This article was written by the NIPPON VISA & LIFE editorial team based on information from public organizations such as the national government and local governments. Rules and fees may differ depending on the city, ward, town or village where you live.
If you get sick at night or on a Sunday or public holiday in Japan, you may be able to see a doctor at your area’s holiday and night emergency center (sometimes called a “holiday emergency clinic” (kyujitsu kyukan shinryojo) or “night emergency center” (yakan kyubyo center)) or with an on-duty doctor (toban-i). You can find places where you can be seen right now on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s “Medical Information Net (Navii)” or through phone advice lines.
The Short Answer: What to Do If You Get Sick at Night or on a Holiday
- If it seems life-threatening, call 119 immediately for an ambulance
- If you are unsure whether to call an ambulance or go to a hospital right now, call #7119 (Emergency Consultation Service; the number differs in some areas) for advice. For children, call #8000 (Children’s Medical Telephone Consultation)
- If you can go by yourself, look for a place where you can be seen now using “Holiday and night medical institutions” on “Medical Information Net (Navii)” or the information from your city, ward, town or village
- Before you leave, call the medical institution to check that you can be seen now
- Bring your My Number health insurance card or similar, and money
For how to call an ambulance and what you will be asked when you dial 119, please read How to Call an Ambulance in Japan: How to Dial 119, What to Say, and Where to Get Advice When You Are Unsure (#7119). An overview of how to use hospitals is in When You Are Sick or Injured in Japan: The Basics of Hospitals, Ambulances, Medicine, Medical Insurance and Where to Get Advice.
Where You Can Be Seen at Night and on Holidays (3 Levels)
Emergency medical care in Japan is organized into the following levels under guidelines of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
| Level | What kind of place | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Primary emergency care | Holiday and night emergency centers (sometimes called “holiday emergency clinics” or “night emergency centers”), on-duty doctor system for local clinics | Treat sudden illnesses of local residents on holidays and at night |
| Secondary emergency care | Hospitals that take turns, for example under a hospital rotation system | Treat serious emergency patients who need to be admitted, on holidays and at night |
| Critical care and emergency centers | Hospitals set up by the prefecture | As a rule, accept serious emergency patients 24 hours a day |
Primary emergency clinics have set hours and departments (for example, Yokohama City’s holiday emergency clinics cover internal medicine and pediatrics). Which facility is open, when, and for which departments differs by area.
(Sources: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) “Guidelines for Implementing Emergency Medical Care Measures”, Immigration Services Agency (ISA) “Guidebook on Living and Working” Chapter 6: Medical Care 1-1)
Example: Yokohama City
Yokohama City gives the following information (checked on October 21, 2026).
- Sundays, public holidays and the New Year period (December 30 to January 3): Each ward has 1 “holiday emergency clinic” that covers internal medicine and pediatrics. In many wards, the hours are from 10:00 to 16:00
- At night: 3 “night emergency centers” in the city see patients every day from 20:00 to 24:00 (internal medicine, pediatrics, etc.)
- After midnight (0:00): For internal medicine, hospitals listed by the city (secondary emergency base hospitals) provide initial emergency care. Always call to check before you go
- Sudden toothache: There are dental clinics open on holidays and at night
In other cities, wards, towns and villages, the names, hours and systems may differ. Search the website of your city, ward, town or village for “休日急患診療所” (holiday emergency clinic), “夜間急病” (night emergency) or “休日当番医” (holiday on-duty doctor), or look at its public newsletter (information booklet).
(Source: as an example, Yokohama City “Advice When You Suddenly Get Sick and Information on Emergency Medical Institutions”)
How to Find a Place Where You Can Be Seen Now
Search on Medical Information Net (Navii)
“Medical Information Net (Navii)” is a website run by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare where you can search for hospitals, clinics, dental clinics and pharmacies all over Japan. In April 2024, the search systems that each prefecture used to have were combined into one nationwide website.
- Under “Search quickly”, choose “Holiday and night medical institutions” and select a location by address, map, station (railway line) or your current location (GPS). Results are shown in order of distance
- You can also search with “Medical institutions currently open”
- With the “Foreign languages” item, you can search for medical institutions that can respond in foreign languages
- The screen can be switched to Japanese, English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) and Korean
(Sources: MHLW “Medical Information Net (Navii) Holiday and Night Medical Institutions”, MHLW “About the Medical Function Information Provision System (Medical Information Net (Navii))”)
Ask by Phone: #7119
“#7119” (Emergency Consultation Service) is a phone advice line for when you have a sudden illness or injury and are unsure whether “you should call an ambulance” or “you should go to a hospital right now”. Doctors, nurses, paramedics and others listen to you and judge whether your symptoms are urgent. If it is urgent, they connect you to an ambulance. If not, they tell you which medical institutions you can go to and when you should see a doctor.
