Best Time to Visit Tokyo: Month by Month (2026)

The best time to go, by what you want

• Cherry blossom: the last week of March and the first days of April. JMA's average full-bloom date for Tokyo is 31 March, and recent years have been a few days earlier.
• The best all-round weather: November. Mild, fairly dry and colourful, with JMA's sample ginkgo and maple trees usually turning in the last week of the month.
• Quieter sights: mid-January to February, after the New Year holiday. Cold but dry and sunny, and winter is when Mount Fuji is most often visible.
• Festivals: May (Sanja Matsuri in Asakusa, 14 to 16 May 2027) and July and August (fireworks, Bon dancing and Koenji's Awa Odori).
• Sumo: Tokyo hosts three of the six tournaments, in January, May and September.
• What to avoid: Golden Week (29 April to 5 May 2027), Obon in mid-August and New Year (about 29 December to 3 January) if you want low prices; the rainy season if you hate grey skies; and August if you don't like heat.

Tokyo weather by month

Average daily high and low, total rain and hours of sunshine for each month, from the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals for its central Tokyo station. Tokyo gets about 1,598 mm (63 inches) of rain a year.

• January: 9.8°C / 1.2°C (50°F / 34°F), 59.7 mm, 193 hours of sun
• February: 10.9°C / 2.1°C (52°F / 36°F), 56.5 mm, 170 hours
• March: 14.2°C / 5.0°C (58°F / 41°F), 116.0 mm, 175 hours
• April: 19.4°C / 9.8°C (67°F / 50°F), 133.7 mm, 179 hours
• May: 23.6°C / 14.6°C (74°F / 58°F), 139.7 mm, 180 hours
• June: 26.1°C / 18.5°C (79°F / 65°F), 167.8 mm, 124 hours
• July: 29.9°C / 22.4°C (86°F / 72°F), 156.2 mm, 151 hours
• August: 31.3°C / 23.5°C (88°F / 74°F), 154.7 mm, 174 hours
• September: 27.5°C / 20.3°C (82°F / 69°F), 224.9 mm, 127 hours
• October: 22.0°C / 14.8°C (72°F / 59°F), 234.8 mm, 129 hours
• November: 16.7°C / 8.8°C (62°F / 48°F), 96.3 mm, 150 hours
• December: 12.0°C / 3.8°C (54°F / 39°F), 57.9 mm, 174 hours

Two things the averages hide. Summer humidity is high: JMA's average relative humidity is 74 to 76% from June to September, against about 51% in January, so 30°C in Tokyo feels hotter than it sounds. And the daylight swings a long way: on 21 June the sun rises at 4:25am and sets at 7:00pm, while in early December it sets at about 4:28pm.

Tokyo in January

Weather: the coldest month, at 9.8°C (50°F) by day and 1.2°C (34°F) at night, but also the sunniest of the winter, with 193 hours of sun and very little rain. Snow is rare.

What's on: New Year. From 1 to 3 January the city is on holiday: shrines are packed for hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year, department stores open their New Year sales, and many small restaurants close for a few days. Coming of Age Day is Monday 11 January 2027, and the January sumo tournament runs from 10 to 24 January 2027 at Ryogoku Kokugikan (Japan Sumo Association). The plum trees start to flower in the second half of the month: JMA's average first-bloom date for Tokyo's plum blossom is 22 January.

Crowds and prices: busy for the New Year days, when hotels and trains fill up, then calmer from about the second week (JR Central's all-reserved Nozomi dates run to 5 January and again over the 9 to 11 January long weekend). Day by day detail is in Tokyo in January, the shrines in hatsumode in Tokyo and the tournament in sumo in Tokyo.

Tokyo in February

Weather: cold and dry, at 10.9°C (52°F) by day and 2.1°C (36°F) at night, with 56.5 mm of rain, the least of any month. February and January are the months most likely to bring snow, but even then JMA's average is about 4 cm a month, and it rarely settles for long.

What's on: the plum blossom, at its best through February in Tokyo's gardens and shrines, and the winter illuminations that stay lit into February (the Marunouchi Illumination runs until 14 February 2027; see Tokyo in winter). The public holidays are National Foundation Day, Thursday 11 February, and the Emperor's Birthday, Tuesday 23 February.

