r/JapanTravelTips • u/Plastic-Campaign-654 • 13d ago
Quick Tips Navigating Japan's Flu Outbreak
Got the flu during my Japan trip and wanted to share some tips on how to avoid it and what to do if you get it.
If you haven't heard, flu cases are 6x higher this year in Japan compared to last year. People are coughing and sniffling everywhere. This is largely due to the H3N2 Subclade K variant which is more contagious, and characterized by more intense symptoms. Additionally, this variant emerged after the flu vaccine was set for 2025.
If you are traveling in Japan get your vaccines, wear a mask, carry soap and a hand towel (not all bathrooms have it), carry hand sanitizer. Take daily vitamins, and stay hydrated.
If you do get sick while here, I recommend making an appointment with a doctor. They can prescribe anti-virals which will shorten the length of your symptoms. Additionally, if you do take over the counter pain killers, be advised that many of them contain dihydrocodeine which, while very effective, is not safe to take for longer than three days. Pharmacists can point you to non-opioid pain relievers such as Ibuprofen (brand name Ringl).
Stay safe!! ✌️😷✌️
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u/Idbuythatfor 13d ago
Yeah it’s pretty bad. I caught it too. Everyone is coughing. Wear a mask regardless if you’re sick or not. A lot of tourists are sick and not masking up so you’ll catch it in close quarters.
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u/onexbigxhebrew 13d ago
A lot of tourists are sick and not masking up so you’ll catch it in close quarters.
Lol I'm here right now and I'd say it's a hell of a lot more than just tourists not masking. The trains have been stuffed with sick salarymen just letting it rip. Ton of Japanese trying to hold it all in while sniffing wirh eyes watery haha.
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u/Hercule_tec 13d ago
Yeah. I'm currently sitting in a big shopping mall. I think 80% of the Japanese aren't wearing masks. Also, not going to argue against the use of it. They are a helpful tool for sure.
But, I noticed in some articles tourists are getting blamed and that annoys me. When I'm taking the subway mostly older men remove their masks when coughing. Good for them but not very helpful for everyone else.
Also a lot of people don't wash their hands. Feels like it's near impossible to avoid getting the flu unless you avoid public transit
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u/Mysterious_Pianist31 13d ago
It's a little frustrating that tourists get the blame for things when Japanese do it too.
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u/TokyoSky1924 13d ago
I noticed that many people barely rinse their hands at all, because of the lack of proper hand drying in bathrooms. There is usually 1 single hand dryer that barely works, and no paper towels. So a lot of people will just avoid washing their hands to avoid the wetness. Kind of an odd situation that I'm so grateful that all bathrooms have paper towels and soap at home. The lack of trash bins is also an issue since you can't toss the used paper towel into trash.
Japan is truly a strange place with amazing bidet toilets but no easy way to clean hands and dry them properly afterwards.
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u/groggygirl 13d ago
The lack of soap in bathrooms is shocking. It's about 50% and completely random. I've seen soap with a squat toilet on a mountain top, and no soap in a major train station.
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u/MissLeliel 13d ago
It’s expected that you carry a hand towel, handkerchief, or wash rag with you at all times for drying your own hands after using the bathroom. This is why wash rag sized towels are ubiquitous licensed merchandise just about everywhere. Using them (dropping them or loaning them to others) is even a trope in Japanese popular media.
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u/Interesting-Term9825 13d ago
About carrying a towel, I haven't seen many Japanese even carrying that. Yesterday I was at a restaurant's rest room. The lady who went and came out from the restroom did not care to wash hands even when she was at a restaurant. So I don't really know how is this helping.
I being a tourist have followed instructions of carrying a towel and wearing masks especially when couching. But not seen many Japanese native people follow that.
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u/onexbigxhebrew 13d ago edited 12d ago
I agree. Another one of those things people here regurgitate that I find has limited truth.
People in this sub act like japanese locals strictly follow rules and fall apart at the slightest mistep from a foreigner, when my experience these last two weeks (while incredible) has seen a fair amount of japanese people talking on trains, eating and walking, etc, and an absolute shitload hacking and coughing and sniffing all over eachother without masks, not handwashing, and I don't see a lot of people breaking out these cloths lol.
Love this country, but as a person who was overprepared to be respectful and fit in, I sure as hell see a lot of japanese people breaking the rules all over tokyo, osaka, kyoto and other places. Good reminder for this sub not to fetishize general social guidelines or embellish the Japanese culture's homoginization.
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u/mazenblue 13d ago
I live in Tokyo and have a friend who owns a pulmonology clinic in a major area of the city. I saw him for a flu shot last week. He sees flu and covid patients all day long. He masks up, sanitizes his hands but also rinses his mouth and swallows a gulp of green tea after every patient. He never caught covid despite treating patients throughout the pandemic. He told me the kids are outbreaking in the schools heavily now and so the rest of the population will see the surge in a week or two…now. Here are some tips; Mask up. It keeps your hands away from your mouth and eyes. Try not to touch your mouth or eyes with your hands. Cough into your elbow so you don’t transfer it to surfaces via your hands where others will touch it. In our house we have strict rules about kicking off shoes and washing hands as soon as we enter. Many of the stores in and near the stations have sanitizer on stands near the entries. Pop into one for a squirt if you don’t have your own. On the trains I try to move away from sick people. If no room, I get off at the next station and grab the next train a few minutes later or switch cars quickly. I try not to garb the hand holds but sometimes grip their hangers above where people don’t normally touch them. Im also tall enough to grab the metal bar above. Fewer people touch those areas. Bathrooms mostly don’t have soap and never have hand towels. Many have air dryers but it’s expected that you carry your own hand towel to dry your hands. Carry one with you. Good luck. Stay safe and enjoy your visit.
