Family Dining · Practical guide
Create SD
Drugstore Shopping around Kanagawa and Greater Tokyo
Prices, ordering steps, payment details, and common mistakes — in one place.
Quick Facts
Last checked against official information: 2026-11-14.
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Japanese name | クリエイトSD (Create SD) |
| Brand Name | Create SD / クリエイト エス・ディー (株式会社クリエイトエス・ディー / Create SD Co., Ltd. / Create SD Holdings) |
| Store Type | Community drugstore chain; the wider group includes dispensing pharmacies, supermarkets and fresh-food specialty shops. Grocery selections depend on the drugstore format. |
| Target Audience | Self-driving tourists touring Hakone, Kamakura, Shonan, and Izu, hotel/Airbnb guests in Kanagawa and Tokyo, families, and road-trippers seeking affordable travel health supplies and groceries |
| Ordering Style | Self-service drugstore shelves and checkout. Prescription counters operate at relevant locations; layout differs by store type and size. |
| Membership Required? | No membership or local Japanese resident identification required for standard retail shopping; open to all visitors |
| Approximate Price Range | Prices and availability differ by item, branch and date. Check displayed shelf labels; visit the store to confirm prices on medicines, groceries and toiletries. Check the chosen branch for tax-free eligibility. |
| Multilingual Support | English-speaking assistance and multilingual in-store signage are not guaranteed. A translation app can help when identifying medicines or checking directions. |
| Payment Methods | The official Create SD branch-service page says credit cards, IC electronic money and QR payments are accepted at drugstores, subject to exceptions including some dispensing-only outlets and named payment restrictions. Osaifu Hippo is the company prepaid/points card; check individual branch details. |
| Store Network | 873 group stores across Tokyo and eight prefectures, including 811 drugstores, 48 standalone dispensing pharmacies, 9 supermarkets and 5 fresh-food specialty stores. This is a group total, not the number of drugstores alone. |
What it is
Create SD started in Kanagawa and has developed a substantial drugstore network across the Kanto and Tokai regions. Its official May 2026 figures show 873 group locations: 811 drugstores and other formats such as standalone pharmacies, supermarkets and specialty fresh-food shops. The company says it deliberately varies store size, layout and product selection by neighborhood, from larger food-oriented outlets to urban and beauty-focused stores.
Travelers around Yokohama, Kamakura, Shonan or Hakone may find a Create SD convenient for toiletries, medicines, cosmetics, snacks or drinks. Some larger outlets stock more groceries or fresh foods, while other locations are compact or focused on cosmetics or prescription services. A specific branch should be checked for what you need rather than assuming every shop has a full supermarket.
How to order
Step 1: Locating Suburban Roadside & Transit Branches
Create SD's official group figures counted 873 locations in Tokyo and eight prefectures (including 811 drugstores). Check the current branch directory:
- If exploring tourist destinations like Hakone, Odawara, Yokohama, or the Miura Peninsula, look for the prominent green-and-orange tree-inspired logo of Create SD along major highway bypasses.
- Hours depend on the exact drugstore or dispensing-pharmacy location. Check the official branch page before visiting.
Step 2: Navigating the Health & Wellness Aisles
- Grab a shopping basket or wheeled cart at the entrance.
- Travel Health & First-Aid: Browse organized sections for digestive health remedies, motion sickness pills for winding mountain bus routes in Hakone, thermal cooling gel sheets (Hiepita), muscle pain relief patches (Shippu), and blister bandages.
- Consulting Pharmacy Staff: Class 1 medicines require a pharmacist; registered salespersons may handle permitted Class 2 and Class 3 medicines. Ask the qualified professional on duty, and check sales availability before visiting.
- Groceries and Snacks: Depending on the branch, look for bottled teas, rice crackers, noodles, bread and other food products.
- Cosmetics & Personal Care: Discover popular Japanese sunscreen lotions, facial sheet masks, hair treatments, and medicated lip balms from leading Japanese skincare brands.
Step 3: Cashier Checkout & Payment Flow
- Bring your shopping basket to the checkout counter.
- For Class 1 medicines, consult the pharmacist and follow the required sale and information steps; a cashier alone cannot provide the legally required pharmacist guidance.
- The chain lists credit cards (including Visa and Mastercard), transit IC and other electronic money, and QR payments at its drugstores, with some pharmacy or branch-specific exceptions. Check the register for the accepted method; yen cash is a fallback.
- Bring a reusable bag and check the local charge for disposable carrier bags, if provided.
Step 4: Tax-Free Exemption Clarification
- Tax-free status varies by individual shop. Check the official branch listing or ask staff before relying on a tax refund.
- Prices include consumption tax at checkout: generally 8% for eligible take-away foods and non-alcoholic beverages and 10% for medicines, cosmetics, alcohol, and other standard-rated goods. Only authorized tax-free stores can process an eligible export refund after customs confirmation.
