Is it okay to use a full application of tester cosmetics at a Japanese drugstore?

No — Testers are for light sampling — a small swatch on the back of your hand to check color or texture. Full application (doing your whole face, multiple layers) uses up the tester and makes it unusable for others. Use a small amount, check what you need, and move on.

Should you check import rules before buying Japanese medications to take home?

Yes — Yes — some medications legal in Japan are banned or restricted in other countries, and vice versa. Cold medicines with pseudoephedrine are actually banned in Japan. On the way home, medications that could be classified as controlled substances need to comply with your country's import rules. Skincare and cosmetics are almost always fine. Medicines require a quick check.

Does staff following you around a Japanese drugstore mean they suspect you of shoplifting?

No — No — attentive floor staffing is standard in Japanese retail across the board. Staff are expected to be visible and nearby, not behind a counter waiting to be approached. A small nod or 'daijoubu desu' (I'm fine) signals you're just browsing, and they'll give you space while staying available.

Shopping

Japanese Drugstores: Tester, Point Card & Export Rules

Matsukiyo, Sundrug, Cosme Kitchen — cheap and amazing, but testers have limits, some meds can't leave Japan, and the follow-around staff is normal.

Aggressive tester use

Using cosmetic or beauty testers for a full application — multiple layers, tools, the works

Japanese drugstore testers are there for a quick color check or a small skin test, not for a full beauty session. Using the tester foundation to do your whole face, or applying multiple eyeshadow colors all over your eyelids, or using the tester mascara wand directly on your eye — these cross from sampling into using the product. Staff notice, and it makes the tester unusable for the next person.

Use testers lightly — a small swatch on the back of your hand or wrist is the right amount

The back of the hand is the standard testing spot for foundation, skincare, and lip color. A small amount, a quick check, done. For skincare, one small pump on the back of your hand to check texture and scent is fine. Don't use mascara or eyeliner testers directly on your face — there are typically cotton swab dispensers nearby for applying small amounts safely.

Not knowing about the medicine notebook

Looking confused when the pharmacist asks if you have a medicine notebook (お薬手帳)

In Japan, pharmacists often ask if you have an okusuri techou — a small booklet that records all your prescription medications, allergies, and pharmacy history. It's a standard health safety question, not a trick. Foreigners obviously don't have one, but looking totally blank or not knowing what they're asking can slow things down at the pharmacy counter.

Just say 'motte imasen' — you don't have one, and that's completely fine

'Motte imasen' means 'I don't have one.' Say that, or shake your head and say 'nai desu' ('I don't have it'). The pharmacist will simply note it and move on. This is a formality — they ask everyone. For over-the-counter medications in a regular drugstore, this question usually doesn't come up. It's more common at a dispensing pharmacy attached to a clinic.

Buying medications to take home without checking the rules

Stocking up on cold medicine or allergy pills to bring back without verifying what's allowed

Japan has strict import/export rules for certain medications. Common Western cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine (like some versions of Sudafed) are banned in Japan — you can't even bring them in when you arrive. On the way out, some Japanese medications (especially those containing codeine or certain stimulants) can't be imported into your home country. This is a real legal issue, not a technicality.

Check your home country's import rules before buying Japanese medications to take home

For skincare and cosmetics, you're almost certainly fine. For medications, spend five minutes before your trip checking what your country allows. The US, EU, Australia, and most others have customs declarations for medicines. Bringing home a reasonable personal supply (usually under 30 days' worth) of standard OTC medicine is generally fine, but anything that could be classified as a controlled substance needs research first.

Misreading staff attentiveness as suspicion

Getting uncomfortable when a staff member seems to be following you around the store

Western retail norms are for staff to stay behind the counter and leave you alone. Japanese retail norms are the opposite — staff are expected to be visible, nearby, and attentive on the floor. In a drugstore, this can feel like you're being watched or suspected of shoplifting, especially if you're lingering in an aisle testing things. You're not being surveilled; this is just how Japanese stores are staffed.

A small bow and a smile is all you need — then browse comfortably

When a staff member makes eye contact or says 'irasshaimase,' a small nod or bow and a 'daijoubu desu' ('I'm fine, thank you') is the signal that you're just browsing. They'll stay nearby but won't push. This is standard across almost all Japanese retail — convenience stores, clothing shops, electronics stores — not just drugstores. It's attentiveness, not suspicion.

Why tourists lose their minds in Japanese drugstores

A Western pharmacy sells medications and basics. A Japanese drugstore is a full lifestyle shop — skincare brands that cost five times more abroad, cult beauty tools, snacks, collagen supplements, hundred-yen cosmetics that outperform high-end Western brands. The product density is unlike anything in Europe or North America, and the prices make it worse (better?). You will buy more than you planned.

The etiquette is mostly about testers and staff. Japanese stores invest in proper tester displays with cotton swabs, mirrors, and disposal bins. The deal is simple: a small swatch on the back of your hand to check color or texture — not a full face of foundation from the communal tester. Light use, leave it clean for the next person.

The staff member who seems to be following you around the sheet mask aisle? Not surveillance. Japanese retail prioritizes floor presence — staff are expected to be visible and nearby, not hiding behind a counter. A nod and “daijoubu desu” (“I’m fine”) signals you’re just browsing. They’ll back off but stay available.

Small swatch, not a makeover. Attentive staff, not suspicious staff. That’s the drugstore code.

A few “nice to know” extras

Tax-free threshold — Most drugstores participate in the tax-free program. Spend 5,000 yen or more in a single transaction, show your passport, and the 10% consumption tax gets refunded at the register. Look for “Tax Free” signs at the entrance.
Point cards add up fast — Matsukiyo’s app card, Sundrug’s T-Point tie-in, Tsuruha’s own card. If you’re in Japan more than a week, two minutes of signup pays for itself. Some chains stack bonus point days on top.
Tourist-area markup is real — The same products at a Shinjuku or Dotonbori drugstore can cost noticeably more than at a suburban neighborhood branch. If you’re near a residential-area store, check prices there first.
Pharmacist questions are required by law — For certain drug categories, the pharmacist will ask about allergies, current medications, and age. It’s not intrusive — answer simply and they’ll wrap up fast. Most tourist-area staff have basic English for this.
Check import rules before stocking up on meds — Some Japanese medications can’t legally enter your home country. Skincare and cosmetics are almost always fine. Anything with codeine or stimulant compounds needs a quick check before you pack it.

Quick check

Three questions to lock in the drugstore instinct.

Q1 Is it okay to use a full application of tester cosmetics at a Japanese drugstore?
Q2 Should you check import rules before buying Japanese medications to take home?
Q3 Does staff following you around a Japanese drugstore mean they suspect you of shoplifting?