{"id":27749,"date":"2020-05-06T15:00:41","date_gmt":"2020-05-06T15:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=27749"},"modified":"2023-11-13T14:50:29","modified_gmt":"2023-11-13T14:50:29","slug":"what-you-can-buy-at-a-drugstore-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/what-you-can-buy-at-a-drugstore-in-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"More than medicine: what you can buy at drugstores in Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just like convenience stores<\/a>, it seems as if there are drugstores everywhere in Japan. And rather than just sell medicine, they offer you so much more. Read on to find out what you can buy at a drugstore in Japan.<\/p>\n

Popular drugstore brands<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Some of the most popular drugstores you can find in Japan are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \u30de\u30c4\u30e2\u30c8\u30ad\u30e8\u30b7 – Matsumoto Kiyoshi<\/li>\n
  • \u30a6\u30a8\u30eb\u30b7\u30a2\u85ac\u5c40 – Welcia<\/li>\n
  • \u30b5\u30f3\u30c9\u30e9\u30c3\u30b0 – Sun Drug<\/li>\n
  • \u30b3\u30af\u30df\u30f3 – Kokumin<\/li>\n
  • \u30a2\u30a4\u30f3\u30ba\uff06\u30c8\u30eb\u30da – Ainz&Tulpe<\/li>\n
  • \u30c8\u30e2\u30ba – Tomod\u2019s<\/li>\n
  • \u30c0\u30a4\u30b3\u30af\u30c9\u30e9\u30c3\u30b0 – Daikoku Drug<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \"Drugstore<\/h2>\n

    Beauty<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    You\u2019re never short of shampoo or mascara in Japan as all drugstores sell beauty and cosmetic essentials<\/strong>. Some drugstore brands, such as Kokumin and Ainz&Tulpe, focus more on cosmetics and beauty products than others. But walk into any drugstore in Japan and it\u2019s easy to find products from the likes of Maybelline, Revlon, Dove, Shiseido, as well as many Japanese brands.<\/p>\n

    Daily life necessities<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    You can buy many household essentials at drugstores in Japan, from bathroom cleaning spray and washing powder to onigiri<\/em> and soft drinks. The variety<\/strong> of products at the shop will differ depending on the branch<\/strong>, but you should be able to find most things you need no matter where you go!<\/p>\n

    Medicine<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    It goes without saying that you can buy over-the-counter medicine<\/strong> at drugstores in Japan. Some common medicines you can get include:<\/p>\n

    General pain relief<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    \u30a4\u30d6 (Eve) – buy the \u201cQuick\u201d type for fast-acting relief for headaches, the \u201cA\u201d type for menstrual cramps and headaches, the \u201cA Ex\u201d type for extreme cramps and headaches and the \u201cMelt\u201d type for a pill you can swallow without water and which won\u2019t leave you feeling sleepy.
    \nActive ingredients: ibuprofen, allylisopropylacetylurea, and caffeine<\/p>\n

    \u30d0\u30d5\u30a1\u30ea\u30f3 (Bufferin) – can be used for headaches, cramps, hip and shoulder pain, fevers and colds. The \u201cA\u201d type is the standard, while the \u201cLuna\u201d type includes relief for menstrual cramps and \u201cPremium\u201d for extreme pain.
    \nActive ingredients: aspirin, Dibuffer HT. Note that some Bufferin brands contain different active ingredients.<\/p>\n

    Cold and flu<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    \u30d1\u30d6\u30ed\u30f3 (Pabron) – the \u201cAce Pro\u201d (\u30a4\u30fc\u30b9Pro) type is designed to be consumed by adults only and contains ibuprofen to help ease cold symptoms. There are also types that target inflammation in specific symptoms and\/or parts of the body, as well as medicine specifically for children.
    \nActive ingredients: contains 7 active ingredients including guaifenesin.<\/p>\n

    \u30eb\u30eb\u30a2\u30bf\u30c3\u30afEX (Lulu Attack Ex) – a common medicine that treats cold symptoms. Suitable only for those over 15 years old.
    \nActive ingredients: several active ingredients including ibuprofen and tranexamic acid<\/p>\n

    Cough medicine<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    \u9f8d\u89d2\u6563\u30c0\u30a4\u30ec\u30af\u30c8 (Ryukakusan Dairekuto) – a dry herbal medicine that you ingest to help with coughs and sore throats.
    \nActive ingredients: includes platycodon, senega, glycyrrhiza, and apricot kernel<\/p>\n

    \u30ab\u30a4\u30b2\u30f3\u54b3\u6b62\u9320 (Kaigen Sekidome Jou) – another type of medicine that helps ease cough symptoms.
    \nActive ingredients: includes dihydrocodeine phosphate and noscapine<\/p>\n

    Stomach pain<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    \u30ac\u30b9\u30bf\u30fc10 (Gaster-10) – for stomach pain and reflux.
    \nActive ingredients: Famotidine<\/p>\n

    \u30d6\u30b9\u30b3\u30d1\u30f3A (Buscopan A) – for stomach and abdominal pain.
    \nActive ingredients: Scopolamine butylbromide<\/p>\n

    Digestive medicine<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    \u30b6 \u30ac\u30fc\u30c9 (The Guard Kowa) and \u30a8\u30d3\u30aa\u30b9 (Ebios) – helps improve gut health
    \nActive ingredients: The Guard – bacillus natto powder; Ebios – dried yeast<\/p>\n

    Strong Wakamoto – aids digestion, regulates the intestines and offers nutritional supplementation, contains lactobacillus bacteria
    \nActive ingredients: includes Aspergillus oryzae NK, lactobacillus culture<\/p>\n

    Insect bites and itchiness<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    \u30e0\u30d2 (Muhi) – a popular ointment used to treat itchiness, including heat and skin rashes
    \nActive ingredients: includes diphenhydramine, menthol and glycyrrhetinic acid<\/p>\n

    \u30ad\u30f3\u30ab\u30f3 (Kinkan) – liquid anti-itch medication
    \nActive ingredients: Diphenhydramine hydrochloride, menthol<\/p>\n

    Muscle pain<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    \u30b5\u30ed\u30f3\u30d1\u30b9 (Salonpas) – pain reliever and anti-inflammatory stick-on patches for muscle pain
    \nActive ingredients: methyl salicylate, menthol and tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), and camphor<\/p>\n

    \u30c9\u30ad\u30b7\u30f3 (Dokishin) – pill that helps relieve muscle and joint pain and cramps
    \nActive ingredients: includes methocarbamol and ethenzamide<\/p>\n

    \u30dc\u30eb\u30bf\u30ec\u30f3 (Voltaren) – anti-inflammatory and pain relief drug
    \nActive ingredients: diclofenac<\/p>\n

    Travel sickness<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Motion sickness relief medicine include\u30c8\u30e9\u30d9\u30eb\u30df\u30f3 (Travelmin) and \u3088\u3044\u3069\u3081 (Yoidome).
    \nActive ingredients: Travelmin – meclizine hydrochloride and scopolamine hydrobromide hydrate; Yoidome – includes pheniramine maleate and diphenhydramine<\/p>\n

    \"Drugstore<\/h2>\n

    Vocabulary for buying medicine<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Medicine – \u85ac (kusuri<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Cold\/flu – \u98a8\u90aa(kaze<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Heartburn – \u6e9c\u98f2 (ryuuin<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Headache – \u982d\u75db (zutsuu<\/em>); can also say: \u201cAtama ga itai<\/em>\u201d which means \u201cMy head hurts\u201d<\/p>\n

    Stomach ache – \u8179\u75db (fukutsuu<\/em>); can also say: \u201cOnaka ga itai<\/em>\u201d, which means \u201cMy stomach hurts\u201d<\/p>\n

    Sore throat – \u5589\u304c\u75db\u3044 (nodo ga itai<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Diarrhea – \u4e0b\u75e2 (geri<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Travel sickness – \u4e57\u308a\u7269\u9154\u3044 (norimonoyoi<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Rash – \u76ae\u75b9 (hishin<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    Fever – \u71b1 (netsu<\/em>)<\/p>\n

    \u201cDo you have [medicine name]?\u201d – \u201c[Medicine name] wa arimasuka?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u201cDo you have medicine for \u2026.?\u201d – \u201c…. no kusuri wa arimasuka?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

    e.g. \u201cDo you have medicine for a cold?\u201d – \u201ckaze no kusuri wa arimasuka?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n