The information below is provided by past and current JETs who are sharing their positive or negative experience with medical facilities/practitioners within Oita Prefecture. Please take into account that a significant amount of time may have passed and that the information within the recommendations may have changed. We have put the reviews in date order, newest first, for your convenience. Please use your own best judgement when seeking medical treatment.
Would you recommend this facility to a person who CANNOT speak Japanese?: Yes
Would you recommend this facility to a person who CANNOT speak Japanese, but is accompanied by someone who CAN speak Japanese?: Yes
Were the office/intake staff, assistants and nurses able to communicate in English with you?:
The intake staff didn't speak much English ( I was accompanied by a teacher) however, for the first appointment, you set up a card, then you just hand the card over for repeat visits. The form was easily translated by my phone with no problems.
Was the Doctor/Practitioner able to communicate in English with you?: Tanaka-sensei, unexpectedly, spoke wonderful English! He was not 100% fluent, but I was able to describe my pains in pretty Americanized words and he understood and responded in easy to understand English.
Care received: Orthopedics / Hand-leg and nerve Doctor; I went to receive Cortisone shots for carpel tunnel in my wrist which I hadn't had in 3 years. However, it was my first visit, and I had no legit medical history, so he gave me the complete arm/nerve shocking test. Much to my chagrin the test showed I didn't have carpel tunnel! But I told him I did last time and I had the shots. He said if it continued to hurt I could come back for the shots no problem, and he thought I had Tennis Elbow. But, he was super nice, superb English and a fast worker! It cost about ¥4000. My sensei also uses this doctor, she received cortisone shots, and Tanaka-sensei treated her daughters overextended knee. NOTE: Tanaka-sensei is only there on Tuesdays, and you must check in between 2-3pm, though I didn't see him until 4:45 and I finished at 5:30 (I think he works in Oita the other days). Even with an appointment, because it was a first visit, I waited a while. Repeat appointment people got to go before me. The facility looks old on the outside, but it's pretty nice on the inside. The parking lot is across the street and can be seen on the google pics.
Would you recommend this facility to a person who CANNOT speak Japanese?: Yes
Would you recommend this facility to a person who CANNOT speak Japanese, but is accompanied by someone who CAN speak Japanese?: Yes
Were the office/intake staff, assistants and nurses able to communicate in English with you?: No, but super friendly.
Was the Doctor/Practitioner able to communicate in English with you?: Yes! The Doctor spoke well AND the physical therapist did too (APU Graduate).
Care received: Physical Therapy, MRI; I was having severe back pain, and was recommended to Aoyama Orthopedic Clinic which is especially good at sports orthopedics. I went and had an x-ray the first visit. It was determined I would need to return for an MRI. I returned the next week for an MRI and discovered I had a herniated disc that would require physical therapy. I went to physical therapy twice a week for 3 months. Each session was about $14, the MRI was about $60 if I remember correctly. X-ray was $20. I highly recommend this place, especially because you can speak to your physical therapist about what is exactly hurting you while you try to rehab. Very awesome practice.