110 V voltage in Japan

Iam a hair stylist and I just wanted to check that what I am understanding is correct. So if I take my North American tools to Japan (Okinawa) I should still be able to use them all without any problems??? Does the lower voltage mean that it may take longer to dry a clients hair with a blow dryer??? If I use my tools in these 100v outlets will this fry my tools? Will using an adaptor or a tranformer improve the power of my tools??

3G phone will work in Japan. Charging shouldn't take more than 2 hours. I charged mine and it took around that time to charge fully.

the question on mobile phones was asked in 2005, so we can probably assume he/ she has long since found out about the phones.

Lu Lu's is the current question- I can only say that your tools won't be fried, because the voltage is less. They would be fried if you went somewhere with 240v for example. An adaptor is just for the shape of the plug, which is the same in Japan as the U.S. if your appliances have 2 pins. A transformer may help as that changes the voltage- have a look at an electronics store to see if they stock transformers that convert from 100 to 110.

If you have a U.S. microwave oven, it will work in Tokyo, but the clock will never be correct because of the 50/60 frequency difference. Also, the clock on a coffeemaker will be useless, meaning you can't use the timer feature. Of course, you can buy these products in Japan and they'll work just fine. You don't really need to be able to read the instructions to operate them.

I had an ipod, video camera, hair dryer, electric shaver. They all worked fine. The iPod adapter can run at 100V, the video camera was of course made in japan and sold in the U.S. so it worked fine, the hair dryer simply ran lower than normal, a little less air and heat. The electric shaver was rechargeable and would charge fine and then run as usual. I didn't run it with a dead battery directly form the outlet though.

One tip though, if you're unsure, it's much better to by a converter here than in japan, japan is very expensive when it comes to accessories since they sell only name brands. For instance, I bought a second battery for my camera here for $12, in japan they only sold the name brand battery and it was priced at $60 (6,000).

All of west japan including Kyoto and Osaka is 60hz just like the U.S.

Actually it says this on the main page.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2225.html

Your hairdryer may run very ordinarily when you return home: our Aussie ones did after going to the US, do we didn't bother taking anything that heats to Japan: phone and camera chargers worked fine.

One thing to be careful of in Japan is that they only relatively recently began implementing requirements for a ground connection in wall outlets. This is especially true in older buildings. The ground connection is that circular 3rd prong found on the plug of most larger appliances, laptops, and power splitters. Therefore, even though the voltage will be compatible with your devices, you may not be able to plug them in without an adapter. This might be something to look into if you want to play it safe and be sure your devices will work when you get there.

Chris said"
One tip though, if you're unsure, it's much better to by a converter here than in japan, japan is very expensive when it comes to accessories since they sell only name brands. For instance, I bought a second battery for my camera here for $12, in japan they only sold the name brand battery and it was priced at $60 (6,000)."

This is not true for some batteries. There are places where you can buy 3rd party replacement batteries for a range of popular camera & video batteries.

How about tv's? I'm moving to Japan and want to buy a tv here and take it there. There are some extremely incredible deals for 42 inch tv's right now in the US. Will it work or will I need a converter? Or should I not buy it?

about TV set, there is another problem.

Digital broadcasting - American TV set cannnot decords a scramble.
Analog broadcasting - American TV set cannnot receives ch.1, ch.2, and ch.3.
And the analog broadcasting is scheduled to end in July, 2011.

not to mention how would you get the tv to Japan. It'd have to be shipped which would defeat the savings unless you were already moving large amounts of household items.

Related thread: home electric appliances in general:
http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+6...

As to TV sets and tuners:
Even if problems due to voltage difference are settled, there is no guarantee that TV sets for TV in U.S.A. can be tuned for TV channels in Japan.
With regard to digital TV broadcastings, I suppose a TV set designed only for digital TV in U.S.A. becomes just a monitor in Japan.
On digital TV in Japan, almost all TV programs -- including news shows -- are coded for copyright protection, also for prevention against free view as to pay programs.
(Japan-spec digital TV receivers adopt a decoding system using an IC card.)
- The Association for Promotion of Digital Broadcasting:
http://www.dpa.or.jp/english/index.html
I feel prices of TV sets for digital TV in Japan are getting lower and lower in recent 1 - 3 years.
For now my house is not equipped with one, but I've already received digital TV via a tuner in a recorder and I'm watching it on an analog TV cabled from the recorder.
Digital TV tuner kits are available to people hoping to use an analog TV set or a PC display (with audio and visual input lines) as a monitor.
Tuner kits designed for terrestrial and BS and CS digital TV are sold at relatively high prices, but some of them are full of functions.
Tuner kits designed only for terrestrial digital TV are at lower prices, but some (or most) of them lack functions for additional services of digital TV such as data broadcasting.

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