This split dates back to the late 19th century, when power generation equipment was imported from different countries—Germany for the east and the United States for the west. As a result, Japan remains one of the few countries in the world with a nationwide dual-frequency power grid.
sambare on
How does this affect everyday life there?
Lionheart1224 on
…why, in a country that prides itself on societal order, would something so important not be uniform?
peet192 on
The Split goes along the Tenryū East HVAC Trunk Line
foggiesthead on
Voltage
* **Standard:** 100V (lower than North America’s 120V or Europe’s 220-240V).
* **Impact:** Appliances from other countries might not work or could be damaged; use a step-up transformer if needed.Â
Frequency
* **East Japan (e.g., Tokyo, Sendai):** 50 Hz (from German generators).
* **West Japan (e.g., Osaka, Hiroshima):** 60 Hz (from American generators).
* **Impact:** Most electronics handle this difference, but sensitive equipment like clocks might run fast or slow.Â
corymuzi on
A fun fact: The yellow Japan is belong to the Eurasia Plate, the blue Japan is belong to the North America Plate.
6 Comments
This split dates back to the late 19th century, when power generation equipment was imported from different countries—Germany for the east and the United States for the west. As a result, Japan remains one of the few countries in the world with a nationwide dual-frequency power grid.
How does this affect everyday life there?
…why, in a country that prides itself on societal order, would something so important not be uniform?
The Split goes along the Tenryū East HVAC Trunk Line
Voltage
* **Standard:** 100V (lower than North America’s 120V or Europe’s 220-240V).
* **Impact:** Appliances from other countries might not work or could be damaged; use a step-up transformer if needed.Â
Frequency
* **East Japan (e.g., Tokyo, Sendai):** 50 Hz (from German generators).
* **West Japan (e.g., Osaka, Hiroshima):** 60 Hz (from American generators).
* **Impact:** Most electronics handle this difference, but sensitive equipment like clocks might run fast or slow.Â
A fun fact: The yellow Japan is belong to the Eurasia Plate, the blue Japan is belong to the North America Plate.
[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Tectonic_plates_%282022%29.svg/2560px-Tectonic_plates_%282022%29.svg.png](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Tectonic_plates_%282022%29.svg/2560px-Tectonic_plates_%282022%29.svg.png)