Can You Bring Hydroxyzine to Japan? Atarax and Vistaril Rules for Travellers
Can you bring hydroxyzine to Japan? For most travellers carrying their own oral supply, yes, provided the amount fits the one-month rule. Hydroxyzine (ヒドロキシジン) is not listed as a narcotic, psychotropic or stimulants' raw material, so the ordinary personal import rules apply, not the controlled-drug rules.
Quick answer
For oral hydroxyzine (tablets, capsules or liquid, as hydrochloride or pamoate) that you carry yourself for your own use: hydroxyzine is not on the controlled drug lists we checked, so no Narcotics Control Department permission and no psychotropic doctor certificate are needed. The ordinary personal import rule applies: up to one month's supply, judged by the label dosage. If you want to bring more than one month, apply for an Import Confirmation before you travel. It must be for your own use only. Injections are not covered here. Check your exact product and quantity, because the rules can change.
Not sure whether your supply fits the one-month rule? Check the ingredient, strength, daily amount and total quantity before you travel.
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Can you bring hydroxyzine to Japan? Why it is an ordinary medicine at the border
Your pack may say Vistaril, Atarax or simply hydroxyzine, so look for the active-ingredient line. Japan's border rules follow the ingredient, not the brand.
Hydroxyzine does not appear in the psychotropic quantity tables of the Kanto-Shinetsu Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare (page updated 28 February 2025) or the Narcotics Control Department table. It is also absent from the government ordinances that designate narcotics and psychotropics and stimulants' raw materials. The Narcotics Control Department says its carrying procedures apply to those controlled categories, and the Japanese page lists the same three.
Therefore, hydroxyzine for personal use follows MHLW's ordinary personal import rules, not the controlled-drug rules that apply to Xanax or Concerta.
Not controlled does not mean unlimited. The one-month limit and the Import Confirmation rule below still apply. This article covers oral hydroxyzine (tablets, capsules, liquids). Injections are not covered, so ask MHLW before carrying one.
Three checks before you bring hydroxyzine to Japan
Not on the lists we checked
No Narcotics Control Department permission and no psychotropic doctor certificate are needed on the basis of the controlled-drug rules.
Label dose × 30 days
Prescription medicines are allowed up to one month's supply by dosage. Above that, apply for Import Confirmation before you travel.
For you only
MHLW requires personal use by the importer. Reselling or giving the medicine to others is prohibited.
Work through the checks in order. First confirm the ingredient on your label, then count the supply, and finally decide whether you need an Import Confirmation. Our guide to Import Confirmation (yakkan shoumei) explains that process.
How much hydroxyzine can you bring? The one-month rule with examples
The MHLW personal import page sets the limit for prescription medicines at one month's supply, judged from the dosage and administration (用法用量からみて1ヶ月分以内). The table below shows the arithmetic. The numbers are for illustration only and are not dosing advice, so use the maximum daily amount on your own label.
| Label allows up to | One month (30 days) | Within one month? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tablet a day | 30 tablets | Carrying 30: yes. Carrying 60: no |
| 2 tablets a day | 60 tablets | Carrying 60: yes. Carrying 90: no |
| 3 tablets a day | 90 tablets | Carrying 90: yes. Carrying 120: no |
Ask for a clear daily amount. If your prescription says only "as needed", ask your prescriber to write the maximum daily amount. That gives you a number to multiply, because MHLW measures one month by the dosage and administration. This is our practical suggestion rather than an MHLW requirement.
If you want more than one month, MHLW says you must apply for an Import Confirmation (輸入確認証) first. The MHLW Q&A says online application is available and that the certificate is usually issued within a few business days (excluding weekends and public holidays) when the documents are complete. Apply well before you fly. Rules and procedures can change, so check the current MHLW page before you travel.
What to carry when you bring hydroxyzine to Japan
- Medicine in its original pharmacy-labelled packaging, with the active ingredient (hydroxyzine), salt, strength and your name visible
- A prescription or medication list showing the ingredient, strength, the maximum daily amount and your prescriber's name
- Your count of units against your one-month figure
- Your Import Confirmation certificate, if you are bringing more than one month
The MHLW personal import page does not list document requirements for carrying up to one month, so the first three items are our practical suggestion. For an Import Confirmation application, the MHLW Q&A (Q5) lists a valid prescription (or doctor's certificate) showing the patient, the medicine and the doctor's name, plus a document from the airline or cruise company showing arrival date, place, flight number and passenger name. If your documents are not in English or Japanese, a medical translation may help an officer read them.
