At a glance
When is the best time to visit Japan?
Spring (late March to May) and autumn (October and November) are the mildest and driest stretches on Honshu, where most first trips go. Summer is hot, humid and wet, with the rainy season first and typhoons after; winter is cold and bright in Tokyo and snowy in Hokkaido.
Japan stretches from the snow of Hokkaido to the subtropical islands of Okinawa, so a single answer only holds for the cities most visitors see first: Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. For them the Japan Meteorological Agency's thirty-year averages point the same way[1][2]. The comfortable months are those between the cold and the rain in spring, and between the typhoons and the cold in autumn.
Two other calendars matter as much as the weather. Japan's own holiday peaks fill trains and hotels, whatever the forecast, and the UAE school holidays decide when many families can travel at all. We read all three below.
How warm and wet is Japan each month?
Tokyo averages a high of 9.8 °C in January and 31.3 °C in August, with the most rain in September and October. Kyoto is hotter in summer and slightly cooler by day in winter; Sapporo stays below freezing by day in January; Naha in Okinawa never averages a high below 19.8 °C.
Average daily high and low by month (°C), and Tokyo's rainfall
| Month | Tokyo | Kyoto | Sapporo | Naha (Okinawa) | Tokyo rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9.8 / 1.2 | 9.1 / 1.5 | −0.4 / −6.4 | 19.8 / 14.9 | 59.7 mm |
| February | 10.9 / 2.1 | 10.0 / 1.6 | 0.4 / −6.2 | 20.2 / 15.1 | 56.5 mm |
| March | 14.2 / 5.0 | 14.1 / 4.3 | 4.5 / −2.4 | 21.9 / 16.7 | 116.0 mm |
| April | 19.4 / 9.8 | 20.1 / 9.2 | 11.7 / 3.4 | 24.3 / 19.1 | 133.7 mm |
| May | 23.6 / 14.6 | 25.1 / 14.5 | 17.9 / 9.0 | 27.0 / 22.1 | 139.7 mm |
| June | 26.1 / 18.5 | 28.1 / 19.2 | 21.8 / 13.4 | 29.8 / 25.2 | 167.8 mm |
| July | 29.9 / 22.4 | 32.0 / 23.6 | 25.4 / 17.9 | 31.9 / 27.0 | 156.2 mm |
| August | 31.3 / 23.5 | 33.7 / 24.7 | 26.4 / 19.1 | 31.8 / 26.8 | 154.7 mm |
| September | 27.5 / 20.3 | 29.2 / 20.7 | 22.8 / 14.8 | 30.6 / 25.8 | 224.9 mm |
| October | 22.0 / 14.8 | 23.4 / 14.4 | 16.4 / 8.0 | 28.1 / 23.5 | 234.8 mm |
| November | 16.7 / 8.8 | 17.3 / 8.4 | 8.7 / 1.6 | 25.0 / 20.4 | 96.3 mm |
| December | 12.0 / 3.8 | 11.6 / 3.5 | 2.0 / −4.0 | 21.5 / 16.8 | 57.9 mm |
Mean daily maximum / mean daily minimum, and mean monthly precipitation, 1991–2020. Japan Meteorological Agency normals for the Tokyo[1], Kyoto[2], Sapporo[3] and Naha[4] stations. Averages, not forecasts: any week can be hotter, colder or wetter.
The heat of a Japanese summer is humid heat. Tokyo's average relative humidity is 75% in June and 76% in July, against 51% in January[1], and Kyoto averages a daily high of 33.7 °C in August[2]. Winter is the opposite: Tokyo's January has 192.6 hours of sunshine on average, more than any other month and far more than June's 124.2[1].
Rain is not saved for one season. Tokyo's wettest months by total are October (234.8 mm) and September (224.9 mm), not June[1], and those two months are also the tail of the typhoon season[7]. Naha, in Okinawa, is wettest in June, at 284.4 mm[4].
When is Japan's rainy season?
On Honshu, from early June to mid-July. The agency's 1991–2020 averages put the start around 7 June and the end around 19 July for the Tokyo region, and around 6 June and 19 July for Kyoto and Osaka. Okinawa's rainy season comes a month earlier, from about 10 May to 21 June.
Average start and end of the rainy season (tsuyu), by region
| Region | Average start | Average end |
|---|---|---|
| Okinawa (Naha) | 10 May | 21 June |
| Kinki (Kyoto, Osaka) | 6 June | 19 July |
| Kanto-Koshin (Tokyo) | 7 June | 19 July |
| Northern Tohoku | 15 June | 28 July |
Japan Meteorological Agency, 1991–2020 averages, excluding years in which no date could be fixed[5]. The agency says each date marks roughly the middle of a changeover that lasts about five days.
