Best time to visit Japan
Japan has its best weather in April, May, and November. Peak season is March and April. For good weather with fewer crowds, aim for May and November.
Japan weather by month
Average daily high and low, rainy days (1 mm or more) and hours of sunshine per day, 2015 to 2024.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Rain days | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 48°F | 32°F | 2.2 in | 5 | 7.8 h |
| February | 51°F | 34°F | 2.2 in | 7 | 7.9 h |
| March | 58°F | 40°F | 5.5 in | 12 | 8.1 h |
| April | 66°F | 49°F | 5.2 in | 12 | 8.6 h |
| May | 74°F | 58°F | 5.4 in | 11 | 8.9 h |
| June | 79°F | 65°F | 7.6 in | 15 | 8.2 h |
| July | 86°F | 73°F | 7.6 in | 16 | 8.7 h |
| August | 88°F | 76°F | 5.7 in | 14 | 10 h |
| September | 81°F | 69°F | 8.5 in | 15 | 7.4 h |
| October | 71°F | 58°F | 7.6 in | 12 | 7 h |
| November | 62°F | 47°F | 3.8 in | 10 | 7.3 h |
| December | 53°F | 37°F | 2.4 in | 7 | 7.5 h |
Japan month by month
Japan in January
Highs around 48°F, lows near 32°F. About 5 rainy days and 7.8 h of sunshine a day.
Mixed weatherJapan in February
Highs around 51°F, lows near 34°F. About 7 rainy days and 7.9 h of sunshine a day.
Sapporo Snow Festival
Mixed weatherJapan in March
Highs around 58°F, lows near 40°F. About 12 rainy days and 8.1 h of sunshine a day.
Cherry blossom
Mixed weatherPeak seasonJapan in April
Highs around 66°F, lows near 49°F. About 12 rainy days and 8.6 h of sunshine a day.
Cherry blossom · Golden Week
Best weatherPeak seasonJapan in May
Highs around 74°F, lows near 58°F. About 11 rainy days and 8.9 h of sunshine a day.
Golden Week
Best weatherJapan in June
Highs around 79°F, lows near 65°F. About 15 rainy days and 8.2 h of sunshine a day.
Rainy season
Mixed weatherJapan in July
Highs around 86°F, lows near 73°F. About 16 rainy days and 8.7 h of sunshine a day.
Rainy season · Gion Matsuri
Hardest monthJapan in August
Highs around 88°F, lows near 76°F. About 14 rainy days and 10 h of sunshine a day.
Typhoon season
Hardest monthJapan in September
Highs around 81°F, lows near 69°F. About 15 rainy days and 7.4 h of sunshine a day.
Typhoon season
Mixed weatherJapan in October
Highs around 71°F, lows near 58°F. About 12 rainy days and 7 h of sunshine a day.
Good weatherJapan in November
Highs around 62°F, lows near 47°F. About 10 rainy days and 7.3 h of sunshine a day.
Autumn foliage
Best weatherJapan in December
Highs around 53°F, lows near 37°F. About 7 rainy days and 7.5 h of sunshine a day.
Autumn foliage
Good weather
Seasons and events
- Feb
Sapporo Snow Festival
A week of snow and ice sculptures in early February at three sites in Sapporo, Hokkaido: Odori Park, Tsudome and Susukino.
Source: Sapporo Snow Festival - Mar and Apr
Cherry blossom
The bloom starts in Kyushu in the second half of March and moves north, reaching Hokkaido as late as early May. Tokyo and Osaka usually bloom in late March.
Source: JNTO - Apr and May
Golden Week
A run of holidays from late April to early May, and one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Trains and hotels fill up, so book early. The second half of May is calmer.
Source: JNTO - Jun and Jul
Rainy seasonWeather risk
Tsuyu, the early-summer rainy season, runs on average from about 7 June to 19 July around Tokyo.
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency - Jul
Gion Matsuri
Kyoto's month-long festival runs through July. The main float and portable shrine processions are on 17 and 24 July.
Source: Kyoto City Tourism Association - Aug and Sep
Typhoon seasonWeather risk
Typhoons reach mainland Japan most often in August and September, about one landfall a month on average (1991 to 2020). Approaches also happen in July and October.
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency - Nov and Dec
Autumn foliage
Colours start in northern Hokkaido in late September and move south. On average they peak in Sapporo in late October and in Tokyo and Osaka in late November to early December.
Source: JNTO
Plan Japan for May
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Questions about visiting Japan
May scores highest for weather in Tokyo, with highs around 74°F and about 11 rainy days. The best stretch of the year is April, May, and November.
September is the wettest month in Tokyo, with about 8.5 in of rain over 15 days. January is the driest, with about 2.2 in.
Peak season is March and April, according to JNTO. For good weather with fewer crowds, aim for May and November.
August is the warmest month in Tokyo, with average highs of 88°F. January is the coolest, at 48°F.
Climate figures are monthly averages of daily ERA5 reanalysis data for 2015 to 2024, retrieved from Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). The verdict scores each month on temperature, humidity, rain and daylight, and marks months with typhoons, hurricanes or monsoon rain down.
