Prenatal Vitamins in Japan

Last Updated on July 16, 2024 by Kay
I have a confession: I knew nothing about pregnancy before I was pregnant. I know, shocking, right? But I did find out while I was trying to conceive (thanks to Jean Twenge’s The Impatient Woman’s Guide to Getting Pregnant) that I needed to take folic acid, which is called 葉酸 or yousan in Japanese. In this article, I will share information about prenatal vitamins in Japan, in particular folic acid, and where you can purchase it.This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission on any purchases through those links at zero additional cost to you. Whatever I make goes to keeping this website running and I am forever grateful for the support. See my Privacy Policy for more information.
Table of Contents
What is Folic Acid?
Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps reduce the chance your baby will be born with a neural tube (brain and spinal cord) defect. Some examples of neural tube defects are spina bifida when the baby’s backbone and membranes around the spinal cord haven’t closed properly, and anencephaly, which is when the baby is missing parts of their brain and skull. It’s most important to take folic acid daily for preventative purposes in early pregnancy, which is why women who are trying to conceive are also recommended to take the vitamin. The recommended daily dosage seems to vary online but tends to average around 400 μg for those who are not at high risk of possibly having a baby with a neural tube defect. Thankfully, getting your hands on this essential prenatal vitamin is not difficult in Japan. Here are the most common brands available in Japan, some of which I have tried:Folic Acid in Japan
BeanStalkmom 葉酸+鉄 (yousan [folic acid]+tetsu [iron])
Out of all the folic acid supplements I had, this was my favorite. It comes in 60 lemon-flavored chewable tablets that you take once a day, so it lasts about two months. It also contains not only folic acid and iron but also six different kinds of vitamin B minerals. Vitamin B is essential for your baby’s development. For instance, B6 and B12 help with the development of your baby’s brain and nervous system. I found these chewable tablets to be really refreshing after dinner or when I was feeling sleepy (especially at work). The downside is that if you have a sensitive palate, particularly in your first trimester, you may want to avoid these. ♥ Folic acid: 0.4 mg Iron: 13 mg Vitamin B6: 0.8 mg Vitamin B12: 0.0004 mgNatureMade Folic Acid
NatureMade is a brand that can be easily found in any drugstore in Japan. These come in 150 small tablets and the dosage is two per day and the price also makes it very affordable as it’ll last for a little more than two months. The drawback is that these do not contain iron, nor do they contain any kind of vitamin B. ♥ Folic acid (per tablet): 0.2 mgelevit
When I asked my doctor what kind of supplement I should be taking while pregnant, she gave me a sample for elevit. One thing that I liked about it was that along with folic acid, it contains calcium and iron. I found some downsides to this brand. It contains 90 tablets and you take three per day, making one bottle last only a month, and at its price, it’s quite expensive. However, each pill is packed with vitamins and minerals. The amount of folic acid you get is twice the amount as the Beanstalkmom brand, although the evidence is mixed on whether or not taking higher amounts of folic acid is safe for the baby. ♥ Folic acid (three tables): 0.8 mg Iron (three tablets): 21.5 mg Calcium (three tablets): 125 mg elevit ranked 4th place for the best folic acid supplement in Japan as voted by mothers in 2024.Pigeon folic acid plus 葉酸プラス
Dear-Natura Folic Acid
I took these before I became pregnant and at the beginning of my first trimester. Similar to NatureMade, Dear-Natura is a common supplement brand that is available at all drugstores in Japan. It’s also probably the most affordable on this list (especially if you buy it online). You can buy 30 days worth of tablets or 60 days, although the 60 days one is way more bang for your buck. You also only need to take one tablet per day, which is nice for those of us who dislike swallowing supplements. These supplements contain folic acid as well as vitamins B6 and B12. B6 is supposed to be good for morning sickness (つわり) and relieving nausea during the first trimester, and as I only threw up once, I’m thinking maybe it helped. ♥ Folic acid: 0.4 mg Vitamin B6: 3 mg Vitamin B12: 0.6 mg Dear-Natura ranked 2nd place for the best folic acid supplement in Japan as voted by mothers in 2024.Mamano Tikara (ママのチカラ)Folic Acid
ママのチカラ (“mama no chikara” – I’m not entirely sure how “chikara” became “tikara”) means “Mom’s Strength.” I included this on the list because the packaging is adorable. The reviews are also quite high. One package contains 120 tablets and the dosage is four per day, which means it contains about a month’s worth of folic acid. These supplements also include iron, calcium, zinc, and various vitamins. Four tablets is a lot to take so personally I will pass on this but for those of you who are intrigued by the pretty packaging and high reviews, it can’t hurt to try.
Pigeon Chewable Tablets かんでおいしい葉酸タブレット
Other Prenatal Vitamins
BeanStalkmom DHA
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) helps with the development of your baby’s eyes, brain and central nervous system, which is especially important in the third trimester. You can get the benefits of this if you eat fish regularly, especially salmon, but if you don’t like seafood, you may want to invest in DHA capsules such as ones geared for pregnant women or just fish oil capsules. One package contains 90 capsules and the dosage is three per day. DHA: 350mg
BeanStalkmom Calcium and Iron (カルシウム+鉄)
These are geared towards women who are breastfeeding. Each package contains 40 strawberry-yogurt flavored tablets and you take two per day. These tablets also boast a variety of vitamins such as Vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12 and D, as well as magnesium and folic acid. Calcium (two tablets): 150 mg Iron (two tablets): 2.5 mg

Having a baby in Japan? Then check out these articles to help make preparing for pregnancy and birth in Japan as easy as possible:
10 Things To Do When Pregnant in Japan
Giving Birth in Japan: Cost Breakdown
What to Buy (and Not Buy) for Your Newborn
All About the Amazon Japan Baby Registry
How to Get Free Baby Products in Japan
Hospital Bag in Japan Checklist: What to Pack
You can also check out the pregnancy category of my blog, which has lots more articles, as well as read interviews by women from various countries who have given birth in Japan.