Crowds and prices: February had the fewest foreign visitors of any month in 2025 (3.26 million across Japan, against 3.91 million in April, the busiest; Japan National Tourism Organization). One thing to watch in 2027: Lunar New Year falls on 6 February, which brings a rush of visitors from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea around that week. Winter is also the best season for seeing Mount Fuji: Fuji City's record from 1991 to 2025 has the whole mountain visible at 8am on 52.6% of February mornings and 60.0% in January, against about 10 to 15% in summer (details in our Mount Fuji day trip; for views from the city, Tokyo's best views).

Tokyo in March

Weather: spring arrives. Days average 14.2°C (58°F) and nights 5.0°C (41°F), and the rain doubles from February to 116 mm, so expect some wet days.

What's on: the cherry blossom, usually in the last week of the month. JMA's average dates for Tokyo are first bloom on 24 March and full bloom on 31 March; in 2026 the trees opened on 19 March and reached full bloom on 28 March. The Tokyo Marathon is on Sunday 7 March 2027, closing roads in central Tokyo for the day. The spring equinox holiday falls on Sunday 21 March 2027, with Monday 22 March as the substitute day off.

Crowds and prices: calmer in early March, then busy from the third week, as the blossom and the equinox long weekend overlap with the end of Japan's school year. JR Central makes every Nozomi bullet train all-reserved from 20 to 22 March 2027 (see Tokyo to Kyoto by bullet train). If your dates are fixed around the blossom, book your hotel as early as you can.

Tokyo in April

Weather: mild and changeable, with days of 19.4°C (67°F), nights of 9.8°C (50°F) and 133.7 mm of rain. Evenings are still cool enough for a light jacket. The sun sets at 6:02pm on 1 April and 6:26pm on 30 April.

What's on: the end of the cherry blossom in the first days of the month, then fresh green parks and gardens. Where and how to see the blossom, including the gardens that need a booking at peak, is in our cherry blossom guide. The month ends with Showa Day, Thursday 29 April, the start of Golden Week.

Crowds and prices: April had the most foreign visitors of any month in 2025 (3.91 million across Japan, Japan National Tourism Organization). Busiest in the first days while the blossom lasts and again from 29 April; mid-April, after the blossom, is a good compromise.

Tokyo in May

Weather: warm and pleasant, at 23.6°C (74°F) by day and 14.6°C (58°F) at night, with 180 hours of sunshine. For many people this is the most comfortable month of the year.

What's on: Golden Week runs to Wednesday 5 May 2027 (the holidays are 3, 4 and 5 May, Monday to Wednesday). Asakusa Shrine's Sanja Matsuri, one of Tokyo's biggest festivals, with about 100 portable shrines carried through the streets of Asakusa, is on 14 to 16 May 2027, Friday to Sunday; the shrine's schedule says it may still change. The May sumo tournament runs from 9 to 23 May 2027 at Ryogoku Kokugikan. Kanda Matsuri, at Kanda Myojin, is held once every two years and last ran in 2025; the shrine hasn't announced its next dates yet.

Crowds and prices: very busy from 1 to 5 May, when Japan travels (JR Central doesn't even sell its early-booking discount fares over Golden Week); then calmer. The second half of May is one of the best times of year to go: warm, dry, green and calmer, before the rainy season. More on Asakusa in our Asakusa guide.

Tokyo in June

Weather: the rainy season, tsuyu. JMA's average for the Kanto-Koshin region is from about 7 June to about 19 July. Days are warm and muggy at 26.1°C (79°F), nights 18.5°C (65°F), with 167.8 mm of rain and only 124 hours of sunshine, the least of any month. Expect grey skies and drizzle more than storms, and plenty of dry spells in between.

What's on: the hydrangeas, which flower in the rain in Tokyo's temple gardens and parks, and the longest days of the year: sunrise at 4:25am and sunset at 7:00pm on 21 June. There are no public holidays in June.

Crowds and prices: no public holidays and the rainy season keep June calmer than spring; foreign arrivals in June 2025 were 3.38 million, among the lower months. Pack a small umbrella (every convenience store sells them anyway) and keep rainy-day ideas to hand.

Tokyo in July

Weather: the rainy season usually ends around 19 July, and then the heat arrives: days average 29.9°C (86°F) and nights 22.4°C (72°F), with humidity around 76%. Plan outdoor sightseeing for early morning and evening, and spend the middle of the day indoors.

What's on: summer festivals and fireworks. The Sumida River Fireworks, Tokyo's best known, was held on Saturday 25 July in 2026; the 2027 date hasn't been announced yet. Marine Day, Monday 19 July 2027, makes a long weekend.

