Key Takeaways
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Japan’s plug type is Type A, with two flat parallel pins, alongside the earthed Type B, according to Wikipedia’s list of mains electricity by country, so an Indian plug needs a travel adapter for Japan, and Japan’s 100 V supply is less than half of India’s 230 V (Wikipedia, Mains electricity by country, accessed 2026-09-17; JNTO, Plugs & Electricity, accessed 2026-09-17). The voltage is the part that catches people out: an adapter fixes the plug shape and nothing else.
This guide is maintained by Zurich Kotak General Insurance, an IRDAI-registered general insurer in India and part of the Zurich Insurance Group.
Last verified: 2026-09-17.
Japan and India compared, in one table
The plug shape, the voltage and, in western Japan, the frequency all differ from India.
| India | Japan |
Plug and socket types | C, D, M (round pins) | A (two flat pins); B (two flat pins plus a round earth pin) |
Voltage | 230 V | 100 V |
Frequency | 50 Hz | 50 Hz in the east, including Tokyo; 60 Hz in the west, including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka |
Adapter needed from India? | n/a | Yes |
Transformer needed? | n/a | Only for appliances not rated for 100 V |
Sources: plug types, India’s supply and Tokyo’s 50 Hz from Wikipedia; Japan’s 100 V, used “uniformly”, and the frequency split from JNTO.
Why an Indian plug will not fit
Japanese sockets are built for flat blades, and every Indian plug has round pins. Wikipedia describes Japan’s two-pin plug and socket, made to the standard JIS C 8303, as physically identical to the North American NEMA 1-15 type, and says the earthed version is less common (Wikipedia, AC power plugs and sockets, accessed 2026-09-17). India’s Type C has two round pins and Types D and M have three, so none goes in.
· Older Japanese sockets are unpolarised. Both slots are the same size, and Wikipedia notes they accept only unpolarised plugs, so an American-style adapter with one wider blade may not fit. Choose one whose flat pins are the same width.
· Most sockets have no earth hole. A three-pin Indian plug, such as many laptop charger cords, needs an adapter that accepts three pins, and a two-pin socket gives it no earth connection.
Adapter or converter? The 100 V question
An adapter changes the plug shape and nothing else; whether a device also needs a transformer depends on the “INPUT” line on its label.
· “100-240V”: works on Japan’s 100 V with only an adapter. Most phone, laptop and camera chargers are made this way.
· A voltage switch: JNTO says dual-voltage hair dryers, travel irons and shavers work anywhere in Japan. Set the switch to the range that includes 100 V.
· “220-240V” or “230V” only: built for India’s supply. JNTO says such appliances need a transformer to convert the voltage, which for an Indian appliance means raising 100 V to India’s level. Without one, a heater’s output falls with the square of the voltage, so a 230 V heater on 100 V delivers under a fifth of its rated wattage. A transformer big enough for a hair dryer or kettle is heavy, so most travellers leave such appliances at home.
The frequency matters less. India runs at 50 Hz, like eastern Japan. In the 60 Hz west, a charger marked “50/60Hz” works normally, but an appliance marked 50 Hz only, especially one with a motor or a mains-timed clock, may not run correctly, because a synchronous motor’s speed depends on the supply frequency (Wikipedia, Utility frequency, accessed 2026-09-17). A transformer does not change frequency.
Travelling to Japan? Get covered before you fly. Travel insurance for Japan is not required for entry, but Japan’s Foreign Ministry calls it highly recommended, and treatment there can be expensive.
Device by device: what Indian travellers need
Most of what an Indian traveller packs needs only an adapter; the problems are heating appliances and anything labelled for 230 V only.
Device | Check the label for | What you need in Japan |
Phone or laptop charger | 100-240V (usual); a three-pin laptop cord | An adapter that accepts your plug |
Camera, e-reader, earbuds, smartwatch, power bank | 100-240V on the USB charger | Adapter only |
Hair dryer | A voltage switch, or 100-240V | Dual-voltage: adapter only. 230 V only: a transformer, or use the room’s dryer if it has one |
Hair straightener or curler | A voltage switch, or 100-240V | Dual-voltage: adapter only. 230 V only: leave it at home; it will barely heat |
Shaver, trimmer, toothbrush base | 100-240V on the charger or base | Dual-voltage: adapter only. 230 V only: a transformer |
CPAP or other medical device | 100-240V and 50/60Hz on the power supply | If both: adapter only. If not: a transformer rated for the device |
Electric kettle | 230V only | Leave it at home; it would heat very slowly |
Rice cooker or induction cooktop | 230V only | Leave it at home; it will not cook properly on 100 V |
With a medical device, also check two things beyond the plug: your airline’s rules for carrying and using it on board, and the health ministry’s personal-import page, which sets quantity limits for medical devices as well as medicines (MHLW, mhlw.go.jp , accessed 2026-09-17).