Hydroxyzine in Japan: Atarax and its equivalents
Hydroxyzine is also marketed in Japan, in two salt forms. All are listed on PMDA, Japan's drug information database. The Atarax and Atarax-P entries we opened were updated in June 2026.
| Japanese product | Active ingredient | Form | PMDA source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atarax アタラックス錠 10 mg / 25 mg (Pfizer) | Hydroxyzine hydrochloride ヒドロキシジン塩酸塩 | Tablet | Atarax tablets |
| Atarax-P アタラックス-P syrup 0.5% | Hydroxyzine pamoate ヒドロキシジンパモ酸塩 | Syrup | Atarax-P syrup |
| Atarax-P powder 10% | Hydroxyzine pamoate | Powder | Patient guide (June 2026) |
| Hydroxyzine pamoate tablets 25 mg «Nissin» ヒドロキシジンパモ酸塩錠25mg「日新」 | Hydroxyzine pamoate | Tablet (generic) | PMDA entry |
As a result, a Japanese doctor has hydroxyzine products to consider. However, which product, strength and schedule suit you is the doctor's decision. We cannot say that a Japanese product matches your overseas dose. In 2015, PMDA also revised the precautions for both salts to add QT prolongation, so give any Japanese doctor your complete medication list and medical history.
How to ask a Japanese doctor about hydroxyzine
- Say the ingredient name, ヒドロキシジン (hydroxyzine), rather than only the overseas brand name.
- Show the exact salt (hydrochloride or pamoate), strength and daily amount from your label.
- Bring an English letter or prescription from your prescriber with the reason, dose and how long you have used it.
- Bring your other medicines too, so the doctor can see the whole picture.
Next, look for a doctor who can communicate in English, or book an interpreter for the visit. A first appointment can take time, so plan ahead rather than waiting until your supply runs low.
Do not stop or change your medicine because of travel paperwork. Discuss any gap, change or timing with your prescriber well before you travel.
What to do if your hydroxyzine can't come in
Your supply may be too large, your paperwork may be incomplete, or you may not want to carry it. In that case, work through these options in order.
- More than one month: bring only up to one month's supply, or apply for an Import Confirmation certificate before you travel.
- No time for an Import Confirmation: carry one month or less and arrange the rest with a Japanese doctor after you arrive.
- An injection or a different form: this article does not cover it. Contact MHLW before travel.
- For someone else: do not bring it. MHLW requires personal use by the importer.
- Your supply runs out in Japan: see a doctor and ask about ヒドロキシジン by ingredient name. Do not stop treatment without medical advice.
If an officer questions your supply at the border, show your prescription, medication list and any Import Confirmation certificate. Authorities decide each case, and we cannot guarantee the outcome.
Step by step: bringing hydroxyzine to Japan
- Read your label and write down the ingredient (hydroxyzine), salt, strength and the maximum daily amount.
- Multiply the daily amount by the days you plan to be away, then compare the total with 30 days of that amount.
- If the total is more than one month, apply online for an Import Confirmation before you fly, or reduce what you carry.
- Pack the medicine in its original labelled packaging in your own luggage, with your prescription or medication list.
- Keep the Import Confirmation certificate with you if you have one, and show it if customs asks.
- If you will stay long, plan a visit to a Japanese doctor and use the ingredient name ヒドロキシジン.
Want your exact medicine and quantity checked?
We review the ingredient, strength, dosage form and total quantity against the current published NCD and MHLW guidance and explain the likely next step, including whether you should apply for an Import Confirmation.
- Price confirmed before work begins
- Reply within 2–3 business days (or sooner)
- Secure document process
MedicTranslate is not a healthcare provider or customs authority. We do not give medical advice or guarantee customs approval.
Frequently asked questions
Can you bring hydroxyzine to Japan?
