Name: カビキラー / Kabi Kiraa/ Mold Killer

カビキラーマイルド/ Kabi Killer Mild.

Directions: Spray on moldy area and leave for

5 minutes, then wipe down with a wet

cloth/sheet or wash away with water.

Useful in: the bathroom/toilet/kitchen

(be advised to thoroughly wash the

substance away when using it in the

kitchen. Also have two separate sprays

for the kitchen and bathroom/toilet areas).

Price: ¥548

Available at: Drug stores, most supermarkets,

most convenience stores.

Name: 重曹クリーナー/ Juusou Kuriinaa/Sodium

Bicarbonate Cleaner.

Directions: Spray where you want to clean and

use either a damp cloth or a scrubbing brush to

clean. Rinse it off with water.

Useful in: the bathroom/toilet/kitchen (be

advised to have two separate sprays for the

kitchen and bathroom/toilet areas. The labels say

it’s safe to use on your dishes. That’s totally up to

you.)

Price: ¥507

Available at: Drug stores, most supermarkets,

most convenience stores.

Name: フロアワイプ or ウエットシート/

furoawaipu and uettoshi-to/ floor wipe and wet

sheet.

Directions: Get a wet sheet and wrap it around

the underside of the floor wipe and then pinching

the four corners into the holes provided. Once

attached, use as you would a normal mop.

Useful on: wooden or vinyl floors. (Not

recommended for use on tatami or carpets).

Price: ¥100+

Available at: Drug stores, some supermarkets,

department stores, ¥100 stores

Name: パイプユニッシュ/paipu yunisshyu/

drain/pipe cleaner.

Directions: Pour the liquid or place the tablets

inside the drain and leave for 15-30

minutes (or longer if you feel it’s necessary).

Afterwards turn your taps on to clear the drains. If

the water still doesn’t go down your drain

smoothly, repeat the process.

Useful for: the bathroom sink/ the shower and

bath drains/ the kitchen sink.

Price: ¥410

Available at: Drug stores, most supermarkets,

some convenience stores.

Name: ファブリーズ/ faburi-zu/ Febreze

Directions: Spray it, from a distance of 20-30cm

(8-11 inches), on to fabrics that need deodorizing

(clothes, couches, futons etc.) or use it as an air

freshener and spray in a room (be advised to have

some sort of breeze or ventilation in the room, to

ensure the best results).

Price: ¥298

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,

convenience stores, department stores.

Name: 除湿剤 / joshitsuzai or

湿気取り / shikketori to dehumidify and absorb

moisture.

Directions: Remove the plastic lid, then peel off

the first seal below the lid. Replace the plastic lid

and put the moisture absorber in places such as

kitchen cupboards, closets, etc. Will last about 3

months before needing to be replaced.

Price: ¥180-300

Available at: Supermarkets, drug stores

Name: 蟻/ あり/ ari / ant

They are not dangerous, but rather annoying,

when they get into your pantry or

apartment/house.

Mostly tenants living on the first floor may

experience encounters with ants, more so than

those living on the higher levels, however it

doesn’t seem to be a common occurrence.

Seasons most active: Spring/Summer/Autumn

Name:あしだかくも/ハンツマンスパイダ

ashidakakumo/hantsumansupaida/huntsman

spider

These spiders are not harmful (although a bite

would hurt/may swell). They’re incredibly fast.

They eat the other insect pests, which could be a

good reason to keep them around.

Mostly tenants who have lived on the lower floors

have had encounters with these speedy crawlers,

however, they’re great climbers, they may appear

when/where least expected.

Action: keeping a clean apartment/house, to

ensure no visit from other insects occur, may help

prevent an in-house encounter.

with a huntsman spider.

Name: ダニ/dani/tatami bugs

Tiny mites that live in your tatami mats. Their

bites are small, red, and itchy and always come in

pairs since they bite twice in a row. Most people

get these bites on skin exposed while

sleeping—frequently around the ankles, wrists,

elbows, and neck.

Action: Keep tatami clean by wiping up crumbs

or spills immediately, and by regularly

vacuuming.

Name: ゴキブリ/ gokiburi/ cockroach

Not dangerous, but if they’re around, it isn’t a

good sign (in particular, to the state of cleanliness

of your apartment/house). Besides, nobody

wants to live with cockroaches.

Tenants living in the lower levels of apartment

blocks/houses tend to have encounters with

cockroaches.

Name: 蚊/ か/ ka/ mosquito

Extremely irritating, in so many ways.

