TSURUHA CO. LTD

What TSURUHA CO. LTD does

TSURUHA CO. LTD is a privately-held Japanese drugstore chain operator headquartered in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Tsuruha Holdings. The company operates over 1,000 physical drugstore locations across all major Japanese regions (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kansai, Kyushu) under a multi-brand portfolio that includes Tsuruha Drug, Kusuri no Fukutaro, Wellness, Drug Eleven, Wants, Lady Drug, Kyorindo, and B&D Drug Stores. Beyond Japan, the company operates 26 stores in Thailand (Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai) and, since 2024, 2 stores in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City), with a stated long-term vision of 20,000 stores worldwide.

The core offering combines physical retail of OTC pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, daily necessities, and consumer goods with prescription dispensing pharmacy services. The business is supported by an integrated digital ecosystem: the Tsuruha App (v6.0.9) featuring HAPPAY mobile payment, the cross-brand Tsuruha Group Point Card loyalty program (tiered General/Gold/Platinum), the "週トク" (Shutoku) weekly coupon service via the Shufoo platform, prescription reservation via LINE and EPARK integrations, and same-day delivery via Wolt Drive in 16 Kanto-area stores. A private brand "Kurashi Rhythm" (くらしリズム) provides house-brand daily goods, and a dedicated tax-free shopping service targets international tourists.

Revenue is generated through one-time retail transactions, insurance and co-pay claims for prescription dispensing, mobile payment transaction fees (HAPPAY), and a recurring loyalty point program. Customers include general consumers, seniors (60+), prescription patients, and international tourists. The company is privately held with no public stock listing and is led by President and Representative Director Yahata Masahiro.

Name

TSURUHA CO. LTD

Legal name

株式会社ツルハ (TSURUHA CO.,LTD.)

Website

https://tsuruha.co.jp

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TSURUHA CO. LTD is a Japanese drugstore chain operating 1,000+ stores across Japan under multiple brands, plus 26 stores in Thailand and 2 in Vietnam. It serves general consumers, seniors, prescription patients, and tourists with OTC pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, daily necessities, and dispensing pharmacy services, supported by an integrated digital ecosystem of app, loyalty program, and mobile payment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Pharmacy

NAICS

Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (456110), Health and Personal Care Retailers (456)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912)

akta.pro primary industry

Value Pharmacies & Deep-Discount Pharmacy Retail (CRAEAHAB)

Keywords

• Retail pharmacy services
• Drugstore chain operations
• Prescription dispensing services
• Health and beauty products
• Consumer goods retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Sapporo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales - Health and Beauty Products: Physical retail sales of OTC pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, daily necessities, and consumer goods through company-operated drugstores. Revenue generated from individual customer transactions at store locations.
2. Prescription Pharmacy Services: Dispensing prescription medications at stores with dispensing pharmacy capabilities. Revenue from insurance claims and patient co-payments for prescription drugs.
3. Mobile Payment - HAPPAY: Proprietary mobile payment system allowing customers to pay and accumulate points through the Tsuruha app. Transaction fees and float revenue from payment processing.
4. Point Card and Loyalty Program: Tsuruha Group Point Card system with tiered membership (General, Gold, Platinum) offering accumulated points redeemable for purchases and exclusive discount days.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TSURUHA CO. LTD operates a chain of community drugstores across Japan providing OTC pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, daily necessities, and consumer goods. The company also operates dispensing pharmacies that fill prescriptions from medical institutions, supported by a digital ecosystem including the Tsuruha App with HAPPAY mobile payment, a tiered loyalty point card program, prescription reservation services, and e-commerce. International operations extend to Thailand and Vietnam. Revenue is generated primarily through in-store retail product sales and prescription dispensing service fees.

Product overview

Tsuruha Drug operates a unified retail pharmacy and daily necessities platform combining physical drugstore locations with digital services. The core offering is the Tsuruha Drug store chain (1,000+ locations) providing pharmaceuticals, dispensing pharmacy services, cosmetics, and general merchandise. This is supported by a digital ecosystem including the official app (version 6.0.9) with HAPPAY mobile payment and point accumulation, prescription reservation services via LINE and EPARK integration, and the 週トク weekly coupon system. The loyalty program (ツルハグループポイントカード) spans multiple group brands including Kusuri no Fukutaro, Wants, and Drug Eleven. The private brand 'くらしリズム' offers quality daily goods, while international operations extend to Thailand (Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai) and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City). Additional services include home delivery (とどけ～る), free Wi-Fi, and tax-free shopping for tourists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 週トク (Shutoku): Weekly coupon service delivering personalized coupons to customers
• HAPPAY（ハッペイ）
• くらしリズム (Kurashi Rhythm)
• TSURUHA Free Wi-Fi

