Guides
Practical guides for buying and using medicine in Japan โ written for international residents and visitors.
Nicotine Gum and Patches in Japan: Where to Buy
Find Nicorette and Nicotinell, compare gum with patches, and understand the Japanese instructions before you buy.
Drewell Your Rhythm: Sleep Supplements Explained
Drewell also makes supplements. Compare Deep, Relax and Beauty, learn how to take them, and tell them apart from sleep medicines.
What Is Loxonin? Loxoprofen, Explained in English
Loxonin is loxoprofen, a painkiller not listed in US or UK medicine databases. Here's how Loxonin S, S Premium, and S Premium Fine differ, and how to buy them.
Lulu Attack in Japan: EX, EX Premium, NX, CX and FXa Compared
Nine Lulu medicines, one brand. Here's which painkiller each one uses, what sets each one apart, and who can take them.
Heartburn Medicine in Japan: 3 PPIs and Gaster 10 Compared
Japan now sells omeprazole, rabeprazole, lansoprazole, and famotidine without a prescription. Here's how the four acid reducers differ, who shouldn't take them, and how to buy them.
Prefemin: The Once-a-Day PMS Tablet at Japanese Drugstores
Japan has one OTC medicine made for PMS. Prefemin is a once-a-day chasteberry tablet you can buy at a drugstore. Here's who it's for, how to take it, and who shouldn't.
Alli in Japan: Orlistat for Belly Fat, From a Pharmacist
Alli is sold in Japan only by trained pharmacists, and only to adults with a large waist who are already improving their diet and exercise. Here's what you need before you go.
Norlevo and Lesoeru 72: Emergency Contraception in Japan
Japan's emergency contraceptive pills are sold only by specially trained pharmacists, and you take one in front of them. Here's who can take them and what to expect.
Cialis in Japan: ED Medicine Without a Prescription
Japan's first over-the-counter ED medicine is sold by pharmacists. Here's who can take it, the drugs you must not combine it with, and how to buy it.
Buying Yeast Infection Medicine on Amazon Japan
Meditreat is a Class 1 medicine, so Amazon Japan shows a form and a pharmacist checks your order. Here is the form in English and what to expect.
Children's Fever Medicine in Japan: Acetaminophen and Age Checks
Understand how children's fever and pain medicines differ by ingredient, labeled age, and tablet form, including where ingredients may overlap.
Children's Cold Medicine in Japan: Syrups, Powders, Tablets, and Age Checks
Start with your child's age and symptoms, then compare syrups, powders, tablets, ingredients, and the Japanese label.
Can You Buy Antibiotics OTC in Japan? Prescription Only
You can't buy antibiotics over the counter in Japan โ here's what that means and what to do.
Dramamine in Japan: OTC Equivalent for Motion Sickness
Dramamine isn't sold in Japan โ Travelmin is the closest OTC equivalent. Here's what to pick up at the drugstore.
Imodium in Japan: The Closest OTC Loperamide Alternatives
Imodium isn't sold in Japan, but loperamide is โ here's what to buy instead.
Benadryl in Japan: Diphenhydramine Equivalent OTC
Benadryl isn't sold in Japan. But diphenhydramine โ its active ingredient โ is. Here's where to find it and how to use it safely.
Melatonin in Japan: What to Buy at the Pharmacy Instead
Japanese drugstores don't sell melatonin. Here are the sleep aids you can buy instead โ including Rozerem S, Japan's first OTC sleep aid with ramelteon, which acts on melatonin receptors.
How to Order Medicine on Amazon Japan โ English Guide
Some medicines on Amazon Japan require a health questionnaire and pharmacist review before your order ships. Abuse-prevention medicines also need ID verification. Two flows, all screens translated into English.
NyQuil in Japan: Closest Equivalent and Where to Buy
NyQuil isn't sold in Japan โ but Pabron Gold A is the closest equivalent, and you'll find it at almost every drugstore.
Cold and Flu Medicine in Japan: What to Buy at the Drugstore
No OTC flu medicine exists in Japan โ but for a cold, the drugstore has plenty. Here's what to look for and what to grab off the shelf.
Japanese Drugstore Chains: A Guide for Visitors
What to expect at Matsukiyo, Welcia, Sugi, Sun Drug, Daikoku, Tomod's, Seims, and Create โ the major chains you'll find across Japan.
Can You Get Claritin in Japan? Yes โ It's Called Claritin EX
Claritin EX is Japan's version of Claritin โ same loratadine 10 mg, once daily. Available at most drugstores and on Amazon Japan.
Acetaminophen in Japan: Tylenol Isn't Sold, But This Is
Can't find Panadol, Tylenol, or DayQuil? The active ingredient is already in many Japanese medicines โ hiding under a name you might not recognize.
How to Read the Back of a Japanese Medicine Box
Drug classes, expiry dates, ingredients, and warnings โ explained in plain English.
Codeine in Japanese Cold Medicine: What You Need to Know
Many common Japanese OTC cold medicines contain dihydrocodeine โ most people don't realize it.
Ibuprofen in Japan: Japanese Brands and How They Differ
Ibuprofen is sold in Japan as ใคใใใญใใงใณ. Here's what each brand adds to it, how to read the dose, and how to buy it.
Japan's OTC Medicine Class System: What the Labels Mean
Once you know how it works, buying medicine in Japan gets a lot easier.
Yeast/Thrush Medication Check Sheet
่ฃใซใณใธใๅ็บใปใซใใใงใใฏใทใผใ โ Show this to the pharmacist or print it to bring to the store
Abuse-Prevention Medicines in Japan: What That Sign Means
What ๆๅฎๆฟซ็จ้ฒๆญขๅป่ฌๅ Means for You as a Buyer