💗 Life & Wellbeing
How to See a Doctor in Japan — When You Feel Sick, Where Do You Go?
Even if you're anxious about the language, it's okay. Know the flow of a visit and how to use medical interpreting
📖 7 min read📅 2026-08-27
The night I had a high fever, I didn't know where to call or which department to go to.
The first time Minh (24), from Hue, Vietnam, ran a high fever in Japan was late at night, in his fourth month after arriving. His body was shaking and his head felt like it would split open. But Minh lay in bed, unable to move.
Back home, he knew which hospital to go to and whom to consult. But in Japan, everything was different. How late are hospitals open? Could he explain his symptoms well in Japanese? How much would it cost? Could he use insurance? — there were too many things he didn't know, and in the end, that night Minh didn't even take any over-the-counter medicine, and waited shivering for morning.
The next morning, when he consulted a senior Vietnamese colleague in the same dormitory, he was told this: "When you're in trouble at night, you can call #7119. And you can find nearby clinics with a multilingual app. Next time, don't tough it out alone."
He just hadn't known — there were plenty of places he could rely on. Japanese healthcare is gradually being arranged so that foreign nationals can use it too.
So you don't panic when you feel sick — we've put together how to see a doctor in Japan in FAQ form.
Japanese healthcare costs you, in principle, 30% out of pocket if you have health insurance. The question is "where and how to get seen." We explain, by severity of symptoms, where to go and which contact points you can use.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q.What kind of hospital should I go to? I don't know "which department."
A.At first, going to a "clinic (shinryojo)" near your home is recommended. For mild symptoms such as a cold, fever, or stomachache, go to "internal medicine (naika)"; for injuries, "orthopedics (seikei-geka)"; for skin, "dermatology (hifuka)." If you're unsure, "internal medicine" is fine. If the clinic decides "you should be examined in more detail at a large hospital," they'll write you a referral letter. Going straight to a large hospital can incur an extra fee for not having a referral (7,000 yen or more), so starting at a clinic is the basic approach.
Q.What should I do if I feel sick at night or on a holiday?
A.When it's "not bad enough to call an ambulance, but I'm worried," call the Emergency Care Consultation Center "#7119" (available in supported areas). A nurse or similar will advise you whether you should go to a hospital right now or whether tomorrow is fine. For children, there is also the Pediatric Emergency Telephone Consultation "#8000." In a true life-threatening emergency (unconscious, difficulty breathing, heavy bleeding, etc.), don't hesitate — call 119 for an ambulance. The ambulance is free.
Q.I'm anxious about whether I can explain my symptoms well in Japanese.
A.There are ways. ① An increasing number of hospitals offer "medical interpreting" (phone interpreting, tablet interpreting). Before your visit, ask the hospital, "Can I use a ◯◯-language interpreter?" ② Multilingual symptom-questionnaire apps and "point-and-show sheets" that let you point to symptoms are also useful. ③ In some areas, the local international exchange association dispatches medical interpreters or offers phone consultations. Your Japanese doesn't have to be perfect — if you can convey "fever," "it hurts," and "since when," you'll be fine.
Q.What should I bring when I go to the hospital?
A.Must-brings: ① health insurance card (or My Number insurance card), ② money (a few thousand yen is a guide for a first visit), ③ medication notebook (if you have one), ④ identification (residence card, etc.). If you forget your health insurance card, you'll pay the full amount (100%) for the time being (you can apply for a refund later). At a hospital you're visiting for the first time, you'll fill out a "first-visit" questionnaire. It has spaces for your symptoms, since when, allergies, and the medicines you're taking.
Q.I'm worried medical costs might be high.
A.If you have health insurance, your out-of-pocket share of medical costs is, in principle, 30%. For a visit for a cold, a first visit plus medicine is roughly 2,000–4,000 yen. Even if it becomes expensive due to hospitalization or surgery, there is the "High-Cost Medical Expense Benefit," and there is a cap on your out-of-pocket cost for one month (it varies by income). Using a "Certificate of Limit Amount Applicability" or a My Number insurance card, you can keep your counter payment within the cap from the start. Please don't hesitate to see a doctor out of worry about money.
Q.Where do I get my medicine?
A.When you're examined at a hospital or clinic, you receive a "prescription (shohosen)." When you take it to a "dispensing pharmacy (chozai yakkyoku)" near the hospital, they fill the medicine for you (some hospitals dispense medicine in-house). At the pharmacy too, you show your health insurance card. Some mild symptoms can be handled with over-the-counter medicine (the kind you can buy at a drugstore), but if symptoms persist or are severe, always get examined at a hospital.
🤝 Where to get help (free, multilingual, anonymous OK)
Emergency Care Consultation Center #7119
When you're unsure at night or on a holiday whether you "should go to a hospital," you can consult a nurse or similar by phone (available in supported areas). In an emergency, call 119.
🌐 Multilingual support and interpreting available in some areas ⏰ 24 hours in some areas; free (call charges apply)
📞 #7119
AMDA International Medical Information Center
You can get consultations about healthcare and information on multilingual medical institutions. Phone consultations about medical interpreting are also possible.
🌐 English, Chinese, Thai, Spanish, Portuguese, and more ⏰ Weekdays 10:00–16:00 (varies by language)
📝 Contact via web →📞 03-6233-9266