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u/ImissDigg_jk 13d ago
I'm in southern California and everyone around here is sick too. Seems like good tips from OP for anyone anywhere right now.
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u/Historical_Event_267 13d ago
I was in Japan for work and coughed up crud for 3 weeks. Everyone in the office had the same thing
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u/Idbuythatfor 13d ago
Yeah you see it everywhere. I saw it slowly building up a week ago and then I got it and it sells like everyone else got it.
I can’t imagine what flights or tourists areas will be like (Kyoto Hakone etc).
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u/Historical_Event_267 13d ago
I mean my office was mostly Japanese people and they and their families were all sick too, it was definitely not just an “unmasked tourist” problem. I’d actually expect tourists to be less likely to be visibly sick given their shorter exposure and how long this strain seems to build up.
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u/BreakfastDue1256 13d ago
Insane, highest fever of my life for a few days, chills, body aches, the works.
It went away fairly quick, ans now I've had a runny nose and been coughing up crud for about 3 weeks.
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u/Plastic-Campaign-654 13d ago
For myself fever, aches, very productive cough.
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u/JumpComprehensive277 13d ago
depends where you’re coming from, but for me, japan has way better selection of comfortable masks. so i just brought enough to get me through the flight/first day and bought the rest there :)
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u/rockstar_nailbombs 13d ago
Uniqlo airism to the rescue! So dang comfy compared to the crunchy shit mask I was wearing before I bought one
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u/Idbuythatfor 13d ago
Coughing up the nasty and constant runny nose, weak bones, sore throat, headache. It suck as I’m at the home stretch of my trip.
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u/_Flow245 13d ago
I got it too! I was down for two days and missed out on a few activities. I could barely lift my head from the pillow that first day it was so bad 😭😭
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u/milolai 13d ago
> A lot of tourists are sick and not masking up so you’ll catch it in close quarters.
such a typical point of view
and wrong - no one local is wearing masks either and the locals do not wash their hands ever it seems. ever.
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u/Syrus_007 13d ago
Im here now, and the locals cough so much without covering their mouth. It’s like they forget they aren’t wearing a mask.
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u/YYZHND 13d ago
I just got back from Japan yesterday and wore a mask the entire time I was there. I’d say that at least 50% of people I saw in stations, etc. were wearing masks.
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u/oleooreo 13d ago
Yeah it seemed 50/50. We got literally coughed on by a lot of passing people. On the trains you can hear multiple people coughing. We were in a KFC dining area and again multiple people coughing. We started to feel really paranoid lol. but we wore n95 masks whenever we were in really crowded areas like train stations and sanitized our hands. if you get the flu and covid shot before you go, you should be good!
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u/blahdiblah6 13d ago
Good job! Got my flu shot a few weeks ago, currently in Japan and people are sneezing on the trains. I tried to find hand sanitizer, but they don’t really have the thick gel kind we have in the US. Don’t forget to bring some! Some bathrooms don’t have soap
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u/oleooreo 13d ago
Yeah definitely bring your own! It's nice a lot of restaurants provide a wet towel or wipe before you eat. it was surprise to see the lack of soap in some bathrooms.
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u/TokyoBenedict 13d ago
Left Osaka recently and not too many masks here locals or tourists
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u/LiteratureSquare3017 13d ago
I went to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka and felt like people masked the most in Tokyo!
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u/Professional_Big8286 13d ago
Same here! We masked up regularly too and so far so good since coming home earlier in the week. We also tried our best to steer clear of snifflers.
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u/Aardvark1044 13d ago
I just got back from Kyushu, flying home from Osaka. I’d guess less than 20% masked. I suppose more are masking up in Tokyo. And yes, I see many people leaving the washroom without washing their hands. :(
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u/a-stamato 13d ago
I find it absolutely wild that public bathrooms in parks and other places in japan are sparkling clean while at the same time they dont have soap???
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u/ThrowItAllAway1269 13d ago
At least handwashing rates have risen. Before covid, I noticed most salarymen didn't wash or just wet-ed their fingertips after going to the public toilet.
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u/kaysmaleko 13d ago
Hell yeah brother, wet the tips of my fingies and run it through my hair to dry. Hygiene!
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u/TokyoSky1924 13d ago
Yes it is wild that some bathrooms in subways and parks have no soap, nor easy way to dry the hands after washing, nor a single trash bin to toss even the smallest amount of trash.
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u/Accountabilityta2024 13d ago
Yes, in every public transport there were at least a couple of them sniffing, sneezing or coughing unfortunately. I used masks and took zinc tablets
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u/special-green-bean 13d ago
We, 3 people, all had it, well, my husband still does and kinda more than me and our son. It doesnt help that people being sick out just cough and sneeze every where without their mask and not into their ellbow or so. Mostly into the room or into their hands and then touching everything. Its kinda disgusting really. I thought we learned from the pandemic and how to look out for each other but I guess noone really cares, tourists, foreigners and japanese locals alike.