- According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, #7119 is available in 42 areas across Japan
- Even in areas without #7119, there may be an emergency phone advice service with a different number. Check the website of your prefecture or city, ward, town or village
(Source: Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) “What Is the Emergency Consultation Service (♯7119)?”)
For Children: #8000
If you are worried about a child’s sudden illness, you can call “#8000” (Children’s Medical Telephone Consultation Program).
- It is run by each prefecture. Besides #8000, each prefecture also has a regular phone number
- The hours you can call differ by prefecture (some differ between weekdays and holidays). According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s list (as of May 22, 2026), all 47 prefectures provide the service after midnight (0:00) as well
(Source: MHLW “About the Children’s Medical Telephone Consultation Program (♯8000)”)
If You Want to Ask in a Foreign Language
- With the “Foreign languages” item on Medical Information Net (Navii), you can search for medical institutions that can respond in foreign languages
- On the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) website, you can also search in foreign languages for medical institutions (such as medical institutions selected by prefectures to accept foreign patients) (mainly for travelers)
- You can also consult your city, ward, town or village, or the international association in your area
- Some prefectures offer phone information in foreign languages. For example, Tokyo Metropolitan Government provides information by phone on medical institutions that can respond in foreign languages and explains Japan’s medical system (03-5285-8181. English, Chinese, Korean, Thai and Spanish, every day 9:00 to 20:00. The consultation is free, but you pay the call charges). In Japanese, there is “Himawari” (03-5272-0303), which gives information 24 hours a day on medical institutions in Tokyo where you can be seen now
(Sources: ISA “Guidebook on Living and Working” Chapter 6: Medical Care 1-2, as an example, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Public Health “Medical Information Service for Foreign Patients”, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Public Health “Information on Medical Institutions”)
Before You Go and What to Bring
- Check by phone: The hours and departments in the information may change. Before you go, call the medical institution to check that you can be seen now
- My Number health insurance card or similar: At hospitals and clinics, you show your My Number health insurance card or similar (including the eligibility certificate (shikaku kakuninsho)). If you do not show it, you will have to pay the full medical cost yourself at first
- Money: For example, Yokohama City advises bringing your health insurance card and cash when you go to a holiday emergency clinic
For the procedures at reception and how to pay, please read How to See a Doctor in Japan: Choosing Between Hospitals and Clinics, What to Show at Reception, the Medical Questionnaire, Payment and Medicine.
(Sources: ISA “Guidebook on Living and Working” Chapter 6: Medical Care 1-1 and 2-1, Yokohama City “Are There Clinics or Hospitals That See Patients on Holidays?”, Yokohama City “Advice When You Suddenly Get Sick and Information on Emergency Medical Institutions”)
When You Are in Trouble: Common Questions
What If I Get Sick During the New Year Holidays?
If you get sick during the New Year period, look for a holiday emergency clinic or on-duty doctor using Medical Information Net (Navii) or the information from your city, ward, town or village. For example, Yokohama City’s holiday emergency clinics are also open from December 30 to January 3. Japan’s public holidays and New Year closures are listed in Public Holidays and New Year Closures in Japan: List of Holidays for 2026 and 2027, and Days When Government Offices, Banks and Post Offices Are Closed.
Can a Night Clinic Also Treat Injuries?
Holiday and night clinics cover set departments. For example, Yokohama City’s holiday emergency clinics cover internal medicine and pediatrics. If you are injured, use a phone advice line such as #7119 or Medical Information Net (Navii) to find a place that treats injuries, and call to check before you go.
Can I Call an Ambulance Even for Mild Symptoms?
If you are unsure whether to call an ambulance, you can consult #7119 (or your area’s emergency phone advice service). If your symptoms are judged to be urgent, they will connect you to an ambulance. If it seems life-threatening, call 119 without hesitation.
(Source: Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) “What Is the Emergency Consultation Service (♯7119)?”)
Primary Sources Used for This Article
- MHLW “Medical Information Net (Navii) Holiday and Night Medical Institutions”
- MHLW “About the Medical Function Information Provision System (Medical Information Net (Navii))”
- MHLW “Guidelines for Implementing Emergency Medical Care Measures”
- MHLW “About the Children’s Medical Telephone Consultation Program (♯8000)”
- Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) “What Is the Emergency Consultation Service (♯7119)?”
- ISA “Guidebook on Living and Working” 8th edition (Chapter 6: Medical Care)
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) “Guide for When You Feel Ill”
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Public Health “Medical Information Service for Foreign Patients”
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Public Health “Information on Medical Institutions”
- Yokohama City “Advice When You Suddenly Get Sick and Information on Emergency Medical Institutions”
- Yokohama City “Are There Clinics or Hospitals That See Patients on Holidays?”
This article is a translation of the original Japanese version.
