Tokyo has four clearly defined seasons: crisp, sunny winters, a mild spring famous for its cherry blossom, a hot and humid summer that starts with a rainy season, and a wet early autumn shaped by typhoons. Its clock is the opposite of eventful: Japan has kept the same offset for more than seventy years, with no daylight saving time.
Climate overview
Tokyo has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa). Its position on the Pacific coast of Honshu brings hot, humid summers, when moist air flows in from the ocean. In winter the wind turns round and blows from the Asian mainland, dropping its moisture as snow on the mountains of western Japan and reaching Tokyo cold, dry and clear.
Average highs range from 10°C in January to 31°C in August, and average lows from 1°C in midwinter to 24°C in late summer. Rainfall is high, about 1,598 mm a year, and it falls mainly in two periods: the early-summer rainy season, called tsuyu, and the typhoon season from late summer into autumn. October is the wettest month, at about 235 mm.
Midwinter is surprisingly sunny: January is the sunniest month, with about 193 hours of sunshine, while grey June manages only 124.
- Tokyo
- Seoul
- Beijing
Show the numbers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | 9.8 | 10.9 | 14.2 | 19.4 | 23.6 | 26.1 | 29.9 | 31.3 | 27.5 | 22.0 | 16.7 | 12.0 |
| Seoul | 2.1 | 5.1 | 11.0 | 17.9 | 23.6 | 27.6 | 29.0 | 30.0 | 26.2 | 20.2 | 11.9 | 4.2 |
| Beijing | 2.3 | 6.1 | 13.2 | 21.0 | 27.2 | 30.8 | 31.8 | 30.7 | 26.5 | 19.3 | 10.3 | 3.7 |
Tokyo through the seasons
Winter (December to February)
Winters are cool and bright, with highs of 10–12°C and lows of 1–4°C. Skies are often clear and the air dry: January has only about 5 rainy days on average. Snow falls occasionally but rarely lasts more than a day or two in the city. Clear winter mornings are the best time to see Mount Fuji from high buildings.
Spring (March to May)
Spring warms from 14°C in March to 24°C in May. Cherry blossom usually peaks in late March or early April, one of the most celebrated moments of the year, when parks fill with picnics under the trees. Rain becomes more frequent as spring goes on.
Summer (June to August)
Tsuyu, the rainy season, usually runs from early June to mid-July, with frequent drizzle, grey skies and about 168 mm of rain in June. Once it ends, summer turns hot and very humid, with highs of 30–31°C and nights that stay around 22–24°C.
Autumn (September to November)
September is still hot and humid and sits at the peak of the typhoon season, with about 225 mm of rain. October is wetter still, at about 235 mm. Later in October and through November the weather turns cooler, drier and clearer, and the city's parks and ginkgo-lined avenues colour in late November.
What makes Tokyo's weather distinctive
Typhoons are Tokyo's most significant weather hazard. Most that affect the city pass between August and October, bringing strong winds and heavy rain for a day or two; trains may be suspended and flights cancelled. The Japan Meteorological Agency issues detailed forecasts and warnings, and the city's infrastructure is well prepared, but it is worth leaving slack in a travel plan at that time of year.
Summer heat is the other main concern. Combined with high humidity, Tokyo's urban heat island makes July and August uncomfortable, and heatstroke alerts are common. The dense, air-conditioned network of trains, stations, shops and underground passages offers welcome relief.
Best time to visit Tokyo
March to May and October to November are the best times to visit Tokyo. Spring brings cherry blossom and mild weather; autumn offers clear skies, comfortable highs of 17–22°C and colourful foliage. Summer is hot and humid, and winter is cold but sunny and crisp. Avoid Golden Week (late April to early May), New Year and the Obon period in mid-August if you can: much of Japan travels at the same time, and trains and hotels fill up.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothing and a small towel for summer humidity
- A compact umbrella for tsuyu and autumn showers
- A warm coat for winter mornings and evenings
- Layers for spring and autumn, when temperatures vary through the day
- Comfortable shoes that slip on and off easily: you will walk a lot between stations, and remove them in many homes, temples and restaurants
Time in Tokyo
Tokyo uses the Asia/Tokyo time zone, Japan Standard Time, which is UTC+9 all year. All of Japan runs on this one clock, and there is no daylight saving time. Because Japan never shifts its clocks, the gap with US and European cities still changes twice a year: not because Tokyo moved, but because they did.
Living on Tokyo time
Japan Standard Time was fixed in 1888 to the 135th meridian east, the line that passes through the city of Akashi near Kobe. Tokyo lies almost five degrees east of that meridian, so the sun rises and sets about 20 minutes earlier than clock time suggests. Combined with the absence of daylight saving time, this gives Tokyo some of the earliest summer sunrises of any major capital: in late June the sun is up by 04:25, and it sets at 19:00. In December it sets as early as 16:31.
Japan has tried summer time only once, from 1948 to 1951 under the Allied occupation. It proved unpopular, mainly because it lengthened working days, and was repealed in 1952. The idea has resurfaced several times since, most recently as a heat-relief measure for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but it has never been adopted.
Japan also counts years by imperial era alongside the Gregorian calendar. The current era, Reiwa, began on 1 May 2019, so 2026 is Reiwa 8. You will see this format on official forms, bank documents and train passes.
Scheduling with Tokyo
Tokyo is 2 hours behind Sydney and 1 hour ahead of Singapore, so it shares almost the entire business day with both. Tokyo is 9 hours ahead of London: the Tokyo late afternoon overlaps with the London morning. New York is the hardest: Tokyo is 14 hours ahead of New York, and the only practical live window is an early Tokyo morning, which is the previous evening in New York.
Meetings in Japan start precisely on time, and formality is expected even on video calls. When planning deadlines, watch the big holiday clusters: New Year in the first days of January, Golden Week and Obon, when many offices slow down or close.
For travellers, flying to Tokyo from Europe means moving your body clock many hours forward, which is usually harder than flying west. Getting outside in the morning light after arrival is one of the most effective ways to reset your sleep.
| With | Difference | Time in Tokyo | Their time |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | −9 h | No overlap | – |
| New York | −14 h | No overlap | – |
| Dubai | −5 h | 14:00–18:00 | 09:00–13:00 |
| Sydney | +2 h | 09:00–16:00 | 11:00–18:00 |
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 March | 05:45 | 17:52 | 12 h 7 min |
| 21 June | 04:25 | 19:00 | 14 h 34 min |
| 22 September | 05:29 | 17:39 | 12 h 10 min |
| 21 December | 06:46 | 16:31 | 9 h 44 min |
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Tokyo in?
Tokyo uses Japan Standard Time, UTC+9 all year. The whole of Japan shares the same time.
Does Tokyo observe daylight saving time?
No. Japan last used summer time in 1951 and repealed it in 1952; the offset has been constant ever since.
When is the rainy season in Tokyo?
Tsuyu, the early-summer rainy season, usually runs from early June to mid-July. The typhoon season follows in late summer and early autumn, and brings the wettest months of the year.
When does the cherry blossom bloom in Tokyo?
Cherry blossom usually reaches full bloom in late March or early April, depending on the weather that year. The Japan Meteorological Agency and private forecasters publish blossom forecasts from early in the year.
Does Tokyo get snow?
Occasionally. A few days of light snow fall in some winters, usually in January or February, but it rarely settles for long.