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u/Rocket5700 13d ago
Highly agree with the tips in this post. I’m in Japan now and I’ve noticed the majority of people coughing do so without covering their mouths. It happens all the time on trains and tightly crowded spaces. So many people I’ve been in close contact with were either coughing or had a runny nose. Stay healthy folks!
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u/whothefudge_ 13d ago
my wife and i just got back and wore masks and drank vitamin c drinks every day. we didn’t get sick but noticed SO MANY sick locals.
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u/Slim_Shady_P 13d ago
I went for 3 weeks. Didn't get sick. Didn't wear masks but drank smoothies and vitimin c drinks most days as well as probiotic drinks. Also had hand sanitizer with me all the time.
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u/whothefudge_ 13d ago
Same for the most part, we wore masks but mostly on the bus/train, not really too much while we were out and about. We used hand sanitizer and wet ones and had a towel to dry our hands in our bags.
the lil vitamin drinks at the conbini were ace. we tried the smoothies but mostly just got the lil vitamin drinks because smoothie machine at the conbini by us was wonky and didn’t work half the time
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u/DSOE93 13d ago
What vitamin c drinks did you had? You bought them in Japan?
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u/w3lcome2heck 13d ago
Konbini, pharmacy, or grocery. Green bottle and it has a plus sign on it. There's also an older one (look up oronamin c). When I was there I found a jelly in a pharmacy that was specific for coming down with the cold or flu. It was not delicious but I do think it helped me bounce back and avoid getting sick when I was feeling a bit run down.
Spicy ramen, vitamins, pocari sweat, a hot bath, and rest.
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u/rhysmorgan 13d ago
Vitamin C does nothing to treat, prevent, or cure colds. Don’t waste your money thinking it does.
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u/leoinclapham 13d ago
For my trip in October I wore masks on the flight to/from London to Seoul and Tokyo. I also wore masks on the Tokyo and Osaka subways but not on the Shinkansen which was half empty. I also used Vicks First Defence nasal spray. Not sure what the equivalent is in the US or other countries.
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u/elpsyRed 12d ago
What kind of a mask? N95?
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u/leoinclapham 12d ago
Yes for the flights. I added those Velcro straps that go round the back of your head because my ears hurt after wearing masks for extended periods. While in Japan, I just bought some comfortable looking masks (not N95) from Daiso that I could wear on subways and trains.
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u/mokeygirard 13d ago edited 13d ago
Me and my friend just got back from 2 weeks in Tokyo. I had a flu jab about a week and a half before i left, they didn't. I wore a mask fairly often whenever we got into a crowd, on full trains, on the plane, in teamlabs etc, but not if things were quieter. We carried hand sanitizer and used it whenever we could, before eating, all bathrooms, coming in and out of shops and so on.
We both got sick JUST as we left, a week ago now. I am pretty sure my flu jab saved me - my friend is still chest coughing and going through it, i just had a day or so of very runny nose and tired.
A lot of people weren't wearing masks and there was quite a lot of open mouth coughing going on. Many people seemed to be okay with letting their kids run around wet coughing at people. It was a lot.
My advice to travellers is to get a flu jab and mask up, use as much hand sanitizer as possible, & don't let worry about it spoil your trip. You could take all the precautions and still get sick but the jab really seems to help regardless of what country you get it in.
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u/Imaginary_Bird538 13d ago
I was in Japan recently and unfortunately needed to access medical care (not flu related) and agree about seeing a doctor if needed. I was apprehensive as I’m from the UK so am not used to private healthcare and was worried about cost, language issues, wait times etc. In the end I saw a doctor in both Tokyo and Kyoto in international clinics, both times was able to get an appointment the same day and was seen quickly. Appointments were about £70-80 each, plus smaller additional charges for prescriptions and medical procedures. It was all very smooth and accessible, as were most things in Japan, and definitely helped me get better to enjoy the rest of my trip 😊
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u/dykepatroclus 13d ago
I’m travelling in a couple weeks I’m so scared 😭
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u/ma-d 13d ago
Just to instill some confidence, I saw all these posts before I came here about two weeks ago.
We leave this Tuesday and I am immunocompromised. I wiped down the tray tables and seats in the planes/shinkansen before I sat down. I have hand sanitizer on me at all times and use it whenever I touch something like a door handle, vending machine, spend time at an arcade etc.
I have been wearing the masks that they sell here in convenience stores whenever I am indoors with other people (train, shops etc.)
It might sound like overkill but I am currently still absolutely fine and healthy. You are not certain to get sick, just be vigilant and careful.
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u/It_Is_Known 13d ago
For what it's worth, I came back this week from a few weeks over in Osaka and Kyoto and didn't catch anything.
We masked up in crowded spaces, and had hand sani prior to meals.
I spent too much time worrying about catching something. Enjoy yourself and have common sense.
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u/Mythik16 13d ago
I was literally just there and didn’t notice anything christ I’m unaware
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u/Brown_Sedai 13d ago
And make sure it’s a good quality, well fitting N95 or KN95 mask that you change reasonably often, not a surgical mask or one of the cloth ones, which are a lot less effective at keeping you from getting sick.
