Health and Beauty

Visitors and residents of Japan from overseas often comment that Japanese drugs are ineffective. Perhaps the dosage is not the same or they don’t receive the prescription they were hoping for. To cope, many people import over-the-counter medicines in their bags or have them shipped from home.  However, this may not always be legal – see our previous post on (finding ibuprofen in Japan) for information on importing medicines into Japan. To avoid breaking the law while still receiving the medications you need, there are a few things to do. Know Where to Find Medications There are three main ways to find medications in Japan. The first is to use drugstores. Like in western countries, these sell over-the-counter medicines as well as cosmetics, some basic food products, and other items. If you need prescription medications, you should try a pharmacy instead. These are typically located next to a hospital or clinic and only sell to customers with a valid prescription from a doctor. The newest option is to use Amazon Pharmacy, which only went live in 2024. This allows you to purchase prescription medications online, which is ideal if you don’t want to make the trek to a pharmacy (or are…