The dates move a good deal from year to year. For the Tokyo region, the agency's confirmed dates for 2021 to 2026 put the start anywhere from 22 May (2025) to 21 June (2024), and the end from 28 June (2025) to 23 July (2022). In 2026 the season ran from about 2 June to 19 July[6].
The agency describes the rainy season as a time of more rain and less sunshine than the weeks either side[6], and warns that it is a period when heavy-rain disasters are likely[5]. Hokkaido is not among the regions for which it publishes rainy-season dates[5].
When is typhoon season in Japan?
Mainly July to October. On the agency's 1991–2020 averages, 11.7 typhoons a year come within 300 km of a Japanese weather station, 3.3 each in August and September, and 3.0 make landfall on the four main islands. Okinawa and Amami see more of them than the mainland.
Average number of typhoons a month, 1991–2020
| Month | Forming (western North Pacific) | Passing near Japan | Making landfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.3 | — | — |
| February | 0.3 | — | — |
| March | 0.3 | — | — |
| April | 0.6 | 0.2 | — |
| May | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| June | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 |
| July | 3.7 | 2.1 | 0.6 |
| August | 5.7 | 3.3 | 0.9 |
| September | 5.0 | 3.3 | 1.0 |
| October | 3.4 | 1.7 | 0.3 |
| November | 2.2 | 0.5 | — |
| December | 1.0 | 0.1 | — |
| Year | 25.1 | 11.7 | 3.0 |
Japan Meteorological Agency normals[7]. “Passing near Japan” is the agency's “approach”: the centre coming within 300 km of any of its weather stations. “Landfall” is the centre reaching the coast of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku or Kyushu. — means no typhoon did so in 1991–2020; 0.0 means it happened, but rarely. An approach can span two months, so the months do not add up exactly to the year.
Exposure differs by region. Okinawa and Amami average 7.9 approaches a year, the four main islands 5.8, and the Kanto-Koshin region around Tokyo 3.3, with its peak in September (1.2)[7]. A trip in August, September or early October is worth planning with some slack in it, and with travel insurance that covers weather delays.
Forecasts and warnings are the agency's to issue: check the Japan Meteorological Agency in the days before you fly and while you are there.
What is each season like?
Spring: March to May
The season most visitors plan around. The agency's averages put full bloom of the cherry trees in Tokyo on 31 March and in Kyoto on 4 April, and in Sapporo not until 6 May[8]. Tokyo's average high climbs from 14.2 °C in March to 23.6 °C in May[1]. Our article on Kyoto's cherry blossom season covers the dates in detail. Golden Week, at the turn of April and May, is when Japan itself travels[11].
Summer: June to August
The rainy season first, then heat. After the rains end in mid-July, Kyoto averages a high of 33.7 °C in August and Tokyo 31.3 °C[2][1]. Hokkaido is the cool exception: Sapporo's August averages a high of 26.4 °C[3]. Mid-August is Obon, when many Japanese travel to their home towns[11].
Autumn: September to November
September is still typhoon season and Tokyo's second-wettest month[7][1]; October and November settle into mild, clear weather, with Tokyo's highs at 22.0 °C and 16.7 °C[1]. The maples turn from north to south. On the agency's 1991–2020 map, colour reaches Tohoku around 20 November, the Kanto region around 30 November, and Kyoto, Osaka and the rest of Kinki in early to mid December[9]. In 2025 the agency recorded Tokyo's specimen maple as coloured on 23 November, five days earlier than normal, and Kyoto's on 10 December, five days later than normal[10].
Winter: December to February
Cold, dry and sunny on the Pacific side, snowy in the north. Tokyo averages highs of 10–12 °C and lows of 1–4 °C from December to February[1]. Sapporo averages 137 cm of snowfall in January and 479 cm in a year, with average highs of −0.4 °C in January and 0.4 °C in February[3]. Many businesses close for several days over the New Year, from late December into early January[11].
When is Japan at its busiest?
During its own holidays. Japan's tourism organisation names Golden Week (late April to early May), Obon (mid-August) and the New Year as the peak periods, with crowded, fully booked transport. Foreign arrivals are spread more evenly: in 2025 the busiest month, April, was only a fifth above the quietest, February.
JNTO describes Golden Week as a cluster of national holidays that brings crowds and full trains, Obon as the family holiday when many people go back to their home towns, and the New Year as the time many businesses close for several days. Its advice is to travel outside these periods for a quieter trip, or to book well ahead[11].
In 2027 the Golden Week holidays fall on Thursday 29 April (Showa Day) and Monday 3 to Wednesday 5 May, according to the Cabinet Office's list of national holidays[12]. The same list gives Monday 12 October 2026 and Monday 11 October 2027 as Sports Day, a three-day weekend in the middle of the autumn season[12].
