Best Travel Adapter for Japan + Easy Guide on What Electronics will and won’t work in Japan

Do you need a travel adapter for Japan? Well that depends on where you’re travelling from, but in this blog post we share how not to get stuck lugging a powerless, electronic around with you in the land of the rising sun. Save that space for extra shopping by using the right travel adapter.

The Basics

Japan generally uses the following plugs:

• Plug Type A – Which has 2 flat parallell pins

Or

• Plug Type B – Which has 2 flat parallel pins and a grounding pin beneath the 2 flat ones.

These are the same plug configurations used in the US.

Travel Adapter for Japan

Travel adapters are those pesky things you normally forget, until you’re standing at the airport considering a $50 purchase for one. While pesky, they are a necessity if you want to keep your devices charged and your electronics working.

There are a couple basic tips when it comes to buying a travel adapter that will work well for you:

1. Make sure it has the right outbound plug type (to fit the plug at your destination)
2. Make sure it has the right inbound plug type (to fit the plug you need to plug into it)
3. Buy one with and inbound plug and extra USB-A or USB-C ports (easy charging all in one)

Travel adapters are easy to use but it’s always good to beware that most travel adapters do not convert an appliance or accessories voltage (more on that later).

We always travel with an adapter that has both a plug inlet and USB-A or USB-C inlets. This helps cut down on the amount of accessories you need to travel with. Those extra inputs are helpful for charging phones, battery packs and cameras overnight, all-in-one. Our favourite one is this one: 70w Universal Travel Adapter, we like that it has a retractable USB-C Cord already built in.

Voltage Differences

The voltage used in New Zealand and Australia is 230/240 volts (50Hz).

While the voltage used in Japan is 100 volts (with 50Hz in Eastern Japan and 60Hz in Western Japan)

With Japan’s voltage being significantly lower than New Zealand’s (and Australia’s) there are some key things to consider when travelling:

• Electronics from NZ (and Australia) may not work in Japan, because there is simply not enough voltage to power the device.
• You may need a seperate voltage converter if you are moving with electronics that won’t work, permanently.

Electronics and Voltage Differences to Consider when Travelling

Hair

If you’re thinking about bringing your:

• Hairdryer
• Straightener
• Dyson Airwrap
• Other electronic hair tools

they will not work.

The voltage used in Japan is too low to power up your favourite hair tool. Don’t be like me and make the mistake of packing my Airwrap – I spent 4 weeks lugging it around, thinking it was broken because it wouldn’t work in Japan. The minute I got back to New Zealand, it worked perfectly. If I had done my research before packing, I could have saved some space for more shopping.

So what should I do?

Your best option is to check with your accommodation on what hair accessories they provide. We hit the jackpot when one of our Air BNB accommodations had an AirWrap for guests to use (score!). All our other accommodation options generally provide a hairdryer as a minimum.

Tip: If you are staying in an Air BNB, most hosts are happy to provide a hairdryer for you to borrow while you stay.

If you’d rather buy your own accessories to take with you, then don’t worry – there are certainly affordable options available. We found the best place to purchase a hairdryer or straightener was Don Quijote (they have shops throughout Japan).

They had plenty of cheap hairdryers, and the $20NZD straightener I brought lasted the entire month with daily use. They have both regular sized and travel sized available. (Grab some A-Grade Japanese hair oil from them while you’re there too to protect your hair from the heat).

Phone, Laptop and Tablet Chargers

Buying a travel adapter with an extra USB-A or USB-C port will keep your phone, laptop and tablet charged without having to carry extra plugs.

Phone Chargers – With most phones charged with a USB-C or Lightening Cord, you can simply plug them straight into an adapter to charge (or into a plug, that goes into the adapter). I recommend using the charging cord that came with your phone. An unbranded cord may not have the safety function, that prevents damage to your phones battery by voltage differences.

Laptop and Tablet Chargers – Like phones, it’s always best to use the charging cable that comes with your computer or tablet. I use an iPad and MacBook, both are charged with USB-C making it easy to plug into one of the ports on an adapter. If you have to use a normal plug (that goes into the inbound port of your adapter) it is best to charge your computer by itself. This prevents the voltage from being limited even further and the potential of a power surge.

Other Key Points

• Always check the voltage, to ensure your devices will work at your intended destination. If they won’t, leave them at home.
• If you travel with medical equipment, be sure to speak with your doctor first to ensure it will work without a hitch when you land.
• Buying electronics overseas should be considered carefully. Warranty coverage may not cover you when you leave the country and if plugged in when the voltage is a lot higher than the country you brought it in, there is a risk it will be fried.

Overall, travelling with devices doesn’t need to be confusing – grabbing a multi-port travel adapter helps take the confusion out of any adventure. If you like this article, make sure to checkout my other Japan blog posts here and for more in depth reviews and adventures, checkout my Youtube here.

And as always, if you have any further questions email me at nicola@prettyfarfromhome.com.

Until next time,

Nic x