Not a friendly. Would be best to try keep these out

of your apartment/house. They have the

annoying ability to sneak into any apartment on

any level or anywhere in a house, also.

Name: 雀蜂/スズメバチ/suzumebachi/

Japanese giant hornet

Is large and can be very aggressive. Has a potent

venom, and a sting is very painful and may

require hospitalization. Be very careful if you have

an allergy to beestings, as this little monster’s

venom can also cause anaphylactic shock in

some.

Name: 百足/ ムカデ/ Mukade/ Centipede

Pretty dangerous. They have a venomous bite

that causes extreme swelling and severe pain. DO

NOT handle them. They are fast and aggressive,

so if you MUST deal with them, please be very

careful or recruit experienced people for help.

Action: Sprays alone won’t be enough. They can

freeze the centipede, so you can remove it.

The best ways to kill them are by boiling, burning

or using substances that are toxic to both the

centipede and yourself.

If you crush a centipede, you’re most likely going

to be sending an invitation for more to come, via

the pheromones that will be released by the body.

Name: ショウジョウバエ/ shyoujyoubae/

fruit flies

Harmless, but not good co-inhabitants to have.

They breed quickly, despite having a short life

span. So getting rid of them sooner, rather than

later is a good idea. They are able to reach places

both close to the ground and high up near the

heavens.

Name: 蛇/ ヘビ/ hebi/ snake

As a general rule, try to stay away from areas that

are known to be infested with snakes, especially

as Japan is home to a few venomous snakes.

Snakes are usually found in fields, forests, near

(or in) water, on trees and especially in rural

areas.

Name: アリの巣コロリ/ ari no su korori/Ant hill

destroyer.

Directions: open the packet and leave it about

for the ants, who confuse it for food, to grab and

take back to their hill. They will poison their

colony over a day or two.

Price: ¥499

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,

convenience stores.

Name: コンバット/konbatto/ combat

Directions: Leave it out in the room or area

where the roaches are.

Price: ¥579

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,

convenience stores.

Name: コバエがホイホイ/kobae ga hoihoi/

Fly trap.

Directions: remove the seal and set it in the

rooms that have the flies. They should be

attracted to the scent and die there.

Price: ¥718

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets, some

convenience stores.

Name: ムシガード虫よけリン/mushi ga-do/mushi

yoke ringu/ Insect guard ring.

Directions: unwrap and put around your wrist

or ankle.

Price: ¥590

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,

convenience stores, ¥100 stores

Name:蚊取線/かとりせんこ/

katorisenkou/Mosquito coils

Directions: light up one end of the coil and leave

it outside, maybe closer to an entrance to your

house, so as to keep them out.

Price: ¥933

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,

convenience stores

Name: 虫よけネット/mushi yoke netto/Insect

repellent net

Directions: Peel off the sticker, sealing the

scented part, then leave it to hang somewhere

near an opening to your home.

Price: ¥705

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,

convenience stores, ¥100 stores

Name: おすだけノーマット/osu dake no-matto/

One spray a day insect repellent

Directions: Once a day spray this around your

home.

Price: ¥718

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,

convenience stores

Name: ヘビ忌避/ hebi kihi/snake repellent

Directions: If a snake is in near proximity to you,

scatter the powder around you or towards where

the snake is, as you retreat.

Price: ¥100+

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,

convenience stores, ¥100 stores

Name: 凍殺ジェット/ tousatsu jetto/ freezing bug

spray

Directions: Hold the can as close to the insect as

you can get it without scaring it off and spray.

Some sprays only freeze, others can also kill

(pictured).

Price: ¥669

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,

convenience store

Name: 虫コロリアース/ mushi korori a-su/Insect

poison.

Directions: this poison comes in different forms.

Use it outside and not inside your house. Powder

or spray the poison around the outside of your

home or on your balcony, but be sure that it’s not

in places where you will be standing, touching

things etc as it is very toxic for

us also.

Price: ¥538+

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets, some

convenience stores.

Name: ダニアース/dani-aasu/anti-mite spray

Directions: The bug-spray comes with a needle

that inserts into the tatami. Insert the needle into

6 places in each individual mat and spray for

15-20 seconds.

Price: ¥1000+

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets

Name: ダニよけハーブ/dani-yoke haabu/

dani repellent “air freshener”

Directions: Place in your closet and/or tatami

rooms. Can buy 30-day and 60-day types.

Price: ¥550+

Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets