How to Use A Japanese Air Conditioner

Mastering the functions of your a/c remote is key to surviving summer in Japan.

Air conditioners, or エアコン (eakon) in Japan, can help you through sweltering heat waves and blistering snowstorms because each unit can operate in both cooling and heating modes. As the labels on the リモコン *(rimokon) *are written in various combinations of kanji characters and katakana, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to distinguish one setting from another.

Accidentally blasting the heater on an already sticky June afternoon or having the air conditioner circumvent a cool breeze in the dead of winter are common occurrences that have happened at least once, even to the best of us. In this guide, learn the basics of how to master your Japanese air conditioner to your liking.

• Japanese Air Conditioner Remote Control Basics
• Turning Your Air Conditioner On and Off
• Adjusting the Temperature and Function of a Japanese Air Conditioner
• Types of Functions on Japanese Air ConditionersWhen to Clean Your Air Conditioner
• Surviving and Thriving in Japan

Japanese Air Conditioner Remote Control Basics

Your standard Japanese air-con.

If you have a furnished apartment and can’t find the remote control, it might be mounted on the wall near the air conditioner, perhaps hidden behind the curtain.

Take note that the placement of the buttons or commands on the remote may not be in the same place, so take a close look at the kanji.

Some higher-end air conditioners may have additional functions not covered in this guide, such as an タイマー (taima, on-off timer*)*, 内部クリーン (naibu kurin, self-cleaning setting) or 衣類乾燥 (irui kansou, clothes drying setting).

English****Japanese ****RomajiAir conditionerエアコンeakonRemote controlリモコンrimokonTimerタイマーtaimaSelf-cleaning setting内部クリーンnaibu kurinClothes drying setting衣類乾燥irui kansou

Turning Your Air Conditioner On and Off

Remember to keep it clean!

The on and off button is labeled 運転 and 停止 (unten/teishi), literally meaning operation and suspension, respectively. Sometimes this button will be labeled 運転切/入 (unten setsu/iri) or just 切/入 (kiri/iri). Press this button once and the A/C will come on.

Once the A/C is on, the little screen on the remote control will also come on. The temperature will be displayed, possibly along with other settings.

English****Japanese ****RomajiOn (operation)運転untenOff (suspension) 停止teishiOn (operation) Off (suspension) 運転切unten setsuOn入iriOff切kiri

Adjusting the Temperature and Function of a Japanese Air Conditioner

[

](http://cdn.gaijinpot.com/app/uploads/sites/4/2021/06/pixta_31315090_M.jpg)Time to familiarize yourself with buttons aside from on and off.

The “change temperature” buttons are usually shaped like an up or down arrow or have a plus or minus sign. In kanji, it’s 温度 *(ondo) *or temperature. Press the up arrow or plus sign to raise the temperature. Press the down arrow or minus sign to lower the temperature.

When you press the 運転切換 (unten kirikae) button, the little arrow on the screen will go down and point to a different operation.

Sometimes, buttons themselves will be the type of operation. In this case, you would press the button labeled with the operation you desire.

Types of Functions on Japanese Air Conditioners

[

](http://cdn.gaijinpot.com/app/uploads/sites/4/2021/06/pixta_115926213_M.jpg)You’re gonna wanna master these functions.

Beyond just changing the temperature, familiarizing yourself with these functions can make all the difference in a heat wave or cold wave (and your electricity bill).

English****Japanese ****RomajiTemperature温度ondoSwitch operation運転切換unten kirikaeAuto-run自動jidouCooling冷房reibouDehumidifier除湿joshitsuVentilator that dries inside of a/c to prevent mold送風soufuHeater暖房danbouLow power usage省エネshou ene

While many Japanese A/C remote controls have additional buttons, these are the most basic and most used. Hopefully, this Japanese air conditioner guide can help you create a cool space of your own this summer. Good luck out there.

When to Clean Your Air Conditioner

Ideally, you should deep-clean your air conditioner before periods of high use or if you see dust or mold on the rotating fan blades inside your unit. There are several cleaning companies that specialize in cleaning air conditioners, exhaust fans and the like. To learn about the basics of cleaning your air conditioner, click here.

Surviving and Thriving in Japan

• For more practical tips and how-tos related to living in Japan, check out our Japan 101 section.

• Having an air-con emergency that needs help straightaway? Post your question to our GaijinPot Facebook Group and the community will help you.

• Keen to level up your kanji? Learn Japanese with our original study materials on GaijinPot Study or take a look at the GaijinPot Study Placement Program for information on studying at a Japanese language school.