“Transino brightening tablets” is on your shopping list, but the Japanese drugstore has blue Clear boxes, silver Premium boxes and another product called EX. Let’s recognise the two White C options first, whether you are choosing for yourself or finding the exact one a family member requested.
Irene · A pharmacist in Japan, originally from Taiwan · About Irene
Start with three differences: vitamin C, added calcium pantothenate and the number of tablets per adult dose. Both supply the same daily amount of L-cysteine for adults. Premium does not double every ingredient.
Two boxes, with a few differences that matter
Clear · 2 tablets per adult dose
Consider this if you prefer fewer tablets
トランシーノ ホワイトCクリア
The adult daily dose supplies 1,000 mg vitamin C and 240 mg L-cysteine. Match ホワイトCクリア on the box.
Premium · 3 tablets per adult dose
Compare this if you want the higher-vitamin-C formula
トランシーノ ホワイトCプレミアム
The adult daily dose supplies 2,000 mg vitamin C and 240 mg L-cysteine, plus 24 mg calcium pantothenate. Match ホワイトCプレミアム.
A useful shelf discovery: 120 tablets and 180 tablets both last 30 days. At the labelled dose for ages 15 and over, Clear uses four tablets a day and Premium uses six. Compare days of use, rather than judging by bottle size or tablet count alone.
Daiichi Sankyo positions Clear for people beginning to notice dark spots, trying this type of oral care for the first time or looking for continued use. It positions Premium for people more concerned about their spots or already familiar with oral skin-care products. These are the manufacturer’s product positions. The labelled indications are the same, so the darkness of a spot alone cannot tell you which will work better for you.
Both are Class 3 OTC medicines in Japan, rather than ordinary dietary supplements. Neither is for children under 7. Stop and seek advice if symptoms have not improved after about one month. If you already take Transino EX, read the combination warning below.
Buying for someone else? Match the name before the pack size
- Clear: トランシーノ ホワイトCクリア. Available in 60, 120 and 240 tablets: 15, 30 and 60 days respectively at the labelled dose for ages 15 and over.
- Premium: トランシーノ ホワイトCプレミアム. Available in 90, 180 and 270 tablets: 15, 30 and 45 days respectively at the labelled dose for ages 15 and over.
- EX / older II: these belong to a separate melasma-medicine line. If the photo you were sent says EX or II, do not use the White C dosing instructions in this guide.
Save the complete Japanese name and a package photo. At the shelf, check Clear or Premium → the user’s age → tablet count. If someone requested a specific product, match it rather than choosing an “upgrade” as a gift. Colour is a useful clue, but the full name and the leaflet in the pack are the final checks.
Twice a day: check the amount for one dose
Take either product once in the morning and once in the evening, with water or lukewarm water. Both may be taken before or after meals. The amounts below are per dose; do not take the whole day’s tablets at once.
Ages 15 and over
Clear: 2 tablets per dose, 4 tablets a day.
Premium: 3 tablets per dose, 6 tablets a day.
Ages 7–14
Either product: 1 tablet per dose, morning and evening, 2 tablets a day.
A parent or carer must supervise. The matching tablet count does not mean the two products supply the same daily ingredient amounts at this age.
Under 7
Do not take either product.
The “1,000 mg / 2,000 mg” figures on the boxes are the daily vitamin C amounts for ages 15 and over. One adult dose supplies 500 mg in Clear or 1,000 mg in Premium; either supplies 120 mg L-cysteine per adult dose. Do not read the daily figures as the amount in one tablet or one dose, and do not increase the dose yourself.
Read the ingredient difference, without memorising the table
Both are labelled to relieve dark spots, freckles and pigmentation caused by sunburn or contact dermatitis. Their adult daily amounts of L-cysteine, vitamin E, B2, B6 and nicotinamide match. Premium mainly differs in its higher vitamin C amount and added calcium pantothenate.
| Ingredient | Clear 4 tablets/day | Premium 6 tablets/day |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin CAscorbic acid | 1,000 mg | 2,000 mg |
| L-cysteine | 240 mg | 240 mg |
| Vitamin Ed-α-tocopheryl succinate | 50 mg | 50 mg |
| Vitamin B2Riboflavin | 6 mg | 6 mg |
| Vitamin B6Pyridoxine hydrochloride | 12 mg | 12 mg |
| Vitamin B3Nicotinamide | 60 mg | 60 mg |
| Calcium pantothenate | Not an active ingredient | 24 mg |
These are the labelled adult daily totals, not amounts per tablet or the daily totals for ages 7–14. The manufacturer explains the formula through vitamin C and L-cysteine’s roles in melanin production, decolourisation and removal. That mechanism cannot establish “twice the vitamin C means twice as fast”, or promise when an individual spot will disappear.
Both also list vitamin C supplementation during physical fatigue, pregnancy or breastfeeding, reduced strength during or after illness, and older age, as well as prevention of bleeding gums and nosebleeds. This guide focuses on comparing the products for pigmentation concerns. Persistent bleeding or symptoms that do not improve need assessment rather than simply more vitamins.
Transino EX has its own rules
Neither White C Clear nor Premium contains tranexamic acid, and neither has a labelled indication for melasma. Transino EX is a different, tranexamic-acid-containing Class 1 OTC medicine for melasma in Japan, supplied with pharmacist advice. Production of the older Transino II ended in February 2024; the manufacturer lists EX as its replacement. Do not transfer EX or II instructions to White C.