What to order first
These are suggested product categories, not a guarantee of inventory. Check the actual shelf price and product label at your branch.
1. Travel First-Aid & Motion Sickness Remedies
- What it is: Over-the-counter travel motion sickness tablets, electrolyte hydration powders, and waterproof blister bandages.
- Why buy it: Essential protection for travelers embarking on winding mountain road trips through Hakone, boat tours across Lake Ashi, or coastal driving in Izu.
2. Muscle Relief Patches & Thermal Heat Packs (Shippu / 湿布)
- What it is: Medicated pain-relieving transdermal patches and self-adhesive air-activated heat packs (Kairo).
- Why buy it: Pain patches and warmers are portable options; follow product directions, and avoid direct skin contact with heat warmers.
3. Japanese Sunscreens & UV Protection Lotions
- What it is: High-SPF (SPF50+ PA++++) lightweight gel and essence sunscreens from Japanese skincare brands (Biore, Skin Aqua, Anessa).
- Why buy it: Check SPF/PA labels, skin compatibility and the texture you prefer. Product characteristics vary.
4. Create SD Private-Brand Skincare and Health Products
- What it is: The company publishes private-brand cosmetics such as Aqua Collagen Gel EX and health foods such as a dietitian-developed green-juice product; check the current product page and your branch for stock.
- Why buy it: The house brand can be an alternative to national brands; compare the quantity, ingredients and shelf price.
5. Road Trip Snacks & Bottled Teas
- What it is: Chilled 500ml and 2-liter green teas, barley teas, functional vitamin drinks, and family-pack Japanese rice crackers.
- Why buy it: Drinks and snacks are convenient to buy before a drive or a day of sightseeing; check the actual shelf price.
Payment & practical info
Prices and details checked: May 2026.
- Accepted Payment Modes: According to the official branch-service page, Create SD drugstores accept major credit cards, IC e-money and supported QR apps, with exceptions for some pharmacy or individual locations. Osaifu Hippo is its own prepaid card. Check the applicable store for restrictions.
- Tax-Free Exemption: Create SD’s official branch search has a tax-free-service filter; check the actual location, rather than assuming all branches are eligible. At a participating, authorized tourist tax-free shop, purchases from November 1, 2026 are paid tax-inclusive. Eligible purchases generally total at least ¥5,000 before tax at the same store on the same day. The traveler completes customs export confirmation within 90 days, before checking baggage, and must take all goods in the purchase record out of Japan; food or cosmetics consumed in Japan cannot be refunded. The retailer or its refund provider returns the tax equivalent after customs confirmation, not the customs officer.
- Operating Hours: Hours vary by branch, and dispensing-pharmacy hours may differ from retail hours. Check the official store locator before visiting.
Good to know / Common mistakes
1. Pharmaceutical Consultation Guidelines
Prescription services and medicine sales depend on the store and qualified personnel on duty. Follow product labels and the advice of a pharmacist or registered salesperson within their permitted scope; staff cannot diagnose your condition.
2. Car Parking Amenities
Some suburban stores have parking, but spaces, charges and opening hours differ. Check the selected branch before planning a car stop.
3. Promotional Discount Coupons
Campaigns and coupons change. Check the official store or chain notices for current offers, eligibility, and exclusions.
FAQ
Q1: Can international tourists buy prescription medicine at Create SD?
A prescription issued abroad generally cannot simply be presented at a Japanese pharmacy for dispensing. If you need prescription medication, seek guidance from a medical professional in Japan and check the rules for that medicine. The drugstore's OTC shelves are separate from prescription dispensing.
Q2: Does Create SD sell baby diapers and baby formula?
Many drugstore branches stock baby and childcare products, but the specific formula, diaper sizes and brands should be checked at the chosen location.
Q3: Are prescription counters open the same hours as the main drugstore?
Not every Create SD shop has a prescription counter. Where one exists, its hours may be different from the retail drugstore; check before visiting, especially on weekends and holidays.
Sources
- Create SD Co., Ltd. Official Corporate Portal (Official source; reviewed 2026-11-13)
- Create SD: official branch search and service filter (Reviewed 2026-11-13)
- MHLW: restrictions on OTC medicine categories and qualified personnel (Accessed 2026-11-13)
- Official company evidence (Reviewed 2026-11-13)
- Official company evidence (Reviewed 2026-11-13)
- Official company evidence (Reviewed 2026-11-13)
- Official company evidence (Reviewed 2026-11-13)
- Official company evidence (Reviewed 2026-11-13)
- Japan Customs: refund method effective 2026-11-01 (Reviewed 2026-11-13)
- Japan Tourism Agency: refund method traveller Q&A (Reviewed 2026-11-13)