Visitors from abroad arrive all year. JNTO puts foreign visitors in 2025 at 42,683,600, its November and December figures being estimates. April was the busiest month, with 3,909,128, followed by October with 3,896,524; February was the quietest, with 3,258,491[13]. Spring and autumn, in other words, are popular with Japanese and foreign travellers alike.
How do the UAE school holidays line up with Japan?
Unevenly. The UAE's spring break, 5 to 11 April 2027, starts the day after Kyoto's average full-bloom date; the October mid-term, 12 to 18 October 2026, falls in mild weather after the typhoon peak; winter break overlaps Japan's New Year closures; and summer holidays meet heat, typhoons and Obon.
UAE school breaks in 2026–27, and what Japan is doing then
| UAE break | Dates | In Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-term | 12–18 October 2026 | Tokyo averages a high of 22.0 °C; 1.7 typhoons a month pass near Japan in October; 12 October is Sports Day |
| Winter | 14 December 2026 – 3 January 2027 | Cold and dry in Tokyo; snow in Hokkaido; many businesses close over the New Year |
| Spring | 5–11 April 2027 | Just after Kyoto's average full bloom (4 April); Tokyo averages a high of 19.4 °C |
| Summer | From 3 July 2027 (school ends on 2 July) | Rainy season until about 19 July around Tokyo; typhoon peak in August and September; Obon in mid-August |
UAE dates from the Ministry of Education's calendar for schools that follow it[16]; check your own school's dates. Japan: agency normals and averages[1][7][8][5], national holidays[12] and JNTO's peak periods[11].
Japan Standard Time is nine hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time[14], and the UAE is four hours ahead of GMT[15], so Japan is five hours ahead of the UAE: 09:00 in Dubai is 14:00 in Tokyo.
Entry requirements for Japan depend on your passport and change from time to time, so we do not restate them. JNTO's entry and visa page points to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and our visa desk can check your case.
Questions travellers ask
What is the best month to visit Japan?
For Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, April, May, October and November are the most comfortable on the averages: highs between about 17 °C and 25 °C, outside both the rainy season and the typhoon peak[1][2][7]. Avoid Golden Week at the turn of April and May if crowds matter to you[11].
When does the rainy season start and end in Tokyo?
On the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991–2020 averages, around 7 June and 19 July[5]. Recent years have ranged from a start on 22 May to an end on 23 July[6].
Is August a good time to visit Japan?
It is the hottest month in Tokyo and Kyoto, with average highs of 31.3 °C and 33.7 °C[1][2], the joint peak of the typhoon season[7], and Obon, a busy domestic holiday[11]. Hokkaido is cooler, at 26.4 °C in Sapporo[3].
When do the autumn leaves turn in Tokyo and Kyoto?
Late in the year. On the agency's 1991–2020 map, the maples colour around 30 November in the Kanto region and in early to mid December in Kinki, which includes Kyoto[9]. In 2025 Tokyo's specimen tree turned on 23 November and Kyoto's on 10 December[10].
Do I need a visa for Japan?
It depends on your passport, and we do not restate visa rules. JNTO's entry and visa page links to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan; our visa desk can check for you.
Sources
The desk opened each source on the date shown. Rules, fees and timetables change: check the official source before you travel.
- [1]東京（東京都）平年値（年・月ごとの値） — Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [2]京都（京都府）平年値（年・月ごとの値） — Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [3]札幌（石狩地方）平年値（年・月ごとの値） — Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [4]那覇（沖縄県）平年値（年・月ごとの値） — Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [5]令和8年の梅雨入りと梅雨明け（速報値） — Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [6]昭和26年（1951年）以降の梅雨入りと梅雨明け（確定値）：関東甲信 — Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [7]台風の平年値 — Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁). Accessed 29 September 2026
- [8]さくらの満開日（2021-2026年） — Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [9]かえでの紅葉日 — Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [10]かえでの紅葉日 (2025年-2026年) — Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [11]Business Hours & Holidays — Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [12]「国民の祝日」について — Cabinet Office, Government of Japan (内閣府). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [13]2025年 訪日外客数（総数） — Japan National Tourism Organization (日本政府観光局). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [14]日本標準時 — National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [15]Fact sheet — The UAE Government portal (u.ae). Accessed 25 September 2026
- [16]MOE announces the academic calendar for the next three years — UAE Ministry of Education. Accessed 25 September 2026
- [17]Entry Into Japan and Visa Information — Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). Accessed 25 September 2026
Published 25 September 2026 · Updated 29 September 2026
Seen something wrong or out of date? Write to trade@nwp.ae and the desk will check it against the source.
