Here are what you can do if you are not feeling well while you are travelling Japan:
Ask the Hotel
If you are staying in a hotel, the best place to ask is the Hotel. They probably have the contact to the closest hospital from the hotel or emergency hospital. If it is serious, they will help you call ambulance（救急車）. If you just need over-the-counter medicine, they can tell you where the closest drug store (薬局）is.
You can often ask for Thermometer and ice pack/ice bag at the hotel, too.
If you are outside
If you are out sightseeing or shopping, who should you ask? If you are on transportation, you could ask staffs at train stations, they usually help you. If you are not feeling well at facilities, (sightseeing spots, shopping malls, department stores) try some staffs/attendants there showing the sentence below.
I am not feeling well. （体調がよくありません）
At Hospital
Please bring your passport and money/credit card with you. Some hospitals do not take credit cards, so it is better if you have some cash with you. (If you don’t have cash with you, try 7bank ATM)
You will need to communicate with doctor and nurse. They will ask you your symptoms, medical history and whether you are currently under treatments or medications (it is helpful if you know the name of the medication you are currently taking.) and allergy.
If the doctor and nurse do not understand you, try the website below. In “How to use Medical institutions” page, there is “Procedure from hospital reception to payment” section. In this section, you will find “sheet for pointing to symptoms and their descriptions”
Website that can help you
This website is operated by JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization) and have Hospital Serach, Travel Insurance information and information for emergency contacts includding Japan Visitor Hotline, multilinguql call center 24/7 in case it is difficult for you to communicate otherwise.
Food and Drinks that are recommended
If I am not feeling well, I usually eat easily digestible food. If you have fever, it is better to take drinks. Here are some of the foods and drinks I often take when I am not feeling well.
- Okayu（おかゆ）rice gruel [porridge] Other than simple rice gruel, there are one with plum and eggs.
- Udon（うどん）Udon noodles are made from dough made by mixing two types of wheat-flour, soft wheat-flour and semi-hard wheat-flour, and applying some salts. Simple hot udon is easier to digest.
- Amazake（甘酒）sweet fermented rice drink. If you cannot eat anything, this is nutritious. Do not drink Amazake if you are diabetic as it raises blood sugar levels.
- Sports drinks or green tea/hojicha（スポーツドリンク、緑茶、ほうじ茶）
Things you can buy in Conbinis
Food and Drinks
- Rice gruel in a sealed plastic pouch（レトルト おかゆ）
- Cup soup （カップスープ）
- Pudding（プリン）
- Jelly（ゼリー）
- Fruits（フルーツ）
- Sports drinks such as Pocari Sweat, Aquarius, DAKARA （スポーツ飲料 ポカリ、アクエリアス、DAKARAなど）
- Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) （経口補水液）
- Green Tea/Hoji cha（緑茶、ほうじ茶）
Care items
- Thermometer（体温計）
- Adhesive tape（Band Aid ばんそうこう)
- Hiepita（冷えピタ）Cooling gel sheets
- Masks（マスク）
Comments