In the case of an emergency , the first port of call should be to ask your hotel to phone for a doctor or ambulance. You could also head for, or call, the nearest tourist information office or international centre (in major cities only), which should be able to provide a list of local doctors and hospitals with English-speaking staff. Alternatively, you could call the toll-free 24-hour Jhelp.com (tel 0120-461997) or, in a last resort, contact the Prefecture's Foreign Advisory Service (see "Emergencies" in individual city listings).

If you need to call an ambulance on your own, dial 119 and speak slowly when you're asked to give an address. Ambulance staff are not trained paramedics, but will take you to the nearest appropriate hospital. Unless you're dangerously ill when you go to hospital, you'll have to wait your turn in a clinic before you see a doctor, and you'll need to be persistent if you want to get full details of your condition: some doctors are notorious for withholding information from patients.

For minor ailments and advice, you can go to a pharmacy , which you'll find in most shopping areas. There are also numerous smaller private clinics , where you'll pay in the region of ¥10,000 to see a doctor. You could also try Asian medical remedies , such as acupuncture ( hari ) and pressure point massage ( shiatsu ), though it's worth trying to get a personal recommendation to find a reputable practitioner.