Pharmacy & Healthcare Guide
Pharmacies, prescriptions, seeing a doctor, emergencies
What Is It Called in Japan? Tylenol, Advil, Mucinex, NyQuil & 25+ U.S. OTC Brands
A Japanese pharmacist matches 30+ U.S. OTC brands β Tylenol, Advil, NyQuil, Mucinex, Pepto-Bismol, Benadryl, Imodium and more β to their Japanese equivalents, with active ingredients, OTC class, and where to buy.
Prescription vs OTC in Japan: What You Can (and Can't) Buy at Pharmacies
A Japanese pharmacist explains which medicines need a doctor's visit in Japan, which are over-the-counter, and what travelers canβor can'tβbring through customs.
Pregnant or Breastfeeding in Japan? OTC Medicine Guide for Foreign Moms
Pregnant or breastfeeding in Japan? Don't self-medicate. A licensed Japanese pharmacist explains who to ask, Japan's free national drug-info service for pregnancy, and how to talk to a drugstore pharmacist.
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 β 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.
Types of Pharmacies in Japan: Drugstores, Dispensing Pharmacies, and Where to Buy What
A pharmacist's guide to where foreigners can buy medicine in Japan β drugstores vs dispensing pharmacies, convenience stores, the difference between yakuzaishi and toroku-hanbaisha, and how to fill a prescription.
Sick at Night in Japan? Dial #7119
Japan's free 24-hour medical consultation hotline β what happens when you call, what they'll ask, and how to prepare with an AI translator before dialing.