KOHNO SHIKA

Kohno Shika is a neighborhood dental clinic tucked into a residential stretch of Chidori, in the Ota ward of Tokyo. This is not a flashy urban clinic — it’s the kind of place locals have been going to for years, which usually means the dentist knows what they’re doing and isn’t rushing you out the door.

The website has some English content, which suggests at least some awareness of non-Japanese patients, but don’t show up expecting a fully bilingual experience. Reception is likely Japanese-primary. If you speak basic Japanese or come armed with a translation app and a note explaining your situation, you’ll probably be fine. For routine work — cleanings, fillings, checkups — the language barrier at a place like this is manageable. For anything complex, bring someone who speaks Japanese or prepare thoroughly in advance.

Chidori is in the southern part of Tokyo, not the most expat-dense area, so this clinic likely serves mostly Japanese patients. That’s not a bad thing — it just means you shouldn’t expect an international-clinic setup.