I have some appliances from Japan and have brought them to the USA.?

I lived in Japan for a long time and brought several large American appliances with me to Japan when I first moved there so had to get a transformer. I am wondering if I can use the same transformer I used in the Japan to use my Japanese appliances in the USA?

If you use appliances without a motor they are fine but if they have a motor they will have a much shorter life. I used an induction cooktop and burned out the motor on it.

The transformer you are using for your American appliances in Japan is probably designed to increase the 100V Japanese power source to the 120V expected by American appliances.
Additionally, American appliances expect 60Hz eletrical sources, but some parts of Japan (notably Tokyo and eastern parts of Japan) provide power at 50Hz. So if you have a good transformer, it's probably also correcting the frequency from 50Hz to 60Hz for you as well.

However, if you are trying to use your Japan bought appliances in America, you will have to convert in the other direction. You will need a transformer that reduces the 120V American source to 100V for your Japanese appliance. Also, you will have to convert the 60Hz to 50Hz.
Unless your transformer is really smart and expensive, it may not be capable of going both ways. Most people buy transformers to only go in one direction, not both. You will probably need to buy new transformers for your Japanese appliances.

Check the power rating on your appliances. Most modern appliances (especially ones with AC adapters) can handle a wide voltage range. However, the 50Hz to 60Hz is harder to ignore. If your Japanese appliance expects only 50Hz (although I think many Japanese appliances are designed to handle both), it may behave badly when connected to a 60Hz source without conversion. For instance. anything that requires timing or has a clock may be thrown off by the frequency difference. Motors will run less efficiently because of the frequency difference and overheat quicker.

Yes, if you turn the voltage down in the USA. Japan uses 100Volts and USA uses 120-120 Volts.

Buy why pay the shipping cost for large heave appliances?

A waste of money.

I've used many small appliances purchased in Japan in the USA -- VCR, vacuum cleaner, rice cooker, and so on. I didn't use a transformer, and never had any problem with them.

Japanese expats in the US say they can use Japanese appliances w/o transformer.
However, everybody also says, the appliances get a short life compared using in Japan.