If you are planning to travel out of Japan, chances are you will need to make a PCR test (Polymerase Chain Reaction) before your trip. Indeed, a vast majority of countries (and airline companies) require a negative PCR test in order to make your trip.
This safety measure has been put in place in order to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
If you are planing to make a PCR test in Tokyo, check out our tips and our recommended provider below.
When to make your PCR test?
The requirements depend on your destination but most of the time, the PCR test needs to be done 72h before your flight. So if you plan to fly on Friday for example, you would need to do your test during the 3 days prior to your flight, from Tuesday.
What we would recommend is to actually make your test 2 days (48h) before your flight to make sure you meet the requirements. If we take our example again (flight on Friday), you would make your test on Wednesday, receive your results one day later (Thursday), and finally fly on Friday.
What type of PCR test should you make?
Another thing to have in mind before to make a PCR test is what type of test you will choose. They are mainly 2 different types of PCR tests:
- The nasopharyngeal swab where the sample will be taken from your nose. This test is a bit uncomfortable but it’s the most reliable.
- The saliva test where the sample will be take from the saliva you would split from your mouth. This test is more comfortable but less reliable.
Because of its better reliability, the nasopharyngeal swab PCR test is the most accepted test all over the world so we recommend you to choose that one.
Where to make a PCR test in Tokyo?
Few members of Sugoii Japan, including me, struggled a bit to find the right service to make a PCR test in Tokyo before to travel out of Japan. Some websites are only in Japanese, some services have cheap rates but don’t provide a travel certificate.
After long hours of research and after trying few providers, our recommended PCR Test service is: Clinic Near Me.
Their website is available in English but also in French, Spanish and more languages. It’s super easy to book your test. You just have to fill out this form and you will receive all the information you need by email. No pre-payment is required, you pay directly at the place where you will take the test.
Their location is pretty convenient, close to Hamamatsucho or Daimon train station. For your information, they also opened a new clinic in Osaka.
After your test, you will be able to collect your results a day later and the travel certificate will be included. If you are in a rush, there’s an option to get your results the same day.
In terms of price, you can definitely find cheaper services than Clinic Near Me in Tokyo. But for something as important a PCR test, I would advice to go for a reliable service instead of gambling your whole trip on a low cost provider.
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That’s all we had to say about how to make a PCR test in Tokyo. I hope this article was useful. If you have questions or comments, feel free to send them below.
All the best and have a safe flight! 🙂
MF
