Job Discussion Forums

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Shouldnt be a big deal.... No one's gonna look at you twice... Definitely safe if they are files on the computer. No customs official will EVER go through the contents of your C drive... As far as CDs go... Even if they open your suitcases you'll be fine... As long as you don't have like 50 boxes all shrink-wrapped, new and resembling something you are smuggling in for re-sale. Customs officials have better things to do than to be arguing with you about some CD-Rs.... I declared my booze and cartons of cigs, said they were for personal use and the customs dude barely blinked before sending me onward.

From what I can tell, 90% of most Japanese people (that includes public officials) can't communicate in English worth a damn so they will just as soon not get into a conflict that they cannot understand fully. Remember that fact the next time some JR monkey at the ticket booth starts telling you that you should've paid double the fare you did for an express train you never took! ...... Wink

I guess the metaphorical argument would be like telling the Game Warden (that's Fish & Wildlife Official to Canadians)... that you actually stole that jar of bait from the sporting goods store. He's a public servant hired to uphold the law... But shoplifting won't get you arrested by him. Catching more than your legal limit of fish, or poaching or hunting out of season WILL..... Smile

If you're still really worried, why don't you just mail your ill-gotten booty to yourself? Or have a friend mail you a care package (if you don't yet have an address).

Personally, I just left my VCD collection back home and got ADSL here in Japan. Kazaa works here equally well. I bought a CD burner here too... So far I've gotten about 15 movies to watch... Still haven't watched most of them.

Tip: travel light.... I just brought the laptop.. No bulky accesories.

Tip: video stores are cheap & you can rent most recently released DVDs

P.S. It's just as illegal in Japan as it is in Canada. Ever read the Interpol/FBI warnings at the beginning of a movie? Smile

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I agree with Jim about officials at customs not going through your computer hard drive, and if you don't have a huge number of disks hand labeled.

However, Jim said something I disagree with.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Sorry. The comment was not meant to be racist or derogatory. Must be a regional difference. Where I'm from we used to call people "monkeys" when they were behaving in silly or dumb ways (or were employed in certain sectors) -- the term has/had nothing to do with ethnicity... You could be literally anyone...

Sorry if I offended anyone...

Embarassed

hagakuri · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 3:35 pm Post subject: monkeys

Hi,

Where I come from, the desert southwest... we call an auto mechanic: a wrench monkey.

Smile and say Cheesuuuuuu!

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

Unless your laptop is very old, it should already have a voltage regulator built in. Plug adapters can be bought in Japan very easily, although it's a little frustrating communicating to the clerks what you want.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

astroboy,

Voltage in Japan is SLIGHTLY different than that of N. America. The frequency (Hertz) is what varies. See this page for some info. It doesn't mention Okayama specifically, but any place south of Tokyo is 60 Hertz, so perhaps Okayama is that frequency.

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

Check out any international luggage dealer or electronics shop in Canada, and they'll tell you what you need (hopefully). Most if not all laptops have converters, as guest of Japan said, and you shouldn't have any trouble plugging them into Japanese outlets. Never heard of a 3-pronged laptop cord anyway. If you have something with 3 prongs, get the adaptor at the electronics shop or even hardware store before you leave Canada.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

http://www.pref.okayama.jp/kikaku/kokusai/momo/e/kurasi/index.html#denki

60 Hz, 100 volts

This home page has lots of other info on Okayama.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Actually, to be perfectly honest, I don't think I've ever seen a 3-pronged plug for a (modern) laptop before... Only 2-pronged, as laptops require DC power, so there's no real need to ground them.

My laptop is an American-made HP... The adaptor says: 100-240V (1.3A) 50/60Hz input.

This means it will work anywhere in N. America, Asia and Europe, as well as many other places.

For this reason, I wouldn't even worry about buying any kind of adapters unless you know for a fact that you need one. Japanese plugs are just like ours: flat (not like the British round ones) so as long as it doesn't have a 3rd prong for a ground wire, you're set to go.

Of all the things my wife and I have brought with us to Japan, the things that WON'T work here properly are: anything with an electric motor, as you won't get the proper RPMs due to the lower voltage, hair dryers, microwaves, larger appliances. Anything else like shavers, electronics, radios, computers, TVs, etc... etc... should be fine in 50 OR 60Hz territory.

Good luck...

JD

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

My laptop has a three pronged plug. It's an IBM Thinkpad.

I bought the adapter in Japan at a home store. It was very cheap, but it took me a while to find because the sales staff couldn't understand what I wanted. I had brought along a translator, but the sales staff was clueless. Eventually I found it on my own.

Dominique · Joined: 26 Aug 2004 Posts: 141 Location: Juso, Osaka

They dont have three prong plugs in Japan?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Typically, no 3-pronged wall outlets in homes here. Not many in businesses that I have seen, either.

http://kropla.com/electric2.htm