Yes, for most travellers carrying their own oral supply. Hydroxyzine is not listed as a narcotic, a psychotropic or a stimulants' raw material in the official lists we checked, so the ordinary personal import rule applies: up to one month's supply, judged by the dosage on the label, for your own use. If you want to bring more than one month, apply for an Import Confirmation certificate before you travel. This article does not cover injections.
Is hydroxyzine a controlled substance in Japan?
We did not find it on any controlled list we checked. It is absent from the Kanto-Shinetsu and Narcotics Control Department psychotropic quantity tables, and from the government ordinances designating narcotics, psychotropics and stimulants' raw materials. Check the current lists before you travel, because they can change.
Do I need a doctor certificate or permission from the Narcotics Control Department for hydroxyzine?
No, not on the basis of the controlled-drug rules. Narcotics and stimulants' raw materials need advance permission from the Narcotics Control Department. Psychotropics above the table amount, or in injection form, need no application to the Department, but you must carry a copy of your prescription or a doctor's certificate. Hydroxyzine is none of these. The ordinary one-month limit and the Import Confirmation rule above it still apply.
How much hydroxyzine can I bring to Japan?
Up to one month's supply, measured by the dosage and administration for your product, without an import procedure. As an illustration only, a label that allows up to 3 tablets a day gives a one-month supply of about 90 tablets. For more than one month, apply for Import Confirmation before you travel. If your prescription says only "as needed", ask your prescriber to write the maximum daily amount so that one month can be calculated.
Is Atarax available in Japan?
Yes. Atarax tablets (10 mg and 25 mg, hydroxyzine hydrochloride) and the Atarax-P range (hydroxyzine pamoate) have current PMDA entries. Whether a Japanese doctor prescribes it for you is the doctor's decision.
My pack says hydroxyzine pamoate, not hydrochloride. Does it matter?
Not for the border rule, which follows the active ingredient, hydroxyzine. It does matter for a Japanese doctor, because Japanese products exist as both hydroxyzine hydrochloride and hydroxyzine pamoate. Write the exact salt, strength and daily dose from your label on your medication list.
Can I bring hydroxyzine for a family member or friend?
No. The MHLW personal import page says imports must be for the importer's own personal use, and it prohibits reselling or giving the medicine to others.
Can a doctor in Japan prescribe hydroxyzine for me?
Hydroxyzine products are marketed in Japan, so a doctor can consider it, but the doctor decides what to prescribe and is not obliged to match your overseas treatment. Ask for ヒドロキシジン (hydroxyzine) by ingredient name and bring a list showing the salt, strength and how long you have taken it.
Can MedicTranslate check whether my quantity is within the limits?
Yes. Our from US$59 medication assessment reviews your ingredient, strength, dosage form and quantity against the published NCD and MHLW guidance and explains the likely next step. We do not give medical advice or guarantee customs approval; the final decision rests with the Japanese authorities.
This article provides general information reviewed on 4 October 2026. It is not medical, pharmaceutical or legal advice. Import rules, controlled-drug lists and procedures change. Confirm current requirements with MHLW and the Narcotics Control Department before you travel, and do not stop or change your medicine without advice from your doctor. MedicTranslate provides translation and coordination services.
- MHLW: Personal import of medicines (Japanese)
- MHLW: Q&A for those importing medicines into Japan (PDF)
- Narcotics Control Department: Procedures for import/export of controlled drugs by carrying
- Narcotics Control Department: Carrying narcotics, psychotropics and stimulants' raw materials (Japanese)
- Narcotics Control Department: Psychotropic quantity table (PDF)
- Kanto-Shinetsu Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare: Psychotropic carrying limits (Japanese)
- MHLW law database: Ordinance designating narcotics, psychotropics and related substances (Japanese)
- MHLW law database: Ordinance designating stimulants' raw materials (Japanese)
- PMDA: Atarax tablets 10 mg / 25 mg (updated June 2026)
- PMDA: Atarax-P syrup 0.5% (updated June 2026)
- PMDA: Atarax-P powder 10% patient guide (June 2026)
- PMDA: Hydroxyzine pamoate tablets 25 mg Nissin
- PMDA: Revision of precautions for hydroxyzine (2015, Japanese PDF)