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Pharmacy Usage Guide

🏥Pharmacy vs Drugstore: What's the Difference?

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Pharmacy (Yakkyoku)

Prescription Pharmacy

✓ Main Function:

Main focus on prescription filling

✓ Available:
  • • Prescription drugs
  • • Some OTC drugs
✓ Features:
  • • Pharmacist always present
  • • Professional consultation
  • • Usually near hospitals
🛒

Drugstore

Japanese-style pharmacy & convenience store

✓ Main Function:

OTC drugs and daily necessities

✓ Available:
  • • Over-the-counter drugs
  • • Cosmetics, supplements
  • • Daily goods, snacks
✓ Features:
  • • Pharmacist during business hours
  • • Open year-round
  • • Near residential areas/stations

🤔 When to Go Where?

→ Go to Pharmacy when:

  • ✓ When you have a prescription
  • ✓ Need professional consultation

→ Go to Drugstore when:

  • ✓ Need mild cold or pain relief
  • ✓ Also buying cosmetics or daily goods

Over-the-counter Medications

風邪薬（かぜぐすり）
Cold medicine
痛み止め（いたみどめ）
Pain reliever
胃腸薬（いちょうやく）
Stomach medicine
目薬（めぐすり）
Eye drops
絆創膏（ばんそうこう）
Bandage

💡 Pharmacy Tips

  • •薬剤師に症状を説明すると適切な薬を推薦してくれます
  • •服用方法と副作用について必ず確認してください
  • •処方箋は病院近くの薬局ですぐに調剤できます

📚 Official Sources & References