Products and services

• Tsuruha Drug Retail Stores (ツルハドラッグ) Physical drugstore chain offering OTC pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, health products, daily necessities, and general merchandise at over 1,000 locations across Japan. Stores also provide prescription dispensing services, health consultations, and beauty counseling for individual consumers.
• Prescription Dispensing Services (調剤サービス) Dispensing pharmacy services at designated Tsuruha stores that accept prescriptions from medical institutions across Japan. Includes prescription pre-registration via app, LINE, and EPARK to reduce wait times, and medication counseling from pharmacists.
• HAPPAY Mobile Payment (ハッペイ) Smartphone payment service integrated within the Tsuruha Group app, enabling point accumulation and mobile payments at checkout. Allows customers to pay and earn loyalty points via their mobile devices.
• Tsuruha Group Point Card (ツルハグループポイントカード) Loyalty points program valid across all Tsuruha Group stores (Tsuruha Drug, Kusuri no Fukutaro, Drugstore Wellness, Wants, Kusuri no Lady, MedicO21, Drug Eleven) with tiered membership benefits (General, Gold, Platinum), including Customer Appreciation Days and Senior Appreciation Days.
• Kurashi Rhythm Private Brand (くらしリズム) Tsuruha's private brand product line developed under 'Best Quality' and 'Best Price' concepts, offering daily necessities and household products at value pricing across all Tsuruha Group stores.
• Tsuruha E-shop (公式通販サイト) Official online shopping site for Tsuruha Group products and merchandise, allowing customers to browse and purchase products for home delivery. Includes alcohol sales via the tsuruha sake online shop.
• Home Delivery Service 'Todoke-ru' (届ケ～る) Home delivery service offering delivery of in-store purchases to customer-specified addresses at discounted rates, supporting seniors and other customers who need home delivery of health products and daily goods.
• Tax-Free Shopping Service (免税対応店舗) Tax-free shopping service for international travelers, available at designated Tsuruha stores nationwide and at all Thailand and Vietnam locations, allowing tourists to purchase Japanese products without paying consumption tax.
• Shutoku Weekly Coupons (週トク) Weekly coupon service delivering personalized coupons via the Shufoo digital flyer platform, accessible through the Tsuruha app, offering targeted discounts based on customer purchase history.
• Tsuruha Free Wi-Fi Free in-store Wi-Fi service available at all Tsuruha Group stores, supporting multiple languages for international customers and visitors.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 認定特定非活動法人 全国こども食堂支援センター・むすびえ (NPO Musubie)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Tsuruha Group partners with NPO Musubie to operate the 'Children's Meal Yutakasa Fund' (こども食堂ゆたかさ基金). The fund uses revenue from plastic bag charges at stores to support children's meal programs nationwide. Collaboration started in 2022 with spring and summer grant cycles.
• Vietnam Partner CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partnership established in 2024 for Vietnam market entry. Agreement signed with local partner for store expansion in Ho Chi Minh City area.
• Rakuten (楽天)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRakuten Point Card partnership offering combined Tsuruha Group and Rakuten points. Regular campaigns include point redemption promotions and exclusive giveaways (10 million Rakuten points campaign).
• P&G (プロクター・アンド・ギャンブル)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint promotional campaigns including 'Summer Hero Campaign' (夏のヒーローキャンペーン) and Pampers point redemption campaigns. Hokkaido-exclusive tree planting and craft activities.
• LION (ライオン)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual 'Tsuruha Green Walk' (ツルハグリーンウォーク) event sponsorship in its 32nd year. Health and wellness walking campaign with radio station partnership.
• Tokyo Broadcasting System Television (TBSD)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for 'Waku Waku Happy Concert' (わくわくハッピーコンサート) Hokkaido-limited events featuring radio broadcasts and live performances at stores.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Create SD: Drugstore chain with embedded dispensing pharmacies and a discount-focused positioning. Direct competitor in Tsuruha's Kanto and Chubu regions.
• Sugi Pharmacy (Sugi Holdings): Japanese drugstore chain with prescription dispensing, private-brand strategy, and community-focused store formats. Operates in overlapping geographies with Tsuruha.
• Welcia Holdings: Largest Japanese drugstore chain by revenue, operating a similar multi-banner strategy with prescription dispensing, loyalty programs, and adjacent services (e.g., Welmua, Kiosk). Tightest direct competitor to Tsuruha in the discount drugstore format.
• Sundrug: Major Japanese drugstore chain with comparable product mix (OTC, cosmetics, daily goods), prescription dispensing, and point card programs. Competes head-to-head with Tsuruha across multiple Japanese regions.
• Cosmos Pharmaceutical: Discount-focused drugstore chain with strong value positioning, operating 'Cosmos' and 'Drug Cosmos' banners. Comparable to Tsuruha's value-and-discount pricing model.
• Matsumotokiyoshi (Matsukiyo Cocokara & Co.): One of Japan's largest drugstore groups, including Matsumoto Kiyoshi and Cocokara Fine banners. Competes with Tsuruha on cosmetics, OTC, and prescription dispensing.
• Kokumin (formerly Kyorindo Super Drug Store): Japanese drugstore chain formerly part of Tsuruha's acquisition footprint; competitor with similar draft/Hokkaido heritage and discount positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Watsons (A.S. Watson Group): Asia's largest health and beauty retailer, operating in Thailand, Vietnam, and other SEA markets. Overlaps with Tsuruha's international operations in Thailand and entry market Vietnam.
• Welparks (Aeon Drugstore format): Subsidiary of Aeon Group with both drugstore and discount store formats. Competes indirectly with Tsuruha's discount-and-loyalty model but operates as part of a broader retail conglomerate.
• Boots (Walgreens Boots Alliance): Global pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer. Comparable to Tsuruha in combining prescription dispensing with OTC, beauty, and loyalty — though operating in different geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tsuruhaofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/tsuruha.drug
• Instagraminstagram.com/tsuruha_official/?hl=ja
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tsuruha-co.-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TSURUHA CO. LTD