Value Village ／ Everyday know-how
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Most Japanese homes keep a first-aid box, historically restocked by a visiting salesman (the "okigusuri" system that still exists in some regions). What goes in it, and what does not, reflects a country where a clinic is usually nearby and self-medication is regulated.
| Category | Contents | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wounds | Adhesive dressings (several sizes), sterile gauze, non-stick pads, tape, elastic bandage, hydrocolloid dressings (widely used), disinfectant or saline, tweezers, small scissors | Wash wounds under running water first — the current guidance |
| Fever / pain | Thermometer, acetaminophen (adults and a children's formulation), cooling gel sheets | Aspirin not given to children |
| Stomach | Oral rehydration solution (sachets or bottles), antidiarrhoeal only as directed, digestive aid | ORS matters for children and elderly |
| Other | Antihistamine (OTC), eye wash, motion-sickness tablets, hot/cold packs, disposable gloves, mask | — |
| Paper | Copies of health-insurance cards, clinic and pharmacy numbers, #7119 / #8000 / 119 written down, medication list | For anyone in the house — or a babysitter |
| Check | Every 1 March and 1 September (with the emergency kit); discard expired items | Dates on OTC boxes |
[Verify] Phone numbers with the Fire and Disaster Management Agency and the Japan Poison Information Center; wound-care guidance with the Japanese Society for Burn Injuries / MHLW first-aid materials.
A clinic is usually within walking distance and open six days a week. The box handles the first hour; it is not for treating illness at home over days.
Current guidance is running water first, then a clean dressing; strong disinfectants on healthy tissue are used less than a generation ago. Deep, dirty or animal-bite wounds go to a clinic.
Children's formulations exist for a reason (dose by weight, safe ingredients). Keep one, with its insert, and check the age limit.
Dressings dry out, tablets expire, children grow into new dose bands. Twice a year, with the emergency kit (1 March, 1 September), is the household rhythm.
Put it where a guest or babysitter could find it — a labelled box in the kitchen or living room, out of children's reach, not in a bedroom drawer. Tape the three emergency numbers to the lid.
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https://www.fdma.go.jp/mission/enrichment/appropriate/appropriate007.html
https://www.j-poison-ic.jp/
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000092820.html
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Always follow the instructions on any product you use, and never mix cleaning products. If you rent your home, check with your landlord before making any changes.
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