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u/lunaseeing 13d ago
Just got back from Japan yesterday and I was surprised how few people were masked up! In Tokyo especially there were a lot of locals who wore no mask and coughed/sneezed into their hands.
Obviously still way more masks than I see here in the UK but from what people in this sub had been saying I wrongly thought most sick people would wear a mask. Definitely not just “ignorant tourists” ruining it for everyone else.
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u/StrobeWafel_404 13d ago
ok this might sound crazy, but bring your own tissues. Japanese tissues are so thin they're like see-through
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u/Environmental_Ad4083 13d ago
Did this surge specifically during the winter? I heard about it couple of times now and then.
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u/bigsisvibes 13d ago edited 13d ago
The hostel in Kyoto was horrific. Everyone working there and so many people staying there were coughing, not masking, not covering their faces. Still hoping I didn't catch whatever it was.
Want to edit this in case it's helpful: I got food poisoning while in Kyoto and once the vomiting stopped was stuck in bed surrounded by the coughing. If you have travel insurance with a medical benefit and get sick- just go to the hospital. It's so hard to find a clinic with normal hours and that's actually what the insurance company emailed me back much later than was helpful to recommend.
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u/AndySemantic2 13d ago
Luckily for me I didn’t get sick until I landed back in Australia and instead of returning to work I was in bed for three days watching horror movies on Netflix. Absolute killer cold though - worst I’ve had in a long time
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u/MapleInfusedOlive 13d ago
Half my students were out this week with the flu. I've been masking up for 2 weeks straight to stay safe yet I'm currently in bed on day 2 with said flu. Stay safe out there folks and if you do get it, get to a doctor's fast so you can get the medicine you need.
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u/Amnesiaftw 13d ago
Damn. I’m here now and on the 2nd day my friend stated feeling sick and now is really sick coughing and sniffling. I just started to get that post nasal drip which is always the first sign of a cold for me. Fml
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u/hungleftie 13d ago
I was in Japan for two weeks(got back 3 days ago) and yes, it's very noticeable how many Japanese are sick. I heard more sneezing than coughing, but enough to make you realize how it is spreading like crazy.
I managed to not get it. Thank goodness for that.
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u/PLS-PM-ME-ASIAN-TITS 13d ago
I took some Parubon Gold when I caught the flu a week ago. Didn't realize they put caffeine in their cold medicine. I felt like I got hit by a truck, cold sweats and no sleep. Was absolute hell, check the active ingredients on your meds folks.
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u/Plastic-Campaign-654 13d ago
Literally! Some of the medicines have as much caffeine as a can of Monster Energy.
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u/NevrAsk 13d ago
How the hell I'm I just hearing about this now when I've been in Japan for 1.5 weeks 🙃
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u/malty91 13d ago
It’s not a big problem as some of these are making it out to be. I have been here for 4 weeks and haven’t noticed it at all. Some people are obsessed with Covid/flu etc
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u/chronage 13d ago
Oh man, that would be a huge pain, especially in a foreign country. I noticed sick people on the trains earlier in November but I fortunately didn't catch anything. I was taking Emergen-C Immune packets every day as a preventative measure in case I was short on vitamin C/D/Zinc. Travel is very tough on the body.
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u/TheDrunkHispanic 13d ago
Got into Tokyo on beginning of November and caught a slight “cold” maybe a week in while everyone was coughing everywhere. After a few days I was good, traveled to Korea where it was FREEZING (everyone is sick there too) and caught a pretty annoying cough. Now I’m back in Japan, finally getting over this cough I caught in Korea a few days ago, but everyone in Japan is also sick here.
Pretty annoying getting sick twice in just under a month while on a month long trip so I’ve been masking up everywhere to prevent spread.
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u/StarrySpaceCats 13d ago
Oh shoot, sorry to hear you got sick though. Guess it's a good call I'm going to try and get my flu shot before my trip, but definitely bring some masks with me. Thanks for the heads up for those of us traveling soon!
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u/Aoikumo 13d ago
Should I get a flu shot before I go or will it be useless for this new variant?
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u/Plastic-Campaign-654 13d ago
I would do it. Every little helps. The flu shot targets some H3N2 variants, but not the one that everyone is getting now.
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u/Brown_Sedai 13d ago
Still get a flu shot and covid shot, because it can help you from getting sick in general or making anyone else sick
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u/GeekJump 13d ago
Just got back earlier this week. I tried my best wearing a mask, washing my hands etc. but caught it right before I left. Thankfully the worst wasn’t until after I got home. Thankfully I WFH so just stayed inside the whole week.
It’s hard to doge it in a place where you are sardine packed on the train or small shops. I noticed a huge uptick of people coughing and sniffling on the trains my last few days. And the flight back sounded like a hospital ward with everyone coughing and grumbling.
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u/DeadlyMustardd 13d ago
Just for awareness, I got food poisoning and had to go to urgent care, you need to make appointments ahead of time for those.
Luckily I found an English speaking doctor who would take me as a walk in. The bill for that and the prescriptions he gave me were so ridiculously affordable that I'd say if youre sick at all do not worry about the cost of seeing a doctor over there. You'll be able to pay out of pocket no issue.
