Product information checked: 18 September 2026
Someone asks you to bring back Ryukakusan from Japan. At the shelf, you find a silver tin, slim sachets and tablets that look like sweets. Start with the form: original powder, Direct Stick granules or Direct Troche lozenges. These three are medicines. Ryukakusan throat candy sold in snack aisles is a different product.
Let’s find the right box together
I’m Irene, a Taiwanese pharmacist working in Japan. Think about how you will use it: measuring powder, carrying a sachet, or slowly dissolving a lozenge. If someone asked for a particular product, match the full name rather than picking a different form that looks newer.
A quick choice for your trip
Original powder
Use the supplied spoon and take it without water. Look for 龍角散 on the box; the tins come in 20 g, 43 g and 90 g.
Direct Stick
Dissolve the granules on your tongue without water. One sachet is one dose for ages 15+. Children use smaller portions; the minimum age is 3.
Direct Troche
Let it dissolve slowly. Do not chew or swallow it whole. Ages 15+: one lozenge; ages 5–14: half. Its sweet taste does not make it candy.
Keep in mind: all three are Japanese Class 3 OTC medicines. The forms are not a strength ranking, and Stick and Troche have different age limits and doses.
Match the Japanese package
Save this package section before shopping. Match the full name first, then the form and pack size. Colour alone is not enough.
龍角散
Look for 龍角散
龍角散ダイレクト スティック ミント
Look for スティック
龍角散ダイレクト トローチ マンゴーR
Look for トローチ
Product photos: Ryukakusan. Photos are not shown to scale. Sources are listed at the end.
Direct Stick also comes in peach (ピーチ); mint and peach share the active formula and dose schedule. The mango product here is the Troche lozenge. A pack labelled のどすっきり飴 is throat candy, so do not apply this medicine dose table to it.
What changes between the formulas?
All three are labelled for cough, phlegm, and hoarseness, roughness or discomfort caused by throat inflammation. The powder and mango Troche also list throat pain and swelling. Those two indications are not listed for Direct Stick.
| Form | Active formula | What it means when choosing |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | Four herbs: platycodon, apricot kernel, senega and licorice | Choose the measured powder form if it suits your routine |
| Direct Stick | Six herbs: the four above, plus ginseng and gambir, in different amounts | Portable granules, not simply the original powder in a sachet |
| Direct Troche | Same four herbs and the same herbal amounts at the adult daily maximum as the powder | A dissolving lozenge, with its own age and dose rules |
Compare each product at its labelled dose, not one sachet against one spoonful or one tablet. More herbs do not prove better results. These are not fever medicines or all-in-one cold remedies; a high fever calls for advice rather than relying only on a throat product.
Ages and doses: no water, different methods
Original powder: use the supplied spoon
One heaped supplied spoon holds 0.3 g. Measure the portion below, place it on your tongue and let it dissolve slowly toward your throat. Do not gulp it down or wash it down with water. Avoid food and drink for 15–30 minutes afterwards. For every eligible age below, the schedule is 3–6 times daily.
| Age | Amount per dose |
|---|---|
| 15+ | 1 spoon |
| 11–14 | 2/3 spoon |
| 8–10 | 1/2 spoon |
| 5–7 | 1/3 spoon |
| 3–4 | 1/4 spoon |
| 1–2 | 1/5 spoon |
| 3 months to under 1 year | 1/10 spoon |
| Under 3 months | Do not use |
For children under 2, the leaflet prioritizes medical care and allows use only when unavoidable. An infant dose on the table is not a recommendation to self-select it. An adult must supervise all children.
Direct Stick: children need a fraction of a sachet
| Age | Per dose | Times daily |
|---|---|---|
| 15+ | 1 sachet | 6 |
| 11–14 | 2/3 sachet | 6 |
| 7–10 | 1/2 sachet | 6 |
| 3–6 | 1/3 sachet | 6 |
| Under 3 | Do not use | — |
Leave at least 2 hours between doses. Let the granules dissolve on your tongue without water. Fold the opened sachet closed, keep the remainder dry and use it within 2 days.
Direct Troche: dissolve, do not chew
| Age | Per dose | Times daily |
|---|---|---|
| 15+ | 1 lozenge | 3–6 |
| 5–14 | 1/2 lozenge | 3–6 |
| Under 5 | Do not use | — |
Leave at least 2 hours between doses. Do not chew or swallow it whole. Age 5 is the minimum age, not the age for an adult dose.
Before use: a short safety check
- Ask a doctor, pharmacist or registered OTC seller first if you are receiving medical treatment, have had a drug allergy, or have a high fever.
- Stop and seek advice if a rash, redness, itching, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite or dizziness develops.
- For all three, stop and seek advice if symptoms have not improved after 5–6 days. Do not increase the dose to keep your itinerary.
- Keep the original container and leaflet, store cool and dry out of children’s reach, and check the expiry date.
Put the exact form on your shopping list
Save the complete name with the form—for example, 龍角散ダイレクト スティック ミント. Check its age limit and directions after buying. Then you can spend less time decoding boxes and more time enjoying Japan.
Questions before you buy or use it
Is Ryukakusan Direct throat candy?
No. The Direct Stick and mango Troche in this guide are Class 3 OTC medicines. Products labelled のどすっきり飴 are a separate throat-candy range.
Which form is stronger?
Herb count, packaging and form do not establish a strength ranking. Their uses overlap, while Direct Stick differs in formula and some indications. Start with the requested product, preferred form and age limit.
Should I take it with water?
No. Let the powder or Stick granules dissolve slowly on your tongue. Let Troche dissolve in the mouth; do not chew or swallow it whole.
Can a 5-year-old take a whole Troche?
No. Ages 5–14 take half a lozenge per dose, 3–6 times daily, at least 2 hours apart, with adult supervision. Under 5s must not use it.
Sources and photo credits
Based on Japanese manufacturer information. English names help you read this guide; match the full Japanese name when shopping. Official photos retain the original packaging artwork. Read the current leaflet supplied with your pack before use.
