Living in Japan: Which medical department should you go to in case of sickness?
In a Japanese hospital, choosing a medical department can be confusing, especially if you are a student or worker who did not grow up in Japan. If that’s you, you are in the right place! Here are the list of symptoms and departments you can choose to go to.
Different hospitals, different specialty
In japan, it is common to find local home doctors who are specialized in a couple of fields. Foreign visitors often tend to go to a big hospital even because of a minor illness, but you will have to fill out a long form and wait for a long time. On the other hand, local home doctors tend to be less busy, so you can get your quick treatment for your scratching wounds and aching head.
How to use this chart
On the left side, you’ll see the Japanese names for each medical departments and brief English descriptions. On the right side, you’ll see the symptoms or reasons to go there. In order to find the right hospital for you, just copy the Japanese letters and paste it to google, and search just like this!
耳鼻咽喉科 near me
Don’t hesitate to use Japanese in google, the search results will be in English. It’s as easy as this!
| Department | Symptoms |
| 内科(Physician) | Cold (Fever, Sore throat, Cough, Runny nose, Headache, Abdominal pain, Diarrhea, Vomit) |
| 循環器科(Cardiovascular and Circulatory) | Chest pain, Artificial dialysis, Internal Organs |
| 消化器外科(Digestive) | Digestive problems (Vomit, Diarrhea etc.) |
| 形成外科(Wound Surgeon) | Wounds, Bruises |
| 整形外科(Bone, Joint, Ligament, tendon) | Broken bones, Broken cast, Taping, Hurt Joint, Burn |
| 外科(Surgeon) | Severe Injury, Burn, Tumor |
| 救急科(Emergency) | Japanese Emergency Services are cheap. Don’t hesitate to call an ambulance! |
| 歯科(Dentist) | Teeth problem |
| 産婦人科(Women’s clinic) | Pregnancy, Birth, Prevention pills (not sold at drug stores), Periods |
| 泌尿器科(Urology) | Kidney, Stones, Urine problem, Male sexual organ problems |
| 耳鼻咽喉科(Ears, Noses and Throat) | Cold (Runny nose, Ear infection) |
| 脳神経科(Brain Doctor) | Brain and spinal problems |
| 小児科(Pediatrician) | Child sickness in general including accute and long term |
| 脳神経外科(Brain Surgeon) | External head injury, Tumor |
| 精神科(Psycologist) | Mental health problem (drug prescription) |
| 心理カウンセリング(Mental counseling) | Mental health problem |
| 総合診療科(General Doctor) | Other general problems |