← Health & Medical (Non-Emergency)

How do I find a pharmacy or buy over-the-counter medicine in Japan?

Drugstore chains (Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Sundrug, Welcia, and others) are widely available near stations and shopping streets, and many stock English-labeled international brands alongside Japanese ones.

Some common medications sold over-the-counter elsewhere (certain cold medicines, strong painkillers, and some ADHD or stimulant-containing medications) are restricted or banned in Japan — if you take prescription medication regularly, check Japan's import rules before your trip rather than assuming you can simply buy a replacement locally.

Pharmacists at larger drugstores in tourist areas increasingly have some English ability or translation tools, but writing down your symptom in simple words (or using the phrase card below) speeds things up.