MEDICINE FINDER
Know what is in the box.
Japanese over-the-counter medicines, explained from the label, with the brands you know from home.
Look up Japanese over-the-counter medicines by name, ingredient or the brand you use at home.
This shows what each box’s label says: active ingredients, the label’s own uses and the sales class. It does not tell you what to take. Show the box to the pharmacist and ask before you buy, especially if you take other medicines, are pregnant or are buying for a child. Care Compass Japan provides navigational guidance, not medical diagnosis or treatment advice. If you are experiencing symptoms, please consult a qualified healthcare professional or visit an accredited hospital/clinic.
Where to buy near you
Shows the closest pharmacies and drugstores and the nearest convenience stores. Most medicines are sold at drugstores and pharmacies; convenience stores mainly carry quasi-drugs and only some sell Class 2 or 3 medicines. Stock varies, so check in the store. Opening hours come from Google Maps. Your location is sent only to Google to look up stores.
US · Same active ingredient, different brand
Bufferin Regular Strength Tablets
Contains Aspirin (buffered) (325 mg per tablet).
The reverse of the Tylenol trap: the Bufferin name crosses the Pacific almost unchanged. US Bufferin is buffered aspirin 325 mg; Japan's Bufferin A is plain aspirin 330 mg with a hydrotalcite antacid. Same active ingredient at a near-identical dose: but do not assume other Bufferin variants (US or JP) share this formula.
Japanese products with matching ingredients: Bufferin A
Home label source, checked 2026-10-24.
6 Japanese products
Bufferin Premium DX
バファリンプレミアムDX
Made by Lion Corporation
Active ingredients
- Ibuprofen, 160 mg per 2 tablets イブプロフェン
- Acetaminophen (paracetamol), 160 mg per 2 tablets アセトアミノフェン
- Caffeine (anhydrous), 50 mg per 2 tablets 無水カフェイン
- Dried aluminium hydroxide gel, 70 mg per 2 tablets 乾燥水酸化アルミニウムゲル
Label says it is for: Headache, menstrual pain, toothache, sore throat, fever, chills, joint pain, muscle pain, back pain
Where to buy: Drugstores and pharmacies, and other shops, such as some convenience stores, while a pharmacist or registered seller (登録販売者) is on duty.
Barcode (JAN): 4903301303596, 4903301316039
Similar products (12)
- Excedrin Plus S Designated Class 2
- Eve Quick Headache DX Designated Class 2
- Eve Three Shot Premium
- Naron Ace Premium Designated Class 2
- Naron Ace T Designated Class 2
- Adam A Tablets Designated Class 2
- Eve Quick Headache Medicine DX Designated Class 2
- Eve Quick Headache Medicine Designated Class 2
- Eve A Tablets Designated Class 2
- Ringl N Class 2
- Lulu Attack FXa
- Pabron Gold A Granules Designated Class 2
Read from a retailer copy of the package insert; still to be confirmed against the official source on 2026-10-24.
Bufferin A
バファリンA
Made by Lion
Active ingredients
- Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), 330 mg per tablet アスピリン
- Synthetic hydrotalcite, 100 mg per tablet 合成ヒドロタルサイト
Label says it is for: Headache, menstrual pain, toothache and other pain; fever
- Plain aspirin only: NOT the US Bufferin combination formula
- Aspirin: not for children/teens (label bars under 15)
Where to buy: Drugstores and pharmacies, and other shops, such as some convenience stores, while a pharmacist or registered seller (登録販売者) is on duty.
Similar products (5)
- Excedrin Plus S Designated Class 2
- Excedrin A Designated Class 2
- Panshiron Cure SP Class 2
- Ohta's Isan Class 2
- Ohta's Isan A Tablets Class 2
Checked against the maker’s official page on 2026-10-24.
Pediatric Bufferin CII
小児用バファリンCII
Made by Lion
Active ingredients
- Acetaminophen (paracetamol), 33 mg per tablet アセトアミノフェン
Label says it is for: Children's fever and pain (headache, toothache, menstrual pain, muscle/joint pain, sore throat)
- Children's Bufferin in Japan is ACETAMINOPHEN: US Children's Bufferin history (aspirin) does not apply; JP labels state the ingredient explicitly because the brand spans both
Where to buy: Drugstores and pharmacies, and other shops, such as some convenience stores, while a pharmacist or registered seller (登録販売者) is on duty.
