do american appliances work in japan?

Question

like cell phone chargers,flat irons, stuff like that, do they work with japans out lets?

Answer 1

For the most part the answer is YES...

I lived in Japan for 7 years and the majority of my appliances were from the US. The plugs are the same so don't worry about getting any special adapters for the appliances you plan to take with you.

Here is the main difference between Japan and US power- In the states, we use 120 Volt Alternating Current that is 60 Hertz. Japan uses 100 Volts Alternating Current that is on 50 Hertz. Now the volts don't make much of a difference in most appliances but the Hertz do. Hertz is the frequency or speed of the Alternating current cycle. One A/C cycle is the speed at which the voltage switches from positive to negative. Ok, aside from the science lesson think of it like this- A car going 60 MPH will get somewhere faster than one going 50 MPH right? Basically, electricity in the US is going faster than electricity in Japan so US appliances are made to perform their best with the 60 Hertz electricity BUT, almost all will work just fine on Japanese power despite the lower voltage and hertz rating.

Here's what won't work on Japanese power from my experiance- Alarm clocks!!! They need 60 hertz to keep the time accurately, Japanese 50 hertz power is too slow for alarm clocks and they will run slow (I found this out the hard way). Microwaves- Even with a converter that was supposed to convert Japanese power to US spec power, seemed to lack power so I didn't use it much. Microwaves aren't too expensive in Japan so i'd just get a Japanese one. Fans- I had 2 fans die on me in one summer, they were cheap and the lower power and hertz burned out the motors faster than normal.

What does work- 63" Big Screen TV, Playstation, Xbox, Fridge, DVD players, home theater system, my desktop computer that I am using right now, iron, saws, car wax buffer, weed whacker, video camera battery charger, digital cam charger... That's all I can think of right now

I'd get a new alarm clock but that's about it... All of your other gear should be fine. You can get a converter that steps up the voltage to US spec power for about $40 used but I had two and never used them.

Answer 2

Yes American appliances work here in Japan. My computer, can opener, lamp, ice cream maker (takes a few minutes longer), as well as hair dryer and stereo all work fine. You dont need a converter in Japan. But if you buy an appliance from Japan and take it to America, the power difference can burn out your electronics, especially computer chords or accessories. Hope that helps.

Answer 3

Actually the original answer is only 'half right' regarding frequency. I would guess that they live in the Tokyo area and have never lived in other areas. In fact in the Kansai area (Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, Wakayama etc.) the frequency is 60 Hz, the same as in the USA, so the only difference is the voltage.
Historical note: When Japan began to implement municipal electrical systems, the people making the decisions in the Tokyo area bought their systems from German suppliers and ended up with 50 Hz systems. Conversely, the companies in the Kansai area bought their systems from American companies and hence ended up with 60Hz systems. The approximate dividing line for the two systems
is Sekigahara, which also happens to be the linguistic border between Kansai ben and Kanto ben.
This frequency issue came up after the Fukushima nuclear plant devastation, since the Osaka area
could not (efficiently) provide the Tokyo area with electricity, due to the necessity of having to convert
the frequency. Suggestions have been made to standardize the electrical systems, but the costs would
be prohibitive.
For the record, I have lived in Japan for 13 years and have verified these facts with knowledgeable local residents.

Answer 4

Pay particular attention to G.C. above, she is correct, Japan uses 100V electicity compared to 120V in America. What you should look for is a converter (transformer) that increases the voltage from 100V to 120V, a good travel store should have one, tell them you are going to Japan, as I believe Japan is the only country in the world that uses a 100V system. Many appliances can probably handle the 20V difference, but to be safe, I would use a converter. Japan uses the same 2 prong and 3 prong plugs as America, so you don't need adaptors for the plugs. Also, almost all electical devices are labeled as to what voltage they will accept, and if it says 100V-120V or 100V-220V input, for example, you won't need any converter for that device. Have a good trip!

Answer 5

Hi,

Yes they do, but they won't work at the same speed or power. Japan uses a 100 volt electricity system, and North America is 120 volts. My hair dryer worked fine, but it was a bit less powerful.

I don't recommend taking clocks, they will eventually start running behind (a friend of mine did that, and slept in on a day when she was supposed to be at a meeting because her clock was two hours behind!).

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

Many people are talking about US clocks not keeping time in Japan. This is only the case for US analog clocks. Digital clocks are fine. Plus, it's 2015. Why are you bringing analog clocks to the most electronically-advanced country in the world? Use your cell phone to tell time like everyone else! :)

Answer 7

If you need to plug something in in a foreign country, you might want to consider purchasing an adapter of some sort. You could probably get one at any hardware store. They have different style prongs that plug into the Japanese outlets and have an American outlet on the outside so you can plug American things in with a Japanese outlet. It should say on the outside of the adapter's package what countries it will work in. If not, just ask who ever works at the store. Good luck!

Answer 8

What about landline phones that aren t cordless?

Answer 9

They probably need special outlets. You can buy conversion kits for your appliances.

Answer 10

yes..and no. they will run slower and harder. Clocks will not keep time, and you will burn out motors easier. get converters for the big ticket items.