Of course, the light in your room could have just a simple ON/OFF switch. However, since it’s Japan, chances are even your ceiling light affords you more options. In this guide, we’ll explore how to use Japan’s ceiling light remote control effectively.

Before Using Japan’s Ceiling Light Remote Control

Note that the light itself still needs to be turned on using the main switch. If the remote control isn’t working though working batteries are in, you might need to press the main switch.

Buttons And Other Parts of Japan’s Ceiling Light Remote Control

For this guide, I am using the remote control for the main ceiling light that we have at home which is the NEC RE0208 model. This might differ from what you have at home but since the main and most basic functions will still be covered here, I am confident that it will still help out.

Let’s start from the buttons forming a circle in the middle. These buttons are used to control the brightness of the light. The biggest one at the center does not need an explanation, of course, and that’s your power button.

全灯 (zentou) – This one right above the power button is used to turn the light to its maximum brightness.

暗 (kura) – Press this to dim the light up to a certain level.

明 (akira) – Press this to make the dimmed light brighter.

常夜灯 (jouyatou) – This turns on the night light.

Now, on to the buttons at the topmost part of the remote control.

スリープタイマー 60分/30分 (suriipu taimaa) – This one on the left says ‘Sleep Timer’. You can set your light to automatically turn off either after 60 minutes or 30 minutes (more on that later).

留守番 (rusuban) – This can be translated to ‘care taker’ and what it does is set your ceiling light to turn on and off in a set interval of hours (more on setting that up later as well). It is a feature added for security purposes especially for people who are often away on business trips or vacations.

At the bottom you see a switch-type function. If you are setting up your ceiling light yourself and bought two units, those two units can actually be controlled using only one remote control. On the actual ceiling light, you can see a similar switch. Set one of the ceiling light’s channels to 1 and the other to 2 then you can use the remote control for either simply by switching to the appropriate channel. If you only have one ceiling light, then just keep this at Channel 1 which is the default.

How To Use Japan’s Ceiling Light Remote Control

Using The Sleep Timer

To set your light to automatically turn off after 60 minutes, press the [スリープタイマー 60分/30分] button once. You should hear 1 short beep as a confirmation.

To set your light to automatically turn off after 30 minutes, press the [スリープタイマー 60分/30分] button twice in a span of about 3 seconds. You should hear 2 short beeps as a confirmation.

To cancel/turn off your sleep timer settings that you have put in place, press the [スリープタイマー 60分/30分] button once. You should hear 1 longer beep as a confirmation.

Using the ‘Care Taker’ Function

When you turn this function on, your ceiling light will automatically go through the following cycle:

• Turn the light on (at about 30% brightness) for one hour
• Turn the light off completely for one hour
• Turn the light on (at about 30% brightness) for 5 hours
• Turn the light off completely for 17 hours

Here’s how you use it:

If you are heading out in the morning, press the [留守番] button once (you should hear one short beep as confirmation). By doing this, your ‘Care Taker’ function will start to take effect after 10 hours. In order to let you know that you have successfully set it, though, the night light will turn on for the first of those 10 hours.

If you are heading out in the afternoon, press the [留守番] button twice (you should hear 2 short beeps as confirmation). By doing this, your ‘Care Taker’ function will start to take effect after 6 hours. In order to let you know that you have successfully set it, though, the night light will turn on for the first of those 6 hours.

If you are heading out in the evening, press the [留守番] button thrice (you should hear 3 short beeps as confirmation). By doing this, your ‘Care Taker’ function will start to take effect immediately.

Do the math and you should see that this will mimic the usual schedule of a person who works at the office in the daytime.

To turn off the Care Taker function, simply press the [留守番] button once – you should hear one longer beep as confirmation.

Maximizing the Use of Your Ceiling Light Remote Control

Understanding how to use Japan’s ceiling light remote control can significantly enhance your comfort and security at home. By utilizing features like the sleep timer and care taker functions, you can customize your lighting experience to fit your lifestyle needs.

Whether you’re ensuring your home is well-lit during your absence or setting the perfect ambiance for relaxation, mastering these functions will make your daily routines smoother and more efficient.

While you’re at it, be sure to take full advantage of all the appliances in your Japanese home or BnB by checking out my guides on how to use a Japanese washing machine and more!