Best time to visit Japan

Find the best time to visit Japan and plan your perfect trip in 2024/2025. Get holiday inspiration, weather guides, travel advice and find great deals.

Japan by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Recommended for Japan

  • Save up to £700 per couple on escorted tours in 2024
  • £400 off Europe, £600 off USA & Canada & £700 off long haul
  • Travel before 31st December 2024 (inclusive)

Expires at 23:59 on Thursday 4th Apr 2024 · View all Cosmos offers

CosmosTour deal finder

Top Japan destinations

Below are the temperatures expected today at popular destinations in Japan. Select a destination to compare today's forecast with average weather conditions.

All Japan destinations

When is the best time to visit Japan?

The best time to visit Japan (Tokyo) is May based on the following average weather conditions.

Maximum daytime temperature = 22 - 30°C [remove]
Daily hours of sunshine = 10 hours or more [remove]

Change the criteria to reflect your weather preferences.

Change criteria

Max Day Temperature (°C)

  • 10°C maximum daytime temperature in January in Japan (Tokyo)10
    Jan
  • 10°C maximum daytime temperature in February in Japan (Tokyo)10
    Feb
  • 13°C maximum daytime temperature in March in Japan (Tokyo)13
    Mar
  • 19°C maximum daytime temperature in April in Japan (Tokyo)19
    Apr
  • 23°C maximum daytime temperature in May in Japan (Tokyo)23
    May
  • 25°C maximum daytime temperature in June in Japan (Tokyo)25
    Jun
  • 29°C maximum daytime temperature in July in Japan (Tokyo)29
    Jul
  • 31°C maximum daytime temperature in August in Japan (Tokyo)31
    Aug
  • 27°C maximum daytime temperature in September in Japan (Tokyo)27
    Sep
  • 21°C maximum daytime temperature in October in Japan (Tokyo)21
    Oct
  • 17°C maximum daytime temperature in November in Japan (Tokyo)17
    Nov
  • 12°C maximum daytime temperature in December in Japan (Tokyo)12
    Dec

Hours of Sunshine (daily)

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec

Best time to visit

The weather guide for Japan (Tokyo) shows long term weather averages processed from data supplied by CRU (University of East Anglia) & today's weather forecast provided by meteoblue. Find out more about our data sources.

Metric (°C / mm)  |  Imperial (°F / inches)

Back to top

Japan weather overview

Japan, a group of mountainous volcanic islands off the coast of Asia, has a predominantly temperate, seasonal climate with cool to cold but sunny winters, warm to hot summers and mild weather in the spring and autumn.

However, there are exceptions to this: the island of Hokkaido and the northern areas of Honshu experience heavy snows in the winter months when cold winds gust in from Siberia, gathering moisture from the sea as they come.

In central and southern Japan, winter is the (relatively) dry season while there is moderate rainfall in the summer and autumn with the chance of a typhoon, accompanied by heavy rainfall, blowing in from the South China Sea from July to September.

Tropical storm risk: Tokyo, Japan typhoon season

% of month affected by tropical storms
0
0
0
0
0
1.4%
2.3%
5.6%
4.8%
1.9%
0
0
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

The Tokyo, Japan tropical storm risk chart above shows the typhoon season. The chart was processed from data supplied by the US Meteorological Agency (NOAA). Find out more about our data sources.

More about tropical storms

Southern summers tend to be warm and humid with heavy cloud cover. The mountain areas are usually the most pleasant parts of Japan in the summer months when conditions are predominantly sunny and crisp.

Spring is the best time to visit the lower parts of the country; it brings not only fresh, sunny weather but also the legendary 'cherry blossom time'.

What to pack for Japan weather

While light clothes are fine in the summer, you should combine light clothing with some warmer attire in the spring and autumn, and take much warmer clothing for the winter and visits to the mountain areas. Go prepared for rain in the summer.

Which is the hottest month in Japan?

The hottest time of year in Tokyo, Japan is normally August. Expect maximum daytime temperatures to reach 31°C with high heat and humidity.

Which month has the most rain in Japan?

In terms of rainfall, June is usually the wettest month in Tokyo, Japan with 181mm on average. There are normally 20 days in June with some rain.

When is it sunniest in Japan?

The sunniest time of year in Tokyo, Japan is normally January with bright sunshine on average for 59% of daylight hours; that's 6 hours of sunshine per day.

When is the sea warmest in Japan?

The sea is usually at its warmest in Tokyo, Japan in August when the water temperature reaches 26°C.

Japan travel features

Do you want to learn more about Japan? Read our latest features covering travel tips and insider destination guides on where to go and what to do in Japan.

Back to top

Related posts

Popular travel offers

Explore holidays in the sun for less

Top ^