When You Get Sick in Japan: Clinics, Hospitals, and Pharmacies
In Japan you can usually choose which doctor to see. The key is knowing where to go first. This guide explains the difference between clinics and hospitals, what to bring, how prescriptions work, and what to do in an emergency.
Where to go first
| Type | Best for |
|---|---|
| 診療所・クリニックshinryōjo / kurinikku · clinic | Mild symptoms and everyday illness. Start here. |
| 病院byōin · mid-size hospital | Surgery, hospital stays, and emergency care. |
| 大病院dai-byōin · large hospital | Critical emergencies and advanced treatment. |
If your problem is not serious, visit a local clinic first. The clinic doctor can refer you to a hospital if you need one.
Bring proof of health insurance
- You can use your My Number card registered as a health insurance card (maina hokenshō, マイナ保険証). If you have not registered it, you receive a certificate of eligibility (shikaku kakuninsho, 資格確認書) for free, without applying.
Referral letters and the extra fee
Hospitals above a certain size charge a special fee (tokubetsu no ryōkin, 特別の料金) when you come without a referral letter (shōkaijō, 紹介状). This fee is separate from your usual co-payment. To avoid it, see a clinic first and ask for a referral letter if you need a larger hospital.
Prescriptions and pharmacies
After an exam, the doctor may give you a prescription (shohōsen, 処方箋). Take it to a pharmacy (yakkyoku, 薬局), where pharmacists prepare your medicine and explain how to take it.
Drugstores sell over-the-counter medicine but cannot fill prescriptions. Pharmacies also sell over-the-counter medicine.
In an emergency
- 119: call for a medical emergency, an injury, or a fire.
- #7119: if you are not sure whether to call an ambulance, this line connects you to doctors, nurses, and paramedics who help you decide. It is not available in every area yet.
Japanese words you'll see
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 受付 | uketsuke | Reception desk. |
| 問診票 | monshinhyō | Medical questionnaire you fill in first. |
| 診察 | shinsatsu | Examination by a doctor. |
| 紹介状 | shōkaijō | Referral letter. |
| 処方箋 | shohōsen | Prescription. |
| 薬局 | yakkyoku | Pharmacy. |
| 救急車 | kyūkyūsha | Ambulance. |
Questions families ask
Should I go to a clinic or a hospital?
If your problem is not serious, start at a local clinic. Larger hospitals handle surgery, hospital stays, emergencies, and advanced treatment.
Why did the hospital charge me an extra fee?
Hospitals above a certain size charge a special fee, separate from your co-payment, when you come without a referral letter from another doctor.
Can a drugstore fill my prescription?
Only a pharmacy with pharmacists can prepare medicine from a doctor's prescription. Drugstores sell over-the-counter medicine.
What is #7119?
A phone line where doctors, nurses, and paramedics help you decide whether to call an ambulance or go to a hospital. It is not available in every area yet.
Sources
This guide is based on information published by Japan's Immigration Services Agency, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
- Immigration Services Agency: Guidebook on Living and Working, 7th edition, March 2025
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Special fee for visiting certain hospitals without a referral letter (紹介状を持たずに特定の病院を受診する場合等の「特別の料金」)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: My Number card as health insurance and the certificate of eligibility (マイナ保険証・資格確認書)
- Fire and Disaster Management Agency: Emergency consultation #7119 (救急安心センター事業)
Practice describing your symptoms in Japanese Talk: Clinic.