Planning ahead for healthcare during Obon

Obon is one of Japan's busiest travel periods, with lots of people heading home to see family or taking summer trips. If you're planning your itinerary, it's worth thinking about what happens if you get sick along the way.

A new survey found that 74.1% of people travelling or returning to their hometowns during Obon are worried about being able to see a doctor at their destination. Among parents, that rose to 78%.

For expats, I think this is something to keep in mind. When you're away from your usual clinic and pharmacy, finding medical care can be difficult, especially if your grasp of Japanese is so-so. In fact, 28.7% of respondents who had struggled to access healthcare during long holidays said they didn't know how to find a hospital in their destination.

Before traveling, it can be wise to check your destination's local government website for information about on-call doctors, and make sure you have enough of any regular medications with you.

It's also worth remembering that you don't necessarily have to wait until you get home. Online medical consultations may be an option for some conditions.

Hopefully you won't need to use any of this information, but a little preparation can make getting sick during Obon much less stressful!