Dental care in Japan is widely available, mostly covered by national health insurance, and easier to use than it first looks. Here's how to find a dentist, what to bring, and what a visit is usually like.
A toothache in a new country is stressful, but dental care in Japan is one of the easier parts of the health system to use. Clinics are everywhere, much of the routine work is covered by national health insurance, and you do not need a referral — you can simply make an appointment yourself. This guide is an orientation to how the system works, so you know what to expect. It is not medical advice: for anything about your own teeth, see a dentist.
Dental clinics are usually called 歯科 (shika) or 歯医者 (haisha). You will see them on most shopping streets and near stations. A few practical ways to find one:
Most routine dental treatment — checkups, fillings, treatment for cavities and gum disease, scaling/cleaning, root canal work and simple extractions — is covered by Japan's national health insurance. With insurance you typically pay a 30% copay at the counter and the insurer covers the rest, at nationally fixed prices. Always bring your health insurance card (保険証 / マイナ保険証) to every visit. Some things are not covered and are paid in full privately — for example purely cosmetic work such as whitening, and many implants, orthodontics, and white/ceramic materials chosen for looks. If cost matters to you, ask the clinic in advance whether a treatment is insured (保険) or private (自費).
One thing that surprises many newcomers: dental treatment in Japan is often spread across several short appointments rather than done all at once. A filling, root canal, or crown may mean returning weekly for a few visits. This is normal and tied to how insured treatment is structured — it does not mean anything is wrong. Booking your next appointment before you leave makes the series go smoothly. Routine checkups and professional cleanings (scaling) are also commonly used here, and many residents go for a periodic checkup even without a problem.
Many dentists handle a basic visit in simple Japanese, but if you would feel more comfortable in your own language, you have options. Tokyo's free Foreign Patient Medical Information Service (run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the service historically known as Himawari) can help you find clinics with language support and answer questions about how the system and costs work — by phone on 03-5285-8181, in English, Chinese, Korean, Thai and Spanish, daily 9:00–20:00. For visitors, the JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline runs 24/7 in several languages and has a medical-institution search.
Most clinics keep weekday hours and close on Sundays and holidays, so sudden tooth pain at an awkward time is a common worry. In Tokyo, the Tokyo Dental Association lists holiday emergency dental clinics (休日歯科応急診療) by ward and area for Sundays, public holidays and the year-end/New Year period. You can also ask the Tokyo Fire Department's emergency medical information centre where to go — 03-3212-2323 for the 23 wards, 042-521-2323 for the Tama area. These point you to care; for what is actually wrong and what to do, see a dentist.
