Today we’re visiting the Shibuya Center-Gai branch of Tsuruha Drug to see what products they recommend. We’ll be looking at mosquito repellents and anti-itch aftercare for both adults and children. We’ve also prepared a special coupon just for you, so don’t miss it!

There are two main types of mosquito products: repellents and itch relief aftercare.

Mosquito repellents usually come as a spray or “mist.” You spray these on any exposed areas of skin before going out and about. As long as you don’t sweat too much or go into any water, they will generally be effective for a good few hours. They should stop insects coming near you in the first place, so you won’t get itchy.

But if you forgot to get bug repellent, aftercare will help relieve any itching if you get bitten. These come in different forms, such as creams, liquids, and even patches. How long their effects last can vary, but for the most part, you can just reapply throughout the day whenever you feel the itch coming on.

To get our mosquito products, today we’re visiting Tsuruha Drug’s Shibuya Center Gai branch.

There are a number of Tsuruha Drug stores around Tokyo, but to get to this one, exit from Shibuya Station exit A6a or A6b, and walk down Shibuya Center Gai street. Keep walking, past McDonald’s and Don Quijote, and keep going until you can no longer go straight ahead. There, you’ll find Tsuruha Drug.

Our helpful experienced staff today are staff member Yui and store manager Yamagishi.

Yui has been working at the store for two years.

Yamagishi has been working with the company for 16 years, and joined the Shibuya Center Gai branch eight months ago.

So, let’s see what products they recommend!

Yamagishi first explained to us that overall, "mist" repellents are quite popular right now: “Until recently, the regular sprays were quite common. But these days, particularly for children’s use, the mist type is becoming more popular because they are less likely to get breathed in.”

“Our two most popular products in the repellent section are Saratect and Skin Vape.” Yamagishi added.

The Saratect Mist uses a long-lasting formula that should provide all-day protection, and is sweat and water-resistant to give good protection on active days.

The mist has a fresh, soapy scent and contains four skin-friendly moisturizing ingredients to keep your skin feeling hydrated: sodium hyaluronate, collagen, ceramide, vitamin C.

The bottle design was specially created with Panasonic to be easy to hold, and can even spray when the bottle is upside-down, which is helpful for spraying harder areas like your legs.

Price: 657 yen

The 60ml version of the Saratect Mist is exactly the same as the larger version in terms of ingredients, but is simply available in a more compact size, making it easier to carry around with you.

Yamagishi mentions, “A lot of people who come to this branch are just on a short outing, so they don’t need the large one. This one is easier to carry around with you.”

Price: 470 yen

Fumakilla Skin Vape is a mist mosquito repellent that is also effective against ticks, fleas, and various flies.

This type is gentle on the skin, and contains sodium hyaluronate, an ingredient known to be hydrating and skin-friendly. As it is water based, it is easy to use directly on the skin.

The mist is safe for the whole family to use, and has no unpleasant odors that you might get with some repellents.

Price: 712 yen

Yamagishi tells us, “There is no particular age restriction on the repellents, but this one is produced with kids in mind. Its ingredients are a little different, which makes them gentler on the skin.”

While the ingredients and effects are largely similar to the regular Skin Vape version above, in addition to being kind to the skin, the spray doesn’t scatter, which makes it easier for children to use. It also has a slightly higher concentration of the ingredient icaridine, which increases its effects, meaning that it can last up to eight hours.

Price: 1,207 yen

The repellents generally last for a day, depending on your activities. If you are sweating a lot or get your skin wet, you will probably need to reapply a few times.

Muhi has long been a popular brand in Japan for mosquito bite aftercare. It works against swelling and redness as well as itching. It does this with the use of diphenhydramine hydrochloride and dexamethasone acetate.

Muhi also has a cooling effect created by menthol and dl-camphor, which help relieve any itching sensations.

The bottle has a sponge applicator, which makes it easy to use.

Price: 547 yen

“This one has menthol in it which creates a cooling feeling and supresses the itchiness, so it’s quite popular.”

While the menthol provides a cooling sensation, the main active ingredients are lidocaine and diphenhydramine hydrochloride which work fast to stop the itching.

This bottle also has a sponge applicator, making it easy to use.

Price: 547 yen

“This is a sticker type that you can put right over the itchy area, which stops kids from scratching.” Yui explained, adding, “It has Anpanman’s face on it, which makes it popular with tourists and kids.”

The patches have a cooling sensation to soothe itching, and are great for kids (and adults) who are prone to scratching bug bites and aggravating the itchy symptoms.

Another reason for the patch is that it covers the affected area to help absorb the ant-itch medicine, relieving symptoms more effectively.

Price: 382 yen

When it comes to choosing your anti-itch mosquito bite products, you’re mainly looking for sprays as a repellent, or liquids as soothing aftercare. Some products have a cooling effect, too, which can help with the itch relief.

Note that different airlines and countries may have differing restrictions on bug sprays when flying, and that anti-itch products are only available in drugstores like Tsuruha in Japan.

Now it’s time to arm yourself against those pesky mosquitoes! Use our special discount coupon above at Tsuruha to prepare yourself.

This coupon is valid until December 31, 2024.

*All prices in this article include tax, and are accurate as of August 2024.