Crowds and prices: busier from the second half of the month, when many Japanese schools break up for summer (dates vary by school). Fireworks nights draw huge crowds near the river; the best views from high places are a calmer way to see them.

Tokyo in August

Weather: the hottest month, at 31.3°C (88°F) by day and 23.5°C (74°F) at night, often humid and with sudden afternoon thunderstorms. Typhoons start to become a risk (more below).

What's on: Bon dances and local festivals in neighbourhoods across the city. Koenji Awa Odori, with dance troupes filling the streets of Koenji, ran on 29 and 30 August in 2026; the 2027 dates haven't been announced yet. Mountain Day is Wednesday 11 August 2027.

Crowds and prices: Obon, the week around 13 to 16 August when many people go home to their families, is one of Japan's three big travel peaks (with New Year and Golden Week, it's one of the periods JR Central excludes from its discount fares), so trains out of Tokyo and resort hotels fill up. If you go in August, a day trip to the mountains or the coast is a good escape from the heat.

Tokyo in September

Weather: still hot early in the month, at 27.5°C (82°F) on average, and wet: 224.9 mm of rain, with only 127 hours of sunshine. September is the month typhoons most often come close to the Tokyo area.

What's on: the September sumo tournament, 12 to 26 September 2027, at Ryogoku Kokugikan. Two holidays, Respect for the Aged Day on Monday 20 September and the autumn equinox on Thursday 23 September 2027, make the second half of the month busy for domestic travel.

Crowds and prices: September had the second-fewest foreign visitors of 2025 (3.27 million across Japan, Japan National Tourism Organization), so it's a quieter month, apart from the holiday weekends. Keep your plans flexible in case a typhoon passes.

Tokyo in October

Weather: cooler and more comfortable, at 22.0°C (72°F) by day and 14.8°C (59°F) at night, but October is Tokyo's wettest month on average, with 234.8 mm of rain, and typhoons are still possible early on. By the end of the month the weather usually settles.

What's on: the start of autumn, with good walking weather in dry spells. Sports Day is Monday 11 October 2027, a long weekend.

Crowds and prices: October was the second-busiest month of 2025 for foreign visitors (3.90 million across Japan, Japan National Tourism Organization), so book ahead.

Tokyo in November

Weather: for many people, the best of the year. Days average 16.7°C (62°F) and nights 8.8°C (48°F), and the rain falls to 96.3 mm, well under half of October's. Skies are often clear. The days are short, though: the sun sets at 4:46pm on 1 November and 4:28pm on 30 November.

What's on: the autumn leaves. JMA's average dates for Tokyo are 23 November for the ginkgo trees turning yellow and 28 November for the maples turning red, so plan on the last week of November into early December for autumn colour; in 2025 the ginkgo turned on 22 November and the maples on 23 November. The winter illuminations switch on from early November (dates in Tokyo in winter). At Ohtori Shrine in Asakusa, the Tori-no-ichi fair, with stalls selling decorated bamboo rakes for good luck in business, is on 7 and 19 November 2026. The holidays are Culture Day (3 November) and Labour Thanksgiving Day (23 November).

Crowds and prices: busy with the autumn leaves, especially in the second half of the month and over the long weekend of 21 to 23 November 2026, when JR Central makes every Nozomi all-reserved. Book hotels early for late November.

Tokyo in December

Weather: cold, dry and sunny, at 12.0°C (54°F) by day and 3.8°C (39°F) at night, with 57.9 mm of rain and 174 hours of sunshine. The earliest sunsets of the year come in early December, at about 4:28pm.

What's on: the last of the autumn leaves in the first week or so, the illuminations and Christmas markets, and Senso-ji's Hagoita-ichi year-end fair from 17 to 19 December. Christmas is a date night in Japan, not a family holiday, and New Year's Eve is quiet and traditional, with temple bells at midnight. All of it is in Tokyo in winter.

Crowds and prices: early to mid-December is a good time to go, with everything lit and the holiday rush not yet started. From about 25 December to 5 January it gets busy: JR Central makes every Nozomi all-reserved for that whole stretch, and many small restaurants close around New Year.

The busy dates in 2027: avoid them or book early

Tokyo's prices follow Japan's own holidays more than the weather. Three travel peaks fill trains and hotels across the country: New Year (about 29 December to 3 January), Golden Week (29 April to 5 May 2027) and Obon (the week around 13 to 16 August). The cherry blossom and the autumn leaves add two more, driven by visitors as much as by Japanese travellers. No one publishes a Tokyo hotel price index, and rates move daily, so compare for your own dates. For which area to book, see where to stay in Tokyo. For foreign visitors, the Japan National Tourism Organization's 2025 figures for all of Japan put April (3.91 million) and October (3.90 million) at the top and February (3.26 million) and September (3.27 million) at the bottom, out of 42.7 million for the year. Lunar New Year (6 February 2027) also brings a wave of visitors from elsewhere in Asia.

