My partner and I are spending a month in Japan. We’ve rented an apartment in Shinjuku for a week. We’re on day 3 and I’ve already got bad foot blisters that are about to pop.
When walking around I’ve stopped at many different stores looking for some form of blister care and even asked staff, but no luck.
Does anyone have any store or product recommendations or can you help point me in the right direction?
Thanks so much!
https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/17ln2ho/foot_care_blisters/
5 comments
Every drugstore in the city sells BAND-AID. Blister blocking bandaids. Just go to the bandaid section and you will find them: greenish package with big red letters and an image of a foot.
Check at drugstore, a popular chain it Matsumoto Kiyoshi, they should have blister plasters
Oh, I got some tips maybe.
This is a trick that one of my Japanese friends taught me when we were doing a 100-kilometer hike in 2 days, and all the stuff can be found at the convenience store.
You get a sewing kit and Makiron S antiseptic ([the bottle looks like this](https://lifeabroad.jp/html/personal_care/wound.html), small bottle can be found in convenience stores, ask staff if you can’t find it). Carefully use the sewing kit needle to open a small hole to drain the blister (do not squeeze and burst it!). Push gently to drain it down and soak the liquid up with toilet paper, then douse your toe in Makiron, then apply a fresh band-aid (also at convenience store). Use painkiller if it still hurts.
If you already burst the blister bubble while walking, you’re gonna need painkillers, a bandaid to prevent friction, and walk on it differently, unfortunately.
I would also highly recommend buying some cheap toesocks at Uniqlo–my toes always rub against each other and form blisters on a normal day so I swear by toesocks now when I travel long distances.
Look for these: https://www.band-aid.jp/lineup/footcare/block
They swell up with water (from the blister, I suppose) and create a little cushiony pad. I’ve had great success with them.
If that’s coming from athlete foot by any chance (was that how it’s called?), my favorite is ラシミール (la-si-mi-i-lu) ointment, the cheapest kind that’s sold in any drug store. Apply them very thinly and wide after washing and drying feet.