# What medicine can you bring into Japan, and how do you buy cold or pain medicine at a Japanese drugstore?

> Bringing medicine to Japan: 1-month prescription and 2-month OTC limits, why Adderall and Sudafed are banned, the import certificate, and drugstore buys.

- Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/japan-medicine-rules-drugstore-cold-medicine-guide
- Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries)
- Published: 2026-10-26

**Bring up to one month of your prescription medicine and up to two months of ordinary over-the-counter medicine without paperwork, in original packaging, with a copy of the prescription.** More than that needs an import certificate, the *Yunyu Kakunin-sho*, applied for online before you fly. Some common medicines are **banned outright**: ADHD stimulants such as Adderall, and cold remedies with pseudoephedrine like Sudafed. Once you're in Japan, drugstores are everywhere and sell effective cold, pain and stomach medicine; a few strong ones need a pharmacist on duty. Here's how both sides work.

## What you can bring without paperwork

For personal use, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare allows visitors to bring the following without an import certificate. Keep everything in its **original labelled packaging** and carry a **copy of your prescription or a doctor's letter** in English.

| Type | Allowed without a certificate | Over the limit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prescription medicine | Up to 1 month's supply | Apply for a Yunyu Kakunin-sho |
| Over-the-counter medicine | Up to 2 months' supply | Apply for a Yunyu Kakunin-sho |
| Stimulants (Adderall, Dexedrine, amphetamines) | Prohibited | Cannot be brought in at all |
| Pseudoephedrine products above the limit (Sudafed, Actifed, Vicks inhaler) | Prohibited | Leave at home; buy a Japanese cold medicine |
| Narcotic painkillers (e.g. prescription codeine, oxycodone) | Separate narcotics permit needed | Apply to the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare |

_Rules from Japan's MHLW and Japanese embassy guidance; check the current list for your specific medicine before flying._

## The import certificate (Yunyu Kakunin-sho)

If you need more than the limits above, for a long trip or a chronic condition, apply for a **Yunyu Kakunin-sho** through the ministry's **Application for Import Confirmation** website, which has handled applications online since **February 2023**. You create an account, upload the prescription and product details, and the certificate arrives by email; show a copy at customs.

Apply **at least two weeks before you fly**, and allow up to four weeks to be safe. Brand names differ between countries, so list the active ingredient and strength, not just the brand.

The rules are strict and enforcement is real: people have been detained for carrying medicines that are routine at home. If an ingredient is a stimulant or a narcotic in Japan, the import certificate does not cover it.

## Buying medicine at a Japanese drugstore

Drugstores (*doraggu sutoa*) such as **Matsumoto Kiyoshi**, **Sundrug**, **Welcia**, **Tsuruha** and **Cocokara Fine** are on almost every shopping street and in station malls. Medicine is grouped by symptom, packaging is in Japanese, and staff at big-city branches often speak some English or use a translation tablet.

Japanese over-the-counter medicine is graded. **Class 1 (第1類医薬品)** products, such as the painkiller Loxonin S, can only be sold when a **pharmacist** is on duty, and the shelf usually holds a card or empty box you take to the counter. Class 2 and 3 products you can pick up yourself. Doses are often lower than the same ingredient abroad, so follow the box, not your habit at home.

Big branches in tourist areas offer tax-free shopping, but under the refund system that starts on 1 November 2026, medicine you open and use during the trip loses its refund; only what you carry home unopened qualifies. Our [tax-free shopping guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/japan-tax-free-shopping-tourist-rules-and-process) explains the new process.

## What to ask for, by symptom

Show the pharmacist the active ingredient you take at home on your phone; it works better than a brand name. These are the widely sold products travellers look for.

| Symptom | Common Japanese product | Active ingredient |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Headache, pain, fever | EVE A | Ibuprofen |
| Headache, fever (gentler on the stomach) | Tylenol A | Acetaminophen (paracetamol) |
| Stronger pain (pharmacist sale) | Loxonin S | Loxoprofen |
| Cold and flu symptoms | Pabron Gold A | Combination cold remedy |
| Diarrhoea | Seirogan | Wood creosote |
| Indigestion, heartburn | Ohta's Isan | Antacid powder |

_Check the box for allergens and interactions, and ask the pharmacist if you take other medicine._

## If you need a doctor

For an emergency, call **119** for an ambulance (110 is the police). For anything less urgent, the **Japan Visitor Hotline** on **050-3816-2787** answers 24 hours a day in English, Chinese and Korean, and JNTO's website lists clinics by language and specialty.

Visitors pay the full cost of treatment, and many clinics want payment on the day, sometimes in cash. Travel insurance that covers medical care is worth having for that reason alone. Our [winter in Japan guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/japan-in-winter-december-january-february-weather-packing-guide) covers the flu season, when clinics get busiest.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I bring Sudafed to Japan?

No. Japan prohibits cold medicines with pseudoephedrine above its stimulant-ingredient limits, which in practice covers Sudafed, Actifed and Vicks inhalers. Buy a Japanese cold medicine at a drugstore instead.

### Can I bring Adderall to Japan?

No. Amphetamine-based ADHD medicines such as Adderall and Dexedrine are prohibited, and an import certificate does not cover them.

### How much prescription medicine can I bring to Japan without a certificate?

Up to one month's supply of prescription medicine and up to two months of over-the-counter medicine, in original packaging with a copy of the prescription. More needs a Yunyu Kakunin-sho.

### How do I apply for a Yunyu Kakunin-sho?

Online through the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Application for Import Confirmation website. Apply at least two weeks before travel; the certificate is emailed to you.

### What is the Japanese equivalent of ibuprofen?

EVE A is the most common ibuprofen painkiller at Japanese drugstores. Tylenol A contains acetaminophen, and Loxonin S is a stronger option sold only when a pharmacist is on duty.

## Official sources

- [MHLW: Application for Import Confirmation (Yunyu Kakunin-sho)](https://impconf.mhlw.go.jp/about_en.htm)
- [JNTO: emergency and medical information for visitors](https://www.jnto.go.jp/emergency/)