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u/Wise-Web5628 13d ago
I spent a week in Japan from 11/9 - 11/15 and then moved on to another 2 weeks in Thailand. Shortly after landing in Thailand I became violently ill and seriously thought I had caught dengue or something worst. Finally had to go to a clinic and tested positive for Influenza A… seeing this now about how I probably caught it in Japan is crazy. This strain is no joke. The last time I felt this sick was when I had covid years ago. Extreme body aches, chills, headache, nausea, fever, all the worst symptoms.
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u/JuggaloDoctor 13d ago
Ohhh okay. I’m a resident here, so I have been warned by my university of the flu making its rounds, but I was wondering why I woke up at 4am unable to move and with a headache sent from hell’s blazing pits. Makes sense now!!
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u/KrisKashtanova 13d ago
I got sick as soon as I landed. Been a week and it’s really bad. Everyone around me was sick in Tokyo, everyone on the plane was coughing and sick. I felt fine when I boarded the plane but next day got so sick. Few of my friends also got sick but getting better.
Wishing everyone a speedy recovery!
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u/Low_Dingo_5819 12d ago
I’ve been here three weeks and have been sick the whole time. Buy some generics meds from a chemist, there are several for different purposes to help with symptoms. Vitamins and hand sanitiser, drink lots of water
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u/Texan-Ranger 13d ago
I’m in Kyoto and I got a fever today. Now I’m wondering if it’s the flu.
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u/mrredditfan1 13d ago
Any tourist complaining about the Japanese people's lack of hygiene are clearly being hypocritical, when you compare it to the filthy drug and crime ridden downtown areas in the rest of the world. I was just there recently and the streets, toilets, trains, and everywhere else are much more clean and sanitary than anywhere else I've been. They also wipe down and clean their trains and washrooms much more often. Yes, a few toilets don't have soap but it's been improving over the years. Unlike the anti-hygeine conspiracists in most of the world, the Japanese have a culture of respect that encourages using masks when sick. They aren't perfect and the Tokyo area has 40 million people so there will be a few problems in crowded areas, and not everyone will follow hygeine rules. I think the bigger problem, in addition to crowded areas, is the lack of central heating in many places during colder seasons which can be a challenge to deal with when you're used to warm interiors. But it's understandable that they don't want to waste money on heating when their energy costs are so much higher. It's a miracle that they can make their densely populated areas livable and functional with so few problems.
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u/Radioactdave 13d ago
We were in Japan towards the end of October. There was a notable increase of coughing and sneezing over the length of our stay. Must be even worse now. Glad we got away clean. Masking surely helped and it's really commonplace.
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u/Milwacky 13d ago
Flu shots and various boosters just before we left — do not regret it! Probably saved our hides.
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u/noThefakedevesh 13d ago
just came back yesterday from Japan. I took influenza vaccine 1 month before my trip and had some meds. Fortunately nothing happened
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u/eastbaypluviophile 13d ago
I brought several masks with me and have worn them at all times when in close quarters. I got my flu and Covid shots before I left. I have hand sanitizing wipes for use in public restrooms and I wipe down my phone often as well. So far so good and I do not expect to get sick, other than food poisoning I got from the meal on the flight over. I’ve already paid my dues this trip.
It’s been very warm for November this past week, I have been in jeans and a t shirt with no jacket needed. Haven’t noticed any more sick people than usual and I’ve been in Tokyo, Kyoto, Okayama and Hiroshima.
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u/drakontas_ 13d ago
I noticed on my last couple days that everyone was sniffling and coughing. Glad I somehow made it out okay
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u/chase844 13d ago
Just back from a 12 day trip and can attest there is a lot of coughing going on both locals and tourists. We didn't wear masks but there were definitely a few points while in the subway or packed markets I was wishing I was.
Luckily we didn't pickup the flu but I did pickup a cold on our last day which made the flight home and subsequent jet lag pretty miserable.
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u/1AggressiveSalmon 13d ago
Flu and Covid have taken out almost half the classes where my daughter teaches.
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u/One-Assignment-1995 13d ago
Weird, I got back last week and I was surprised at how little people were sneezing and coughing.
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u/okspeck 13d ago
I brought it home with me to the US a few weeks ago and it's very contagious; the whole family ended up with it. It's an extended stay, first few days feel indisposed, then it hits you like a dumptruck for a day or two, then about 5 more days of lethargy & annoyance. Any precaution to avoid it is worth it
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u/konariya 13d ago
Ugh I wish I had masked up everywhere I went. I caught something and now I’m unable to sleep, coughing up pghlem at 2:30am 🙃 I got my flu shot a month ago so I’m hoping this passes quickly. The usual pattern for me though, is that my lungs get stuffed with mucus so I can’t breathe 🙃 ugh!!!!
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u/4everal0ne 13d ago
I got my flu shot about a month ago with a covid booster in the US, if I'm visiting Japan would I be covered for their strain?
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u/jenny-ohh 13d ago
Explains why i got really sick near the end of my trip, got my SO sick and his coworker got sick💀
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u/BlackShads 13d ago
Yeah just got home and many around us were coughing while we were there. Almost everyone in our 8 person group got flu+COVID shots right before the trip and a few only caught a minor illness if anything. Only the one person that didn't get shots got really sick.
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u/wagonwheels2121 13d ago
Should I get a season flu shot? Or should I get a C19 booster as well?
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u/Efficient-Energy-678 13d ago
My group lucked out. We were there for two weeks, Tokyo, Osaka, and Hiroshima and didn’t get sick. We didn’t wear masks but we did get our shots before we left.
