TKOverKill

Never had issues for my first 8 years in Japan, but a few years ago I started suffering heavily from hay fever...swollen eyes, runny nose, sore throught. Happens to hit during the busiest time of the year for me at work and a doctor recently said stress could be playing a partial role, but I am usually used to eating stress for breakfast, so not sure about that argument

Anyone have any tricks for dealing with hay fever, or a good brand of meds for it? Thanks.

Wear a mask

Joke aside, as much as the mask doesn't do shit against viruses and microbes, pollens are much larger complex molecules that a mask can filter very easily. Mask would need to be sealed to the skin of course else it's pointless, so if you shave and put a gas mask on, you're good to go ^^

There are eye drops that will ease the irritation, easily found in drug stores. Avoid air conditioning too, it tends to stock pile dust and ambient pollen and blow them gently to your face, which is what you're trying to avoid.

I became intolerant to hayfever in Japan too after a few years. In addition to YCare (although I really don't like breathing my own breath with masks, but definitely the eyedrops help), would be to wear leather jackets where possible. Or something that is less easy for pollen to stick to, and I stock up in Claratin.

I'd second the Claratin recommendation, I've used it for several years now and it's good stuff. Get it in the 21 day packs or larger though, and have family buy them and send them over. Don't pick up the 7 day packs (waste of time for anyone who suffers for several months like myself)