Plugs and voltage
Japan uses Type A sockets; Type B is also found. Mains supply is 100 V at 50 Hz / 60 Hz.
Most sockets accept only two-pin Type A plugs: a three-pin US plug (Type B) needs a cheap two-pin adapter. Eastern Japan (Tokyo, Sendai, Sapporo) runs at 50 Hz and western Japan (Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Hiroshima) at 60 Hz.
At 100 V, devices from 220–240 V countries that are not dual-voltage will run weakly or not at all. Chargers labelled “100–240V” work fine with just a plug adapter.
Adapter guides: from United States · from United Kingdom · from Canada · from Australia · from India · from Germany · from France · from China · from New Zealand · from South Korea · from Philippines · from Singapore · from Malaysia
Money
¥ Japanese Yen JPY
| 1 USD | 157.3 JPY |
|---|---|
| 1 EUR | 175.7 JPY |
| 1 GBP | 210.7 JPY |
| 1 AUD | 110.5 JPY |
Price level 69 (US = 100, 2025)
Everyday household prices in Japan are about 69% of US prices when converted at market exchange rates: dearer than the median country (50). All countries
Language
- Japaneseofficial95%
Bars show the share of the population that speaks each language (CLDR estimates).
Time
Japan is on UTC+9, with no daylight saving time.
Driving
Traffic in Japan drives on the left, so the steering wheel is on the right. All left-driving countries
Public holidays in the next 12 months
17 national public holidays from 2 November 2026. Banks, offices and many shops close; regional holidays are not shown. Dates marked “estimated” follow a lunar calendar and can move by a day.
November 2026
- Culture Day
- Labor Thanksgiving Day
January 2027
- New Year's Day
- Coming of Age Day
February 2027
- Foundation Day
- Emperor's Birthday
March 2027
- Vernal Equinox Day
- Substitute Holiday
April 2027
- Showa Day
May 2027
- Constitution Day
- Greenery Day
- Children's Day
July 2027
- Marine Day
August 2027
- Mountain Day
September 2027
- Respect for the Aged Day
- Autumnal Equinox Day
October 2027
- Sports Day
Travel advisories
United States · State Department
Level 1 Exercise normal precautions
Read the full advisory. Checked 2026-11-02.
United Kingdom · FCDO
No warnings The FCDO does not advise against travel to Japan.
Updated 2026-08-28. Read the full advice. Checked 2026-11-02.
Advisories are written for each government's own citizens and change without notice: read the original before you travel.
Other practical facts
- Calling code
- +81
- Internet domain
- .jp
- Measurement
- Metric
- Paper size
- A4
- Week starts on
- Sunday
- Read more
- Wikipedia
More in Eastern Asia
Flag: Flag of Japan.svg, Public domain. Arms: Kamon of the Imperial House of Japan.svg, CC BY-SA 4.0, Fonsecafrancesco04. Electricity: resolved by intl.life from three sources, see methodology.
