Ever since I decided to leave Japan, I wanted to come right back. It's taken nearly two years (September 2023 – 2025), but I'm going back.1
In preparation, I've done more research on how to get HRT while in Japan. My original research showed that I'd have to pay for the injections 2 myself and that insurance may not cover it.
I came across a Reddit thread, about one person's journey in getting HRT in Japan. On this thread, it mentioned another webpage, MTF Wiki. While there isn't a ton of information on this site, it does list out the different clinics by prefecture that offer HRT for MTF. 3
I've already reached out to two clinics in my (new) area. The first one I reached out to was via an email I found on their website. The director responded and said the clinic doesn’t treat Gender Identity Disorder (GID). 4
I should point out that many clinics will require a psychiatrist referral letter, and possibly even two. I'd advise looking at the webpages of each clinic to find out and even contacting them to see if you'll need one. Once I know my arrival date, I'll be reaching out again and asking about it. Especially to see if they'd accept a letter from my US doctor and psychiatrist.
However, I thought this was incorrect as their website had an entire page dedicated to GID. Here is the email exchange and their webpage, Kawasaki Clinic.
I haven’t been able to find out what “1A” means in this context, but I’d imagine it represents a single dose, which may be 10 mg. 5
The other clinic (Aioi 23) I reached out to offers a pill option, but they haven’t responded to my email as of 3/1/25.
From what I can find, most HRT is only offered via injections, at the clinic. There is one in Tokyo, however, that can ship you supply, but you may have to purchase needles and syringes yourself. 6
Remember, that the employees may not speak English or if they do, it may not be at a native level. If you can bring an interpreter with you, perfect. In my case, I’ll have to use a translation app.
Previous: Jan. 21, 2025
Footnotes
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As I write this on 3/1/25, I am in the process of applying to go back to language school, and then take a design course starting in 10/2025. ↩
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I've heard that if your residence card had "F" on it, then insurance might cover injections. Once I know for sure, I'll update. ↩
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Be sure to choose 日本語 as the site language to access the list. ↩
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That’s what they call it in Japan. ↩
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In my research, I’ve discovered that 10 mg in injections is different than 10 mg in pills. However, from other testimonials, the doctor will work with you in getting the right dosage for your body. Be prepared for bloodwork on the first visit, even if it doesn’t happen. ↩
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This is a backup idea for me since I’ll be an hour from Tokyo. Ebisu TG Clinic ↩