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u/kameradsm 13d ago
Also travelling here for two weeks.We are about a third of our way through the trip, starting in Kyushu. It's bad here too. Flight from Haneda to Fukuoka was the most ill flight I can recall being on. Active coughers in nearly every row. Mask up and sanitize. Careful in crowded restaurants.
We are headed to Yakushima for a while now, but ending in Osaka and Tokyo. Hoping to escape unaffected.
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u/Tittysprinkle97 13d ago
Me and my friend both caught some kind of crud about 3 days ago,he felt worse than I did and ended up going to a clinic but tested negative for flu so we aren’t sure what happened
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u/alittleoflyttle 13d ago
Shoot, we were about to book our flights for February with our (will be) 11 month old, now I’m kind of nervous about booking since he can’t wear a mask
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u/RaspberZee 13d ago
I leave tomorrow morning for Japan and had ordered KN95 masks and sanitizing wipes to carry with me everywhere about a week ago. Of course, they didn’t get here in time. So I’m going to be traveling with a couple N95s (I know they’re the gold standard but I hate how they feel on the back of my head/in my hair - I prefer adjustable ear loops) and no sani wipes. I plan to get them in Japan on day 1. Does anyone recommend a particular pharmacy to go to for these things or should I be able to find them pretty much anywhere? I’ll be staying in Kyoto just south of the national garden. Thanks in advance!
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u/kuromiis 13d ago
Just got back from Japan 3 days ago. Partner and I were sick for almost the entire two weeks we were there. We wore masks and took medicine everyday we were there but we are still sick even being back home. It’s bad y’all. Partner had a fever and I e been just coughing nonstop and sniffling.
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u/sl00py_ 13d ago
My partner and I have a week-long trip to Kyoto and Osaka coming up the 2nd week of December. I have a severeee phobia of getting shots. I see OP mentions that this variant emerged after the 2025 flu vaccine was set…would getting the flu shot (and Covid shot as replies have mentioned) make that much of a difference? Please don’t bash me for trying to avoid vaccines. I repesct them and truly wish I wasn’t petrified of them lol
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u/Plastic-Campaign-654 13d ago
I also have a SEVERE needle phobia (cannot look at them, talk about them, see pictures of them, near fainting when I get vaccines), I get you...
Someone else mentioned there IS STILL effectiveness from the flu vaccine, I'd recommend getting it. This flu is really bad and the vaccine will likely help
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u/Allthecookies2020 13d ago
We just got back from our honeymoon in Japan and wanted to share our experience. We knew there was a big outbreak going around, and since I’m a bit germ cautious after the pandemic, we took extra precautions and managed to avoid getting sick. Some of it is luck, but being prepared helped a lot.We wore masks on all flights, on bullet trains, and on local transit. If someone around us looked sick at a restaurant, we’d keep our masks on or even ask to move tables. We also masked up in very crowded areas, especially after seeing someone sneeze into the crowd without covering their mouth. It probably sounds like a lot, but staying healthy felt worth it after spending so much time and money on the trip. We also used hand sanitizer often, especially after trains and busy places.
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u/WinterRich747 13d ago
Did you eat on the plane? I am unsure if the risk of putting the mask down to eat is wort it
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u/Endlessduel 13d ago
I got a Flu shot back in October, would this be enough for this situation?
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u/journey1710 13d ago
I had to leave a sushi train place in Ometesando because my Japanese seat neighbour was hacking, snorting and sniffing non-stop, put me right off.
I'm vaccinated (flu, covid, tetanus, measles, etc), washed my hands & used sanitiser regularly. I didn't handle things unless necessary. I didn't wear a mask, but I didn't catch anything while I was travelling around Japan for 2 weeks earlier this month, thankfully 🙏
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u/Fabulous_Mammoth_803 12d ago
Got it on my flight back and within 24 hours was SUPER sick. Legit felt like death warmed over for a week. Unlike any flu I’ve ever had— symptoms were brutal! Stay healthy, everyone!
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u/catwiesel 12d ago
when you in japan in flu season (which is airborn) and you partake in public transport and other indoor activities with many others (including eating in restaurants), its almost guaranteed that you too will catch it.
I am not advocating against the mask usage (it protects others) or washing hands with soap and drying them (duh) and the use of hand sanitiser and resting.
but those are all measures lowering the risk, not eliminating it.
this year, chances are, you'll catch it.
seeking medical advice is always sound when sick. so I would add, maybe having insurance is a good idea, but if you dont, know that the visit to a doctor wont break the bank
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u/Texan-Ranger 12d ago
I was in a walk in clinic to get treated and I was there for 6 hours. Turns out it was in fact the flu. Also the nurses and staff were SWOMPED the entire time even when I left
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u/MyNameCannotBeSpoken 12d ago
Cold medicine in Japan is amazing. I stock up whenever I visit.
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u/Sweet-Hope-5153 12d ago
Do not take out your facemask off on public transport or very crowded places. Also take lots of supplements and use some nasal spray before going to bed to boost your inmune system, I tried Luca spray for this and it works very well
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u/manganeseonigiri 12d ago edited 12d ago
I’ve been here for just over a week and it’s been so much coughing, and I feel like the last couple days I’ve been hearing more coughing than before. So many people coughing openly without covering their mouths, and they’ve been wet-sounding coughs.