Buying an appliance in Japan works the other way round: a rice cooker or hair dryer made for 100 V needs a step-down transformer on India’s 230 V, so ask for a model rated for 220 to 240 V if you want to use it at home.
Which travel adapter for Japan to buy
Buy one adapter with two equal-width flat pins that accepts Indian round-pin plugs, and add an Indian extension board if you carry several dual-voltage chargers. The board passes on Japan’s 100 V unchanged, so plug only 100-240V chargers into it.
Option | When it is the right choice |
Single Type A adapter for Indian plugs | One or two dual-voltage chargers |
Type A adapter plus an Indian extension board | Several chargers, or travellers sharing a room |
Universal adapter with USB ports | Several plug regions; its US setting is the Type A shape, if both flat pins are the same width |
Step-up transformer | One 230 V appliance you cannot leave behind, rated above its wattage |
If you forget, JNTO says conversion plugs and transformers are sold in Tokyo’s Akihabara, Osaka’s Nipponbashi, and large chains such as Yodobashi Camera and Bic Camera.
Hotels, trains and charging on the move
Pack your own adapter, since hotels differ in what they offer. Many hotels have USB ports or lend adapters, but do not count on it on the night you arrive, and check whether your room has a hair dryer and kettle before packing your own.
JNTO says newer shinkansen models have outlets next to window seats (ask when you buy the ticket), and some hamburger chains and family restaurants have outlets. It also advises keeping your phone charged in case of an earthquake, which makes a power bank worth carrying.
If you carry an expensive phone, laptop or camera, Loss of Personal Belongings, an optional cover you can add to a Smart Travel policy, extends to mobiles, laptops, tablets, e-readers and cameras lost to theft or robbery, at depreciated value and with a cap where bills cannot be produced, so keep the invoices. Japan is Asia geography on Zurich Kotak’s Smart Travel plans: Excel and Prime tiers, sum insured up to USD 500,000 on Prime, maximum entry age 70; travellers aged 71 or over can read about travel insurance for senior citizens .
Power banks on flights to and from Japan
From 2026-04-24, Japan limits each passenger to two power banks in the cabin and bans charging them, or charging from them, on board. Japan’s transport ministry (MLIT) adopted the rules after an emergency revision of ICAO’s international standards (MLIT press release of 2026-04-14, in Japanese, mlit.go.jp , accessed 2026-09-17):
Rule | What MLIT says |
Where to pack | Cabin baggage only, never checked baggage |
Capacity | 160 Wh or less each |
How many | Two per passenger |
On board | Do not charge a power bank, or charge devices from one; use the aircraft’s outlets for devices |
Where to keep it | With you, for example in the seat pocket, not in the overhead bin |
Short circuits | Tape the terminals or use a case, away from other batteries and metal |
MLIT’s formula for the rating is watt-hours = mAh × voltage ÷ 1,000, so a 27,000 mAh power bank at 3.7 V is 99.9 Wh. It warns that breaking most of these rules can bring penalties under Japan’s Civil Aeronautics Act, and that airlines may be stricter. ANA applies the two-power-bank limit on international flights from the same date, and does not accept cordless curling irons or styling tools whose battery cannot be removed (ANA, items with conditions, accessed 2026-09-17). For the flight from India, check your own airline’s rules.
Before you go
Indian passport holders need a Japanese visa before they fly: there is no visa on arrival, and applications from India go in through the Japan Visa Application Centre (VFS Global) for your state, with single-entry tourist visas issued electronically. See our guide to the Japan visa for Indians and check the Embassy of Japan in India’s website ( in.emb-japan.go.jp ) before you book. For flights, stays and daily spend, see Japan trip cost from India .
FAQs
Q: What plug type is used in Japan? A: Japan uses Type A sockets, with two flat parallel pins, and some earthed Type B sockets, according to Wikipedia’s list of mains electricity by country. The supply is 100 V, at 50 Hz in eastern Japan and 60 Hz in the west, including Osaka.
Q: Do I need a travel adapter for Japan from India? A: Yes. India’s Type C, D and M plugs all have round pins, and none fits a Japanese flat-pin socket. Choose an adapter whose flat pins are the same width, because older Japanese sockets accept only unpolarised plugs.
Q: Do I need a voltage converter for Japan? A: Only for appliances not rated for 100 V. An adapter does not change voltage, so a charger labelled 100-240V needs only an adapter, while a 230 V-only appliance needs a transformer or should stay at home.
Q: Will my Indian hair dryer or straightener work in Japan? A: Only if it is dual-voltage. A 230 V-only model needs a transformer and otherwise runs far below its rated power, so check whether your hotel room has a dryer.
Q: Can I carry a power bank on a flight to Japan? A: Yes, in cabin baggage only. From 2026-04-24, Japan allows up to two power banks of 160 Wh or less each, and bans charging a power bank, or charging devices from one, on board. Check your airline’s own rules too.