Barcode (JAN): 4903301446675
Similar products (12)
- Tylenol A Class 2
- Eve Three Shot Premium
- Excedrin Plus S Designated Class 2
- Kids Bufferin Syrup S Class 2
- Kids Bufferin Cold Syrup S Designated Class 2
- Calonal A Class 2
- Naron m Class 2
- Bufferin Luna J Class 2
- Excedrin A Designated Class 2
- Ringl N Class 2
- Noshin Acetaminophen Tablets Class 2
- Bufferin Premium DX Designated Class 2
Checked against the maker’s official page on 2026-10-24.
Bufferin Luna J
バファリンルナJ
Made by Lion Corporation
Active ingredients
- Acetaminophen (paracetamol), 100 mg per 1 tablet アセトアミノフェン
Label says it is for: Headache, menstrual pain, toothache, fever, chills, joint pain, muscle pain, back pain, stiff shoulders
Where to buy: Drugstores and pharmacies, and other shops, such as some convenience stores, while a pharmacist or registered seller (登録販売者) is on duty.
Barcode (JAN): 4903301241850
Similar products (12)
- Tylenol A Class 2
- Eve Three Shot Premium
- Excedrin Plus S Designated Class 2
- Pediatric Bufferin CII Class 2
- Calonal A Class 2
- Naron m Class 2
- Excedrin A Designated Class 2
- Ringl N Class 2
- Noshin Acetaminophen Tablets Class 2
- Bufferin Premium DX Designated Class 2
- Lulu Attack FXa
- Pabron Gold A Granules Designated Class 2
Read from a retailer copy of the package insert; still to be confirmed against the official source on 2026-10-24.
Kids Bufferin Syrup S
キッズバファリンシロップS
Made by Lion
Active ingredients
- Acetaminophen (paracetamol), 300 mg per 60 mL アセトアミノフェン
- Diphenhydramine hydrochloride, 25 mg per 60 mL ジフェンヒドラミン塩酸塩
Label says it is for: Children's cold symptoms: fever, chills, headache, runny/stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat
- Caffeine-free and codeine-free by design (label selling point)
- Strawberry flavour with a child-proof safety cap: dosing is by mL with the included cup, not by spoon
Where to buy: Drugstores and pharmacies, and other shops, such as some convenience stores, while a pharmacist or registered seller (登録販売者) is on duty.
Similar products (12)
- Kids Bufferin Cold Syrup S Designated Class 2
- Lulu Attack FXa
- Pabron Gold A Granules Designated Class 2
- Pabron S Gold W Designated Class 2
- Travelmin Junior Class 2
- Pediatric Bufferin CII Class 2
- Pylon PL Granules Designated Class 2
- Benza Block Yasumo Designated Class 2
- Tylenol A Class 2
- Eve Three Shot Premium
- Excedrin Plus S Designated Class 2
- Travelmin Class 2
Checked against the maker’s official page on 2026-10-24.
Kids Bufferin Cold Syrup S
キッズバファリンかぜシロップS
Made by Lion
Active ingredients
- Acetaminophen (paracetamol), 300 mg per 60 mL アセトアミノフェン
- Dextromethorphan hydrobromide, 16 mg per 60 mL デキストロメトルファン臭化水素酸塩水和物
- dl-Methylephedrine hydrochloride, 20 mg per 60 mL dl-メチルエフェドリン塩酸塩
- Guaifenesin, 80 mg per 60 mL グアイフェネシン
- Diphenhydramine hydrochloride, 25 mg per 60 mL ジフェンヒドラミン塩酸塩
Label says it is for: Children's cold symptoms incl. cough and phlegm
- The 'Cold' version adds cough/phlegm actives to the fever syrup: the two boxes look near-identical; check for かぜ in the name
Where to buy: Drugstores and pharmacies, and other shops, such as some convenience stores, while a pharmacist or registered seller (登録販売者) is on duty.
Contains an ingredient on MHLW’s abuse-prevention list. Staff will ask about other purchases, and buyers under the set age can buy one small pack, in person or by video call. MHLW rules
Similar products (12)
- Benza Block Yasumo Designated Class 2
- Pabron Gold A Granules Designated Class 2
- Kids Bufferin Syrup S Class 2
- Lulu Attack FXa
- Benza Block L Premium DX Tablets Designated Class 2
- Benza Block L Premium DX Designated Class 2
- Muhi Alpha EX Designated Class 2
- Lulu Attack EX Designated Class 2
- Pabron S Gold W Designated Class 2
- Estac Eve (S.TAC IBU)
- Estac EX Neo
- Benza Block IP Designated Class 2
Checked against the maker’s official page on 2026-10-24.