Sore feet or blisters in Japan? What to buy today (and have delivered to your ryokan)

The quickest fix is a plaster. In Japanese it's ばんそうこう (bansōkō, also written 絆創膏), and a heel rubbed raw by shoes is 靴ずれ (kutsuzure). FamilyMart's own daily-goods range lists three packs: soft, waterproof M-size plasters (20 for ¥430), a mix of three sizes (14 for ¥430) and strong-adhesive plasters (4 for ¥438), all prices including tax. FamilyMart notes that prices can vary by region and that some stores don't carry every item, so try another branch if the first one doesn't have them.

For a proper blister, a drugstore (ドラッグストア) has more choice, including hydrocolloid plasters (ハイドロコロイド) shaped for the heel. Drugstore chains sell Nichiban's CareLeaves heel type, for example, as a fan-shaped, waterproof hydrocolloid plaster classed as a medical device in Japan. Its label says not to use it on wounds that are or may become infected, on wounds that have scabbed over or where fluid or blood has dried, or together with antiseptics or ointments; anyone being treated for diabetes or circulation problems should ask a doctor or pharmacist first, and it isn't for children under three. Read the leaflet in the box, or ask the pharmacist for something 靴ずれ用 (for shoe rubs).

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) says a pharmacist can recommend a plaster or dressing to protect a blister while it heals, and that a hydrocolloid (moist) dressing can protect the blister, help reduce pain and speed up healing.

Most blisters heal on their own within a week, the NHS says, and you won't usually need to see a doctor. Keep the blister clean: wash the skin gently, pat it dry and cover it with a soft plaster or padded dressing. Don't burst it, don't peel the skin off a burst blister and don't pick at the edges. If it has burst, wash your hands before touching it and let the fluid drain before you cover it.

The hard part on a trip is the NHS's other rule: don't wear the shoes that caused the blister until it heals. If they're your only pair, cover the spot well, add a cushioning pad (see the next section) and consider buying or ordering another pair.

For heavy legs in the evening, cooling gel sheets for the legs (足 冷却シート) are a drugstore staple. Lion's Kyusoku Jikan (休足時間) range includes sheets for calves, ankles and soles, plus a stretchy type for heels and knees. The packet says not to put them on eczema, wounds or other broken skin, to stop and see a doctor if redness or itching appears, that the gel can stick to socks and shoes if you wear shoes over a sheet, and that each sheet is for one use only. So keep them away from the blister itself.

A 100-yen shop is the cheapest way to make a pair of shoes kinder to your feet. Daiso's online shop lists dozens of foot-care pads at ¥110 including tax, among them pads that wrap the heel, low-rebound heel pads to prevent rubbing (靴ずれ予防パッド), toe cushions (つま先クッション), gel insoles for the whole foot or just the toes, and walking-support insoles (歩行サポートインソール) in two size ranges. An online listing doesn't mean a particular store has the item, so ask the staff: インソールはありますか? (Do you have insoles?)

For tired, heavy legs, drugstores sell compression socks (着圧ソックス). Read the label before you wear them. One well-known brand's daytime knee-high compression socks say not to wear them while sleeping; not to use them if you have severe circulation problems; to ask a doctor first if you're being treated for diabetes, deep-vein thrombosis, circulation problems, heart failure, inflammatory conditions or nerve problems where they're worn, or are pregnant; not to wear the wrong size or two pairs at once; and to stop at once if you feel pain, numbness, itching or a rash.

Thicker socks help too. FamilyMart's Convenience Wear socks are sold in its roughly 16,400 stores; according to its November 2025 release, the unisex line socks have a thick pile-knit sole and cost ¥429 including tax, and other short socks have reinforced toes and heels. The release adds that not every store carries every item.

If your trip still has days to run, ordering online gives you far more choice: proper walking shoes, insoles in your size, five-toe socks, bulk packs of blister plasters. Check the delivery date shown at checkout before you order; our guide to delivery to your ryokan explains how Amazon.co.jp and Rakuten work for visitors.

Rakuten Ichiba lets you collect parcels at a FamilyMart, Lawson or MiniStop, though which chains you can use depends on the shop; choose コンビニ受取 (konbini pickup) at checkout. It isn't available for parcels over 100 cm (length, width and height combined) or 10 kg, for date- or time-specified delivery, or for cash on delivery. You have two days from arrival at the store to collect at FamilyMart when Yamato delivers, and three days for the other store-and-carrier combinations Rakuten lists.

