First things first, get familiar with the Japanese terms for different types of medicine and symptoms. There's a wide range of medication at the pharmacy and it can be very intimidating.

Here's a quick guide on some over the counter medicines.

Japan Health Info is a great site to navigate if you have any general questions.

This is my go-to pain med. It has ibuprofen (pain killer), ethenzamide (pain killer), bromovalerylurea (sedative), and caffeine (fast acting). Keep in mind that if you have allergies to medicines that you should check that this is a suitable medicine for you. See a doctor in case of side effects.

These are infused with various herbs and are very soothing when you have a cough or sore throat. They aren't as tasty as some other options, but they'll actually get the job done. These do not have any active ingredients in them. However, if you have allergies to certain herbs, be sure to check that you will not have any adverse reaction to these.