Online booking for international clinics
Help patients book in English or Japanese and collect the information you need before their visit. Explain language support, insurance and appointment types clearly.
Separate event types for first consultations and follow-ups, payment in person because the amount depends on the day, and a booking form that asks about insurance and first visits.
The phone call that does not happen#
A patient who is not confident in Japanese will avoid telephoning a clinic, and will choose the one that lets them book online even if it is further away. That is the whole market dynamic for English-speaking practice in Japan.
Internally, the problem is mix. A morning that fills with thirty-minute first consultations leaves no room for the follow-ups that keep the day moving.
Suggested booking settings#
A first consultation needs longer than a follow-up, and the patient usually wants to know before booking whether the doctor speaks English and whether their insurance is accepted.
| Duration | 30 minutes for a first consultation, 15 for a follow-up — two event types |
|---|---|
| Booking notice required | 4 hours |
| Time between appointments | 5 minutes after, for notes |
| Max bookings per day | A daily cap per consultation type keeps the afternoon from filling with new patients |
| Location | In person, with the nearest station in the description |
| Payment | Paid in person — the fee depends on insurance and what is done on the day |
| Cancellation policy | No refunds needed; nothing is taken online |
Suggested booking questions: Is this your first visit? · Do you have Japanese health insurance? · What would you like the doctor to look at?
Most patients present a 健康保険証 and pay 30% on the day, so the amount is not known when they book. Show the price as a range in the description rather than charging a card.
One event type per appointment kind#
A thirty-minute first consultation and a fifteen-minute follow-up, each with its own link. Use Max bookings per day on the first-consultation type to cap how many new patients land in one session.
Ask about insurance before they arrive#
Most patients present a 健康保険証 and pay thirty per cent on the day, so the amount is not known when they book. Take payment in person, show the range in the description, and ask on the booking form whether they hold Japanese insurance.
A five-minute buffer for notes#
Small, and it is the difference between a clinic that runs on time and one that is forty minutes behind by midday.
Getting started#
- Sign in at app.marubox.jp with Google or Microsoft. There is no credit card required and no time limit on the free plan.
- Create an event type with the settings above. Event types explained
- Connect your calendar so your clinic never gets double booked. Google · Outlook
- Set your working hours, and close Japanese public holidays in one setting. Availability
- Put the link in your bio, or the widget on your site. Adding it to your website
Common questions
Can patients book in English and Japanese?
Yes. Your booking page, confirmations and reminders appear in the language the patient’s browser asks for, and you write appointment names and descriptions in both.
How do we handle insurance when the price is not known in advance?
Set the event type to payment in person, put the likely range in the description, and ask on the booking form whether the patient has Japanese health insurance. Nothing is charged online.
Can we stop new-patient appointments filling the whole morning?
Yes — set Max bookings per day on the first-consultation event type. Follow-ups carry on being bookable once the cap is reached.
Start taking bookings online
The Free plan includes booking pages, Google Calendar and Outlook connections, working hours, Japanese holiday settings and booking on your website. No credit card is required, and there is no time limit. The Paid plan is ¥1,200 per month including tax and adds online card payments, team bookings and LINE integration. Business Box charges no booking commission; Stripe processing fees apply separately.
Last reviewed 16 October 2026.