Kyoto Guide

Doctors

Visiting a doctor here may seem daunting. Patients can either go to a large hospital, smaller specialised clinics or a general practice. Larger hospitals deal with acute and emergency cases, as well as minor illnesses. All of these establishments will require you to register on your first visit. You should also take your Japanese health insurance card - if you have one you will be required to pay 30% of the cost. Without Japanese insurance, the full bill will have to be settled there and then. Make sure you keep the receipt in order to sort out reimbursement at a later date. Most places in Japan do not require appointments. Rather, they work on a first come, first served basis which can result in a lengthy wait. Opening times and days off vary from surgery to surgery. Almost all are closed on Sundays and some are on Saturdays. If it is an emergency and it's a Sunday, calling an ambulance would be a good idea. It's a free service.

Here is an explanation of the smaller clinics:-

If you can speak Japanese well or know someone who does then it makes things a lot easier. If not, there is an extensive list of places in Kyoto which have English speaking doctors here. If you can't get to one of the listed places or have trouble with the language, it isn't a disaster. A lot of doctors should have some kind of ability in English. You will probably be able to make yourself understood, even if you have to act out your symptoms. As for medicine and aftercare treatment, get the doctor to write his advice down and try to get someone to interpret it later. This site is good - it has a few useful phrases translated from English to Japanese. Opening times of surgeries are usually posted on a board outside the clinic, as in the picture above. 

Dentists

Unlike doctors, dentists in Japan usually require an appointment. You will have to register with the surgery on your first visit and they will give you a card. From then on appointments can be made over the phone or in person. You should also bear in mind that some foreign insurance policies do not cover dental work. Check with your insurance provider to see if you are covered. The above link also has information about dentists. A lot of people find doctors and dentists scary enough at home so, if you would like to recommend a doctor or dentist, please post the details of the clinic in the forums.

Drugstores

Drugstores in Japan are similar to those in the West. If you want to find one, look for a sign bearing the same Kanji as the one on the right. The larger chains and stores have a bigger range of items and many stores are starting to sell western lines. Beauty products and medicine can be found at most shops. The staff in drugstores are generally, very helpful and knowledgeable. There are some common complaints about healthcare products in Japan. Many people think that toothpaste here doesn't contain flouride but in fact, it's the water supply that doesn't have it. フッ素、ふっ素　or 弗素 on the packaging shows that the toothpaste does have flouride in it. People also find problems with deodorant and condoms. Deodorant is just that - it masks the smell rather than preventing perspiration. Many people also find that Japanese condoms are too small. It might be better to get these items sent from abroad.