To have a parcel sent to the inn itself, ask the ryokan first. Yamato Transport says it delivers to a hotel or ryokan if the accommodation is willing to accept the parcel, asks that it be sent at least two days before check-in (three, depending on distance), notes that some inns restrict where and when you can collect parcels, and says delivery times can't be specified. If your inn is deep in the mountains, allow extra time or buy what you need in town on the way.

Inside a ryokan your feet get a rest from shoes. Japan's national tourism organisation (JNTO) explains the routine: take off your shoes in the entrance, put on the indoor slippers provided, and take the slippers off on tatami and in the bathroom, where there's usually a separate pair of toilet slippers. Whether you can wear the inn's yukata and slippers outside varies from place to place, JNTO says, so if in doubt, ask.

Many onsen towns are made for strolling in yukata and wooden geta. At Shibu Onsen, guests of Sakaeya get keys to all nine public baths and can borrow a yukata and geta, and the inn has children's geta too. But geta on slopes and stairs are hard work: reviewers of Kusatsu's Kanemidori say the shortest walk to the Yubatake is a steep, narrow slope that older guests and anyone in geta found hard; older guests at KAI Beppu found the stairs down to dinner in wooden geta tiring; and a walk outdoors in geta is among guests' gripes at Tamatsukuri's Chorakuen. If the toe strap (hanao) starts to rub, change back into your own shoes rather than pushing on.

Plan around steps where you can. Atami's Sakuraya offers a free station pick-up so you don't carry bags down its 77 steep steps; Arima's Kinzan sits at the top of a steep slope but runs a free shuttle; and Ikaho's Hibikino runs a shuttle within the town, worth using rather than walking the uphill kilometre to the stone steps. Some inns' baths are a climb in themselves: the riverside baths at Shiobara's Yumori Tanakaya are about 300 steep steps each way, and Okuhida's Yarimikan has many stone steps, no lift and paths that can be slippery after rain. In Kotohira, Kotosankaku lends walking sticks for the 785-step climb to the shrine, and bookings on its official site include loan walking shoes.

A hot bath at the end of the day is part of the point of a ryokan, but bathe sensibly. The bathing notes that Japan's Environment Ministry set for hot-spring facilities (as reproduced by the Hokkaido Government) say to rest when you are very tired and for about 30 minutes after exercise, to pour bath water over your hands and feet before getting in, to drink a glass of water beforehand, and to avoid bathing just before or after a meal or after drinking alcohol; start with about 3 to 10 minutes at a time. The same standard lists visible bleeding among the general reasons not to bathe, so wait until a scrape or burst blister has stopped bleeding. JNTO adds that the water may be very hot: dip a toe in first and take frequent breaks. We found no official rule on bathing with a plaster on, so ask the inn if you're unsure.

Most blisters don't need a doctor, but the NHS says to get help if a blister is very painful or keeps coming back; if the skin looks infected (hot, with green or yellow pus, or red around the blister, which can be harder to see on brown or black skin); if several blisters appear for no reason; or if a blister was caused by a burn, scald, sunburn or an allergic reaction. It warns that an infected blister left untreated could lead to a skin or blood infection.

To find a clinic, JNTO's medical institution search lets you filter by prefecture, language and department (dermatology and orthopaedic surgery are listed), and JNTO suggests contacting the clinic before you go. JNTO's Japan Visitor Hotline (050-3816-2787, or +81-50-3816-2787 from a non-Japanese phone) runs 24 hours a day in English, Chinese and Korean and helps with illness and accidents; for an ambulance, call 119. The front desk at your ryokan can also help you call ahead.

The NHS's prevention advice suits a Japan trip well: wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes; break new shoes in by wearing them for short periods until they're comfortable; wear thick socks, such as moisture-wicking sports socks, when you'll be on your feet a lot; and change your socks often if your feet get sweaty.

JNTO adds a Japan-specific tip: because you take your shoes off at the entrance of homes, ryokan and many other places, shoes that slip on and off easily make life easier. Pack a few plasters and a heel pad in your day bag before you set out, too. Some inns are a climb from the nearest shop: from Yugawara's Fukiya, for example, the nearest convenience store is 300 m away, up a steep slope.