Where do you find pharmacy in Kyoto? Somewhere you can trust, that won't cost a fortune?

Kyoto has all the same drugstore chains as Tokyo. Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Sundrug, and Daikoku Drug are clustered around Shijo-dori and the Kawaramachi shopping area. The same OTC restrictions apply as elsewhere in Japan: basic painkillers and cold medicine are fine, but antibiotics and stronger medications need a prescription.

Cost

Prices are essentially the same as Tokyo. OTC pain relievers run 300 to 800 JPY. Children's medicine is similarly priced. No real difference between Kyoto and other major Japanese cities.

Practical tips

The drugstores around Shijo-Kawaramachi intersection have the most tourist-friendly staff. If you're spending time around Fushimi Inari or the eastern temples, there are fewer pharmacies in those areas so pick up what you need before heading out. The main Matsumoto Kiyoshi on Shijo-dori has English signage for common medications. For prescription medications, you'll need to visit a clinic first. There's a cluster of clinics near Kyoto Station that see foreign patients.

Language

Less English than Tokyo, more than rural Japan. The tourist-area drugstores manage basic English. For anything complicated, Google Translate or the pharmacist's willingness to look up generic drug names on their computer will get you through.

With kids

Japanese pharmacies carry children's medications but everything is in Japanese. Show the pharmacist your child's weight in kilograms and the symptom. Bufferin Kids and children's cold medicine are common brands. Baby formula and diapers are widely available at drug stores like Matsumoto Kiyoshi.

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Sources: CDC Travel Health: Japan