Bugs! Cockroaches. Ants. Earwigs. Cicadas. Japan is abundant in nature, so with this comes plenty of insects. Though you might not want them inside your house, it’s important to remember that insects are natural.

You can almost guarantee you’ll come across cockroaches in Japan at some point, particularly in summer. Days are filled with the sound of cicadas squealing in the trees. Step outside on a hot and sticky summer night and you’re bound to be met by the sound of grasshoppers and crickets clicking in the rice fields. Leave a window open and your room might just flood with mosquitoes and all sorts of other bugs.

In reality, there is no escaping all these bugs, but there are a few things you can do to ward them off and avoid an infestation.  

Mosquitoes

If mosquitoes are your main issue, there are a tonne of anti-mosquito products available in stores across Japan. The easiest might be repellent spray; cheap and easy to find. Daiso and Don Quijote have many different types, as well as drug stores. Popular brands include Skin Guard and Saratekuto. Just spray yourself down and mosquitoes might just think twice about taking a bite out of you.

Speaking of bites – can’t stop scratching? To aid the healing of bites and to stop the need to itch, many anti-itch balms and oils are available. Cheap and easy to find in any drugstore, simply apply balm to bites and the temptation to itch will pass for an hour or two. Kinkan is a popular product for itch relief.

Another way to ward of mosquitoes is by the use of citronella candles and coil burners – the candles smell far better and are safe to use inside. Try to avoid burning the coil burners inside without ventilation- you don’t want to fill your apartment with smoke! 

Bed bugs

Like most creepy crawlies, bed bugs love the summer in Japan. Things are hot and moist – the perfect environment for an insect. Bed bugs are as common in Japan as they are in most countries, and they are a pain to get rid of.

If you are a traveler, then bed bugs may hitch a ride in your clothes, on your baggage, anything. Be sure to check any hotels you stay in to know whether or not you will be bringing them home!

Once they are in your home, bed bugs do not like clean sheets. Be sure to clean your sheets every day to get rid of as many as you can, whilst repeatedly vacuuming your mattress. A common means to kill an infestation of bed bugs is through cold treatment!

However, it will be very difficult to keep your bedroom cold in the hot Japanese treatment. If bed bugs persist, we recommend contacting a private pest control expert. 

Cockroaches

Cockroaches in Japan are very, very common. If you’re wondering how to get rid of cockroaches, please don’t worry, there are plenty of products available to help! The hot and humid Japanese summer is a perfect breeding ground for cockroaches.

Unfortunately, no matter what, you have a good chance of encountering cockroaches in Japan. Leave a window open at night and they might fly in (that’s right – in Japan they have wings!)

However, to avoid an infestation, the number one prevention is simple cleaning. Wash your dishes. Unclog your drains. Bleach the surfaces. Maintain a clean home and cockroaches might hopefully leave you alone.

You’ve found your first cockroaches in Japan and now you’re wondering how to get rid of cockroaches. The most effective way to target them whilst you’re in the house is with a cockroach spray, you can use traps and poison alongside this too. There are countless traps and poisons available for an affordable price in DIY stores, supermarkets, and online. Some of the most popular products in Japan for anyone looking at how to get rid of cockroaches include; Black Cap, Combat, Goki Jet products, and Naturas Instant Freezing Cockroach.

Once again, if you do encounter an unmanageable infestation, don’t hesitate to contact a private exterminator. 

Ants

Ants may be the least of your concerns out of all the bugs on this list. They prefer the outdoors and would rather live in their colonies than in your house. Of course, ants can still enter the house through the smallest of openings, such as cracks in the walls and floorboards.

Once a trail is established, more will come, it will soon be an infestation. To combat this, make sure there is no food left out, especially on the floor. Be vigilant against crumbs. Generally, keep your house clean and ants should leave you alone. 

Mukade

Mukade are the infamous centipedes you could come across in Japan if you are unlucky. These large poisonous centipedes are often used as a symbol for evil, they carry a painful bite that will last for a while, as well as some swelling.

Mukade can grow to 20cm in length and they are resilient creatures, they are very hard to kill. There are powders available that you can leave on the outside of your living spaces to poison the mukade before it can get inside.

To prevent any unwanted encounters, make sure to cover up all drains when they aren’t in use since they can crawl into your apartment through pipes. This might also help you avoid getting any cockroaches inside too.

I hope this list is handy for anyone who has an insect problem. However, remember! Summer in Japan is the perfect climate for bugs of all types. They are there, and you are more than likely to encounter them. Do not be scared, they are only natural and there are many ways to deal with them if you don’t want to live with them.