalent. Note that narcotics and certain psychotropic medications may require a Yakkan Shoumei or narcotics import certificate before bringing them into Japan.
Q. Is a referral letter required? A. At specified large hospitals — such as advanced treatment hospitals (tokutei kinō byōin) and "referral-focused" hospitals — a selected medical care fee may be added to first visits made without a referral. The exact amount and which hospitals qualify can change with regulatory revisions and vary by institution, so check the hospital's notice. The clinic → referral → large hospital route is generally both cheaper and more efficient.
Q. Can I pay with a credit card? A. Many large hospitals accept cards, and cashless payment is increasingly common at neighborhood clinics, but acceptance varies by institution. Carrying extra cash is the safer default (around ¥10,000–¥20,000 is a reasonable buffer).
Q. What time should I arrive for a walk-in? A. Arriving 30 minutes before reception opens typically gets you into the first batch. Saturday mornings are crowded.
Q. I'm pregnant or breastfeeding — can I see a doctor? A. Yes — and please tell reception, the questionnaire, and the doctor that you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It changes which medications can be prescribed.
11. Red Flags: Go Directly to Emergency Care
If any of the following apply, call 119 for an ambulance or go to an emergency room rather than searching for a clinic:
- Sudden severe chest or back pain
- Sudden severe headache (the worst of your life)
- Slurred speech, numbness or weakness in limbs
- Reduced consciousness or confusion
- Difficulty breathing
- Heavy bleeding
- Seizures
- Fever above 38.5°C with altered consciousness
When in doubt, call #7119 for guidance.
Sources
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) — guidance on visiting medical institutions
- MHLW — notices on the My Number health insurance card
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) — Guide for when you are feeling ill
- AMDA International Medical Information Center
- MHLW — on personal importation of medications
- Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA)
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a licensed physician for diagnosis and treatment.