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One unfortunate truth about Japan is that, like any other country, it has bugs that can sometimes get in your home or apartment. Even if you live on the 15th floor of an apartment building, you may still encounter the occasional unwelcome housemate. So, we understand how you feel when you meet a creepy crawler face to face. Below, we describe a couple of the most common types of bugs that you might meet in your house and suggested ways for dealing with them.

Mosquito - Ka

Mosquito (Ka in Japanese) season in Japan is during summer and autumn. The mosquitoes are persistent and difficult to get rid of if you are going to rely on the ‘swatting’ method. Fortunately, malaria, which is a mosquito-borne disease - is rare in Japan. However, the need to protect yourself from mosquito bites is still important if you want to enjoy a good night‘s sleep or being disrupted from your daily activities because of an annoying and hungry mosquito. There are several excellent mosquito products on the market that you can use to repel and kill mosquitoes. You can easily find them online, at a supermarket /drugstore.

Mosquito Repellent to Use Outside or at Home

Osoto de No-Matto（おそとでノーマット）

You can carry this Osoto de no matto around like the photo below. It does not need to be plugged in because it comes with its own battery and also has its own motor and fan to allow for extensive coverage. This will last for 200 hours or over 33 days if you turn it on only 6 hours a day.

Herb Mushiyoke（ハーブ虫除け）

Herb Mushiyoke is a 260 day natural herbal gel/soap and does not contain any pesticides. It is not for using on the skin. If there is skin contact with the gel, wash area well with soap and water. To use, remove the protective silver film and screw the cap back on and place it in a room. You will notice a soft scent and this also becomes the indicator when it should be replaced or changed.

No-Mat（ノーマット）

No-Mat is a very simple mosquito repellent. Insert the liquid (bottle) in the machine and plug it in. After 60 days you can replace the bottle.

Ka ga inaku naru spray（蚊がいなくなるスプレー）

Ka ga inaku naru spray is affective for 12 hours with only 1 push (for a 4-8 jo room).

Ka tori senko（蚊取り線香）

Ka tori senko is a mosquito repellent coil. You can use it inside and also outside.

Mushiyoke Net（虫除けネット）

Mushiyoke Net is a hanging repellent plate that works great for outdoors because it is not affected by rain. To use, remove the protective film. Insert the cartridge into the device, making sure that it fits properly and is not sticking out. Avoid touching the inner plate directly but if you happen to do so, wash well with soap and water. Hang wherever necessary but make sure the hook is secure. Keep away from high temperatures and poor ventilated areas.

Mosquito Repellent Spray

Saratect（サラテクト）

Saratect is a powder-type mosquito repellent that lasts up to 10 hours. It also works to repel flies and dust mites. It can be applied on beddings. It is fragrance-free. Shake the bottle before spraying. Apply 15 cm from skin. It can be sprayed directly onto skin except for facial area or on open wounds. Be careful to spray for maximum time of only 3 seconds per application.

Skin Vape（スキンベープ）

Skin Vape is water-based type of mosquito repellent which can be used by children too. This type has the scent of peach apricot.

Final thoughts

There are many other types of bugs and insects in Japan. There are spiders, mosquitoes flies, and other bugs that may prove to be a pest. Fortunately, you are not alone and there are ways to deal with any sort of pest. There are products similar to what was described above available to deal with almost any kind of pest you may encounter. If you have problems with any kind of bug, please check your local supermarket or drug store for an appropriate product to take care of the issue.

One thing to note is that bugs are often attracted by food so be sure that you always clean up your living areas and make sure trash is securely sealed up. If possible, it may be helpful to keep your garbage stored in a tightly sealed trashcan outside your apartment or house.