The manufacturer explicitly says not to take either White C product together with Transino EX, because ingredients overlap. White C can be used during the required break from EX, but its own directions and precautions still apply. Taking both at once is not a more complete regimen.
Before taking it, and when to stop
- Ask before use if you are receiving medical treatment or have had an allergic reaction to medicines or other substances. Consult a doctor, pharmacist or registered OTC medicine seller in Japan.
- Avoid doubling up: choose Clear or Premium and follow that product’s directions. Do not combine them or mix them to make your own dose. If you also use vitamin C, L-cysteine or other pigmentation medicines or supplements, ask a pharmacist to check overlapping ingredients and total amounts.
- Stop immediately and seek advice for a rash, redness, itching, nausea, vomiting, stomach discomfort or abdominal pain. Stop and seek advice if diarrhoea or constipation persists or worsens. Take the leaflet with you.
- No improvement after about one month? Stop and take the leaflet to a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or registered OTC medicine seller. A large bottle is not a reason to carry on, and switching to Premium yourself does not replace that review.
- Periods and medical tests: periods may come earlier or become slightly heavier. Seek advice if bleeding continues for a long time. Vitamin C may affect urine and stool test results; tell the doctor you are taking this medicine before testing.
Pregnant or breastfeeding? Both products list vitamin C supplementation during pregnancy and breastfeeding among their indications, and the manufacturer’s FAQs allow use at the labelled dose. Consult your doctor in early pregnancy. The advice to check first when receiving treatment or taking other medicines still applies. This information is for White C; it does not apply to Transino EX.
If you are unsure whether your pigmentation concern is suitable for this medicine, ask a doctor or pharmacist. The manufacturer notes that no improvement after about one month could indicate another condition: stop and seek advice. The darkness of a spot alone is not a reason to switch yourself to Premium.
Keep the original bottle and leaflet
Keep the tightly closed bottle in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and children. Do not transfer the tablets to another container, handle them with wet hands or return wet tablets to the bottle. Remove the protective packing material after opening. Keep the desiccant in the bottle until you finish the medicine, but never swallow it. Do not use the product after its expiry date.
Questions you may still have
Does twice the vitamin C mean twice the effect?
No such conclusion follows from the ingredient amounts. At the adult daily dose, Clear supplies 1,000 mg vitamin C and Premium 2,000 mg; both supply 240 mg L-cysteine. Premium also has 24 mg calcium pantothenate. The labelled indications match, and these differences do not establish a twofold benefit or speed for an individual.
Do White C Clear and Premium contain tranexamic acid or treat melasma?
Neither contains tranexamic acid, and the manufacturer states that neither has a melasma indication. Transino EX is a separate Class 1 OTC melasma medicine containing tranexamic acid. Do not treat products as interchangeable because they share the Transino name.
Do I need to take White C after meals?
Both may be taken before or after meals, with water or lukewarm water, once in the morning and once in the evening. For ages 15 and over, Clear is 2 tablets per dose and Premium 3. For ages 7–14, either is 1 tablet per dose. Neither may be taken under age 7.
Must I stop after one month?
Stop and seek advice if symptoms have not improved after about one month. The manufacturer says use may continue if symptoms improve after one month; White C does not have EX’s fixed two-month treatment limit. Continue to follow the dose and watch for adverse effects. This is not blanket advice for everyone to take it long term.
Can I combine Clear, Premium or Transino EX?
Clear and Premium have several overlapping ingredients. Choose one and follow its labelled dose rather than combining them. The manufacturer explicitly says neither may be taken with Transino EX. White C may be taken during a break from EX, subject to White C’s own directions and precautions.
Can I take White C while pregnant or breastfeeding?
Both list vitamin C supplementation during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and the manufacturer allows use at the labelled dose. Ask your doctor in early pregnancy. Check first if you are receiving treatment, taking other medicines or have a history of medicine-related allergy. Do not apply this answer to Transino EX.
Why has my urine turned yellow?
Both contain vitamin B2, which can turn urine yellow. Their vitamin C may also affect urine and stool test results, so tell the doctor before testing.
Also comparing other boxes? Hythiol C Plus EX, Plus 2 and Whitea Premium · Transino EX and the older Transino II
Take three checks back to the shelf: the full Clear or Premium name, the user’s age and dose, then the pack size. When buying for family, pass on the box and leaflet too. With those details sorted, you can get back to enjoying your trip.
Sources and product photos
- White C Clear: product, ingredients, directions, cover and product-comparison photos
- White C Premium: product, ingredients, directions, cover and product-comparison photos
- White C series comparison
- Transino EX official information
- Transino II discontinuation record
- Transino EX launch and reformulation notice (PDF)
- Differences between the two formulas: official comparison FAQ
- Age-based doses, directions and precautions (Japanese leaflet PDFs): Clear / Premium
- White C, melasma and combining with EX: Clear and melasma / Premium and melasma / Clear／EX / Premium／EX
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Clear pregnancy / Premium pregnancy / Clear breastfeeding / Premium breastfeeding
- Duration and continuing after improvement: Clear / Premium
Product photos: Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare. Used to identify the Japanese Clear and Premium boxes and bottles; original proportions, labels and colours are retained. Images are not to scale. Product information checked: 7 October 2026. This guide covers products sold in Japan and does not replace an individual diagnosis or the leaflet supplied with your pack.