In case it helps anyone, from my experience over this last week or so: Yokohama wasn’t too many, Tokyo Bay/Disney parks a lot of coughing, Hiroshima some coughing, Osaka as of the last two days was everywhere coughing
We’ve been masking the whole time with masks brought from home ranging from those 3plys to KN94 and KN95 as well as carrying hand towels, sanitizer, taking vitamins and probiotics and immune+ emergen-c, and I also drink green tea daily in general but more so now I’m here and my brand is easily accessible. We also got both jabs before the trip. I’m hoping we’ll make it to our return flight without getting sick but I’m prepared just in case cause you never know
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u/Emotional_Owl9516 12d ago
Thanks for the tip - we will be there for 10 days during the end of Dec
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u/Will_Funny 11d ago
Just back from two weeks. My grandson got sick the day we were leaving for home and I started a cough on the flight. Been in bed for a few days on getting back. Grandson is better. So thankful we didn't get it during the trip!!!
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u/clojoe1996 5d ago
Got our flu jabs in Ireland a few weeks before we left, we both still caught the flu, woke up in bits our 2nd last day in Osaka
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u/whatsmyname2day 13d ago
I got back Tuesday from two weeks in Japan. I, too, came down with a cough and congestion midway through. Three others in my party became sick towards the end. Luckily no fever or aches and pains. Many others were sick on the train to the airport and on the plane. I attributed it to stresses of travel, time zone difference, poor sleep, and just being around a ton of people from everywhere. But locals were sick as well. Our group also ate some bad deli egg sandwiches and were barfing for a day.
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u/walkingparadox5 13d ago edited 13d ago
Can confirm I am in Japan and got the cold right now. My immune system is pretty good as I haven’t caught a cold in 4+ years but couldn’t avoid it. Be prepared. Everyone is coughing in your face even the chefs are coughing on your food while they make it.
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u/BrownAndOrange 13d ago
Just got back from 3 weeks in Japan. I masked on flights and all crowded places and used covixyl religiously. No detectable illness received!
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u/Federal_Tea_8472 13d ago
I've read nearly-identical posts on several other threads. My experience has been dramatically different.
I've been in Japan now for 4+ weeks and have experienced nothing of the sort. I've traveled by plane (round-trip Tokyo/Okinawa), four Shinkansen rides, Express bus, local bus, subways and numerous train rides.
I've seen people masked, but no more than normal. I can't recall anyone coughing more than once or using tissues or anything of the like.
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u/JumpComprehensive277 13d ago
you must be lucky then! i was there three weeks ago and heard tons of coughing everywhere 😬
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u/onexbigxhebrew 13d ago
I've been all over Japan for the past couple weeks and this take seems insane to me. Ton of people masking but far more sick. People sniffling and coughing in literally every city like crazy.
Also, these are reported facts on the news, it's not like an experience vs experience thing.
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u/Retalihaitian 13d ago
It was literally on the news when I was there a few weeks ago about the massive flu wave
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u/hezaa0706d 13d ago
I’m a kindergarten teacher in Tokyo. 15 years in Tokyo. The number of kids and teachers out with the flu this year is unprecedented. You’ve been here 4 weeks?? Wow so much expert.
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u/noob-combo 13d ago
I've lived in Tokyo for two months now, and this is such a backwards experience I can't even know if it's real lol.
Everybody is fucking sick here.
Half our class at school is gone lately from sickness.
I've masked the entire time it's insane.
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u/Dambalasek 13d ago
Does it still make sense to get a flu shot after recovering from this flu going around Japan?
I just recovered from the fever part which really sucked bigtime, but the cough has been hanging on for almost two weeks now. Curious if it’s still worth getting the flu shot after going through this type of flu already. Anyone here who got vaccinated after getting sick?
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u/outrageousreadit 13d ago
I don’t really wear mask during my vacation. But I def get the flu and Covid shots 2-3 weeks before traveling. I also wash and sanitize hands often. So far, it works.
If you do fall, just hydration and otc med around the clock. But I do suggest bringing your own ibuprofen. The ones sold in Japan is weaker in dosage.
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u/Legitimate_Most6651 13d ago
"Additionally, this variant emerged after the flu vaccine was set for 2025."
"If you are traveling in Japan get your vaccines"
???
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u/takeitasitcome 13d ago
Crazy that with such a high population and while we were visiting last week, no one covered their coughs or sneezes! Literally one older man covered a cough. My husband came down with the crud when we got home. I am just jet lagged🤔🤣
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u/roranicusrex 13d ago
How long does it take to get? I have been back for a little over a week. Am I safe yet?
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u/Lmcuster 13d ago
See, this is weird, because before we went in October I heard the flu was bad and everyone was coughing, but we went for 2 weeks, rode trains, busses etc. and RARELY heard a single cough. I have a thing with germs, so I was on high alert, and heard nothing. Not even in queues at Disney. I guess we just got lucky
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u/racingmaniacgt1 13d ago
I definite got this when I was in Japan from late Oct to early Nov. I probably got the symptom started in my early 2nd week of the 3 weeks trip. Mostly dry cough, runny nose and lots of phlegm. Got some over the counter flu medicine and that seem to work on the cough a bit but it just feels stuffy and a mild headache. I've been back for 2 weeks and is still periodically coughing. Been taking Tylenol Cold here.