Japan's 2027 public holidays, from the Cabinet Office:

• 1 January (Fri): New Year's Day
• 11 January (Mon): Coming of Age Day
• 11 February (Thu): National Foundation Day
• 23 February (Tue): the Emperor's Birthday
• 21 March (Sun): Vernal Equinox Day, with 22 March (Mon) off in lieu
• 29 April (Thu): Showa Day
• 3, 4 and 5 May (Mon to Wed): Constitution Day, Greenery Day and Children's Day
• 19 July (Mon): Marine Day
• 11 August (Wed): Mountain Day
• 20 September (Mon): Respect for the Aged Day
• 23 September (Thu): Autumnal Equinox Day
• 11 October (Mon): Sports Day
• 3 November (Wed): Culture Day
• 23 November (Tue): Labour Thanksgiving Day

A Monday holiday makes a three-day weekend, which is enough to fill the trains and the popular day-trip spots. If you're taking the bullet train, JR Central runs every Nozomi as all-reserved on the busiest dates (21 to 23 November 2026, 25 December 2026 to 5 January 2027, 9 to 11 January 2027 and 20 to 22 March 2027); see Tokyo to Kyoto by bullet train.

One cost change for 2027: Tokyo's accommodation tax changes on 1 April 2027. Today it's ¥100 per person per night on a room-only rate of ¥10,000 to ¥14,999 and ¥200 from ¥15,000, with nothing below ¥10,000. From 1 April 2027 it becomes 3% of the room-only rate per person per night, with stays under ¥13,000 exempt, and it extends to guesthouses and private rentals (minpaku) as well as hotels and ryokan (Tokyo Metropolitan Government).

The rainy season and typhoons

Tsuyu, the rainy season, usually covers Tokyo from early June to mid-July: JMA's 1991-2020 average for the Kanto-Koshin region is from about 7 June to about 19 July. The dates move a lot. In 2025 it ran from about 22 May to about 28 June; in 2026 from about 2 June to about 19 July. It's mostly cloud and steady drizzle with dry spells in between, not non-stop downpours, and sightseeing carries on.

Typhoons are the bigger risk, and they come later. On JMA's 1991-2020 averages, about 3.3 typhoons a year come within 300 km of the Kanto-Koshin region: 0.8 in August, 1.2 in September and 0.7 in October, and occasionally one in June or July. That's why September and October are Tokyo's wettest months. A close typhoon can stop trains and cancel flights for a day, so if you travel between August and October, buy flexible tickets and travel insurance, and check JMA's warnings before a day trip.

When the cherry blossom and autumn leaves come

JMA records these dates every year from sample trees in central Tokyo. Its 1991-2020 averages, and the most recent years:

• Plum blossom, first bloom: 22 January on average (14 January in 2026)
• Cherry blossom, first bloom: 24 March on average. Recent years: 14 March (2021), 20 March (2022), 14 March (2023), 29 March (2024), 24 March (2025), 19 March (2026)
• Cherry blossom, full bloom: 31 March on average. Recent years: 22 March (2021), 27 March (2022), 22 March (2023), 4 April (2024), 30 March (2025), 28 March (2026)
• Ginkgo turning yellow: 23 November on average (22 November in 2025)
• Maples turning red: 28 November on average (23 November in 2025)

Full bloom usually comes about a week after first bloom, and the blossom lasts about a week after that, less if it's windy or wet. The 2027 forecasts haven't been published yet. If you're booking now for the blossom, a stay from about 25 March to 5 April covers the average peak and caught full bloom in 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026; in the early years, 2021 and 2023, full bloom came on 22 March, so the trees would have been past their best by the end of the month. For autumn colour, JMA's dates point to the last week of November and the first days of December.

Our pick

For a first trip, I'd go in the second half of November: mild, mostly dry weather, autumn colour arriving and the illuminations switching on. If the blossom matters more, book the last days of March into early April and book early. And for quieter sights, mid-January to February is cold, clear and calm once the New Year holiday is over.

Once you've picked your dates, Tourli, the app that turns travel guides into day-by-day plans, helps you lay out the days around the season, from blossom mornings to illumination evenings.