Japan Ningen Dock (Full Medical Checkup) Guide

⚡ 30-second answer: St. Luke's International / Toranomon / Mitsui Memorial / PETcamp / National Cancer Center are the top facilities. Price ¥30,000-¥300,000 — half-day ¥30K-¥80K, one-day ¥80K-¥150K, premium with PET-CT ¥200K-¥300K. English support is permanent at St. Luke's, Toranomon, Mitsui Memorial, and PETcamp. Medical-stay visas allow up to 6 months. Cancer screening and early detection are world-class.

Quick Reference	Value
Half-day dock	¥30,000-¥80,000
One-day dock	¥80,000-¥150,000
Premium (with PET-CT)	¥200,000-¥300,000
English-friendly hospitals	St. Luke's, Toranomon, Mitsui Memorial, PETcamp
Booking lead time	1-3 months ahead
Last verified	June 2026

30-second answer

The Japanese ningen dock — a "head-to-toe scan before symptoms appear" — has far more test items than a typical Western annual physical. St. Luke's International (Tsukiji) is 100% English-capable, with foreigner-oriented premium dock around ¥250,000. Toranomon Hospital (Toranomon) is the internal medicine authority popular with executives. Mitsui Memorial (Akihabara) specializes in cancer screening with PET-CT and MRI in a single day. PETcamp (Roppongi) is a PET-CT specialist from ¥120,000 with the latest equipment and English support. The National Cancer Center Central Hospital (Tsukiji) is cancer-focused and handles genetic testing for those with family history. The half-day course covers gastric endoscopy, abdominal echo, blood, ECG, and chest X-ray; a one-day adds brain MRI, colonoscopy, and PET-CT (4-8 hours). Foreign tourists can be seen with a medical-stay visa (up to 6 months), and Wise / Revolut debit payments minimize FX cost.

Top 15 facilities

Pricing structure

Typical ningen dock prices:

• Half-day basic: ¥30,000-¥50,000 (blood, X-ray, ECG, abdominal echo)
• Half-day with gastroscopy: ¥50,000-¥80,000
• One-day standard: ¥80,000-¥120,000
• One-day with brain MRI: ¥120,000-¥150,000
• Brain dock alone: ¥40,000-¥70,000
• Cardiac dock alone: ¥50,000-¥90,000
• PET-CT alone: ¥100,000-¥150,000
• Colonoscopy (sedated): ¥40,000-¥70,000
• Genetic testing (cancer): ¥80,000-¥250,000
• Premium dock (with PET): ¥200,000-¥300,000
• Women's dock (mammo, gyn): ¥60,000-¥120,000
• English interpreter surcharge: ¥0-¥30,000 (varies)
• Results consultation: Included or +¥10,000

Foreign tourists pay out of pocket; insurance doesn't apply. Credit cards work, and Wise debit can compress costs 1-2% when converting USD/EUR to JPY.

Tourist and foreigner support

Full English at St. Luke's, Toranomon (advance request), Mitsui Memorial (limited hours), PETcamp, and Tokyo Midtown Clinic. Chinese- and Korean-speaking staff at St. Luke's, Mitsui Memorial, and Osaka Municipal General; translation tablets in peak season. Medical-stay visas via guarantor agencies (JTB Healthcare, Emerald, JIBH, etc.) allow up to 6 months with one accompanying family member. On test day, skip breakfast and fast from 21:00 the night before; preliminary results given same day, with a final report (optional English PDF) later. For payments, Wise / Revolut debit in JPY beats SWIFT by 0.4-1.5%. VISA / Mastercard / Amex / JCB / UnionPay at all facilities; PayPay mainstream for QR, with WeChat Pay / Alipay at HNW-oriented facilities.

Examination flow

• STEP 1: Clarify purpose (general, cancer-focused, brain, cardiac)
• STEP 2: Pick a facility (English, PET available, budget)
• STEP 3: Book online or by phone 1-3 months ahead
• STEP 4: Fill out questionnaire (history, meds, family)
• STEP 5: Fast from 21:00; water OK
• STEP 6: Check in 8:00-8:30, 4-8 hours total
• STEP 7: Blood, urine, X-ray, ECG, abdominal echo
• STEP 8: Gastroscopy (sedated is easier)
• STEP 9: Add brain MRI / colonoscopy / PET-CT as needed
• STEP 10: Results explained (preliminary same-day or final later)

Bringing passport, medication list, and English-translated prior dock results makes the day smoother.

Payment methods

• Credit cards: VISA / Master / Amex / JCB / UnionPay at almost all facilities
• Debit cards: Wise / Revolut for best FX
• Cash: JPY only; not recommended for large amounts
• QR payments: Mainly PayPay; varies by facility
• International transfer: Wise / OFX for ¥30K-¥50K prepayment deposits
• Installments: Credit card installments; medical loans rarely for foreigners
• Insurance: Generally not applicable; check travel insurance
• Corporate billing: Possible for expats with company approval
• Tax: 10% consumption tax on dock; medical portion exempt

Example: paying ¥200,000 for a premium dock via Wise USD transfer costs roughly 0.3-0.5% (varies).

Cautions

• Fasting: No food after 21:00; water/meds per facility instructions
• Medications: Pause antihypertensives or diabetes meds if instructed
• Contacts / metal: Remove all metal for MRI
• Menstrual cycle: Gyn exams ideally days 5-7 of cycle
• Pregnancy: Some X-ray/CT/MRI prohibited; declare in advance
• Same-day cancellation: 50-100% charge; check policy
• Notifications: Abnormal findings same-day or within 1 week; follow re-visit instructions
• English translation: PDF English versions usually +¥10,000-¥30,000

5 common mistakes

1. Booking too late: Top facilities are 1-3 months out, worse in spring/fall
2. Breaking the fast: One sip of morning coffee can delay tests
3. Self-pausing meds: Don't stop chronic meds without doctor instruction
4. No English results: Useless to your home-country doctor on return
5. No prior data: Year-over-year comparison adds accuracy

Pre-departure checklist

• Clarify purpose (general, cancer, brain, cardiac)
• Pick facility and book 1-3 months ahead
• Passport / visa (check if medical-stay visa needed)
• Fill questionnaire (history, meds, family)
• Bring English translations of prior dock results
• Fast from 21:00 the night before
• Confirm medication instructions (pause or continue)
• Credit + Wise debit (recommend 2+ VISA / Master)
• Check travel insurance coverage
• Reserve results-explanation appointment

FAQ

Q1: Can tourist-visa holders take a dock? A: Yes, as self-pay. Long stays need a medical-stay visa.

Q2: Which facilities are English-friendly? A: St. Luke's, Toranomon, Mitsui Memorial, PETcamp, and Tokyo Midtown Clinic.

Q3: When do I get results? A: Preliminary same-day; finalized 1-3 weeks later (optional English PDF).

Q4: Are credit cards accepted? A: Yes at all facilities — VISA / Master / Amex / JCB / UnionPay.

Q5: Does Japanese health insurance apply? A: Yes if you're enrolled in kokuho or employee insurance, but tourist docks are self-pay by default.

Editorial: Yen Finder Editorial / Last verified June 2026.