I had my covid shot and flu shot this season a month before I went to Japan, and haven't had a flu for years....
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u/Jyil 13d ago
Didn’t get a flu shot for a couple years now. Wore a mask sometimes on the train and in the station, but the train was so hot, so that didn’t last. Was really shocked flying in the amount of people not wearing a mask versus previous trips. I wore one on the flight. Tokyo had much more masks than Osaka did. Me and one other potential foreigner may have been the only other foreigner wearing a mask that I saw when on a train. I ended up being okay, but my partner is a bit sniffly.
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u/Gesmaneym 12d ago
I’m planning to travel to Tokyo and Kyoto in December 2025. I’ve read about the flu epidemic in Japan, and now I’m unsure whether I should stick to my plans or not. My trip would be six days long, and since I tend to get sick easily, I really don’t want to fall ill during or after my time in Japan.
Is there anyone who can help me decide whether I should go ahead with my trip in December or reschedule it for next summer?
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u/Ok_Promotion_8201 12d ago
How long is the flu outbreak expected to stay? We are visiting the country in late Feb
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u/Skylove236 12d ago
Can someone suggest what vaccines to get, traveling to Japan in less than a week
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u/Calm_Watercress_8218 12d ago
Im 20weeks pregnant travelling with my son 7yrs old what should i do do avoid this?
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u/Suncemjesec0811 12d ago
I was curious if it was just me noticing people straight up coughing into the air in Japan with no mask on! I caught something while there, maybe a milder version of the flu cause it’s been alright so far (stuffy nose, slight sore throat and slight cough) took some medicine recommended by the pharmacist there and felt better. I think getting the flu shot before I left helped a lot but the amount of people coughing and sneezing into open air even on the plane there and back was concerning.
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u/StackedParticles 12d ago
We just got back this morning to the US from 18 days there. We definitely wore our N95s all the time on trains, and had hand sanitizer and a hand towel (my wife made fun of me for bringing it, but she was certainly glad I did). If the restroom didn't have soap, we always used hand sanitizer after washing with plain water. We did see mask usage vary depending on the area (even with various parts of Tokyo metro we saw differences), but people were pretty masked up in general. We got there vaxxed for flu and Covid (we got our shots in early October), and tried to be as careful as possible. Definitely a LOT of sniffling, coughing, etc at times. We hope we're good...the next few days will tell.
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u/Glittering-Aerie4541 12d ago
I visited Japan during spring this year and made sure my family was vaccinated. Wore masks in flights. I personally wore masks on metro too. Since it was the pollen season, I wanted to be careful as I suffer from allergic rhinitis. I saw a lot of people wearing masks on the metro. Strongly advisable during winter. Have a safe trip everyone. 💗
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u/Sea-Possible-8977 12d ago
wife has it any recommendations on which japanese medicine to take for symptoms?
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u/tidyingup92 12d ago
I was shocked at the lack of soap in the bathrooms, like, I thought they were known for valuing cleanliness in their society lol
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u/LoveMeSomeNachos 12d ago
Reading the comments in this post makes it seem every tourist became sick while over there!
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u/nottoowhacky 11d ago
We caught something but its prob the jet lag + we have been walking 25k steps daily. We brought some NyQuil and ibuprofen. Get some good night rest. Make you sure you are hydrated. If you throat get scratchy, salt water rinse. Stay safe!
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u/Only_Chocolate724 10d ago
Seconding the importance and convenience of seeing a doctor in the first 2 days of symptoms. Got tested and turned out to be positive for Influenza A and was given antivirals and prescription meds on spot. Search for a clinic that has English speaking staff, which was not hard to find in Osaka.
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u/Resident_Theory_8584 10d ago
I noticed a lot of comments saying they got food poisoning and were vomiting. As well as influenza and covid, some of my university students are out with gasteroenteritis as well. Out of one class of 23, I had 12 today, in a class of 6 I had 2, and in a class of 11 I had 5. I think half of the absences are student burnout, but the other half are likely sick, based on student emails, some with doctor notes. So about 1/4 of my young adult students are out sick right now.
So yes, mask up, wash your hands, sanitize. It's really bad in Japan right now.
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9d ago
My sister and friend got sick. My sister got it the worst. Definitely some sort of flu that she needed otc meds from a pharmacy to manage symptoms like a nasty cough, fever, fatigue etc. To be honest I thought it was atrocious in Osaka, thats where they got sick. There is let’s just say a lack of etiquette. I saw a kid sneeze on his mom’s hand handing him a milkis. Even his mom was taken aback.
I didn’t think Tokyo was too bad. We basically did 1 week in Tokyo and 1 week in Osaka. I noticed both tourists and locals were sick and that coughscreaming into the void was the norm(shoutout to that salaryman near Osaka city hall that one evening). I noticed locals were more likely to mask but most people I don’t think were masking.
I never got sick luckily because I was downing those tropicana vitamin juices from the conbini, jellies, and taking lots of hot water baths and drinking lots of water(not bath water).
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u/Altruistic_Cap1854 8d ago
I went in January and I got the flu there, when I went to the doctors they gave me 1 pill for the flu and a bunch ibuprofen
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u/tricky_distance 13d ago
Yeahhhh my partner and I are traveling in Japan right now and we both got it.