Support Guide for Foreign Visitors When You Fall Ill

Hello, this is BLEZ Pharmacy, located along Asakusa International Street in Nishi-Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo.

If you travel to or work in Japan from abroad, it’s sometimes inevitable to face sudden health issues, such as digestive problems or catching a cold.

When this happens, if you ask a Japanese friend who speaks a foreign language, they may recommend that you see a doctor right away. In Japan, going to the hospital is the usual practice when you feel unwell. However, for foreigners, visiting a hospital may involve varying degrees of difficulties due to differences in healthcare systems. In such cases, choosing a pharmacy rather than a hospital might be a better solution.

Why choosing a pharmacy instead of a hospital is sometimes better for foreigners

Although most people in Japan tend to go to a hospital, for foreigners who are not covered by Japanese insurance, tourists without travel insurance, or even those with travel insurance that doesn’t cover enough, visiting a hospital in Japan can be quite expensive.
Additionally, for tourists and foreigners working in Japan, the uncertainty of time, unfamiliarity with the medical system, and language barriers may complicate the process of visiting a hospital. In these cases, choosing a pharmacy becomes a more affordable and convenient solution.

The challenges of selecting medicine

Buying medicine from a pharmacy or drugstore may seem simple, but due to language barriers and differences in medication names, choosing the right medicine is not always easy. Especially when it’s difficult to accurately express symptoms in a foreign language, there is a risk of selecting the wrong medication.

Even if hotel staff or Japanese friends who speak foreign languages can communicate with you in English or Chinese, recommending specific medicines during illness requires professional knowledge, and there is a high risk of suggesting the wrong medicine.

Feel at ease consulting BLEZ Pharmacy

At BLEZ Pharmacy, our multilingual staff, including those who speak English and Chinese, are always ready to assist. We provide a safe and comfortable consultation environment for foreign customers, including tourists, international students, and those working in Japan. Based on your symptoms, we will accurately recommend the appropriate medication, ensuring that even customers unfamiliar with Japanese medicines can use them with confidence. For customers looking for medications not available in Japan, we also offer alternative solutions, satisfying many foreign customers.
Not only do we recommend suitable medication based on symptoms, but we also explain how to use the medicine and any potential side effects, ensuring that foreign customers can purchase and use the medication with peace of mind. If over-the-counter medicine is not enough to address your symptoms and medical treatment is needed, we can guide customers to medical institutions that provide foreign language support and assist them in receiving care.

Through these services, BLEZ Pharmacy doesn’t leave customers with responses like, “This medicine is not available in Japan” or “You need to see a doctor.” Instead, we sincerely help resolve the difficulties you face.

Use our official LINE and online shop

BLEZ Pharmacy accepts online consultations through our official LINE account. This way, whether you are unable to leave your hotel, a busy traveler, or an international student too unwell to go out, you can easily inquire about medications.

In addition to in-person consultations at our pharmacy, you can also purchase medications through our online shop. After consulting via LINE, you can purchase the appropriate medicine online and have it delivered to your hotel or residence. This service is especially convenient for tourists, busy international students, or those too ill to leave their accommodation.

Convenient store location

BLEZ Pharmacy is located in Asakusa, Tokyo, just a few minutes’ walk from Asakusa Station on the Ginza, Asakusa, and Tsukuba Express Lines. It is close to tourist attractions like Sensoji Temple and Kaminarimon, so tourists can easily visit during their sightseeing. The area has many foreign-language-speaking customers, making it easy for tourists and international students to visit and consult about health concerns.

The importance of multilingual support

In Japan, language barriers can be a major issue for customers who don’t speak Japanese when visiting pharmacies or medical institutions. At BLEZ Pharmacy, we place great emphasis on multilingual support, ensuring that foreign tourists, international students, and their friends can easily consult about health issues. Particularly in cases of sudden illness or mild symptoms, pharmacy consultations are often an effective solution.

By recommending BLEZ Pharmacy to foreign customers, Japanese friends who speak foreign languages don’t have to worry about the burden of suggesting the right medication. Foreign customers can consult with pharmacists, use the medication with peace of mind, and enjoy their time in Japan.

Conclusion

If you happen to fall ill while in Japan, BLEZ Pharmacy offers multilingual assistance to help you choose the right medication with confidence. We also support our customers through our official LINE and online shop, helping you recover quickly and enjoy your time in Japan.