Destination
When should you visit Tokyo?
Weather, crowds, prices and events for all twelve months — and one clear recommendation.
By Daan · Last reviewed October 2026
My recommendation
October
October gives Tokyo its most reliable weather — dry, clear and mild — with early autumn colour and none of the extremes of sakura season or summer humidity.
Least crowded
January
Empty city, clear skies.
Best weather
October
Dry, mild and consistently clear.
Best value
January
Cheapest rates of the year.
October scores
Plan around
What to know before you book
- Cherry blossom season
- The single busiest and most expensive window of the year. Book three months ahead or avoid it entirely.
- Golden Week
- The whole country travels. Trains, hotels and restaurants fill; after 7 May everything normalises.
- Obon
- A second domestic travel peak on top of extreme heat and humidity.
- New Year shutdown
- Much of the city closes. From about 5 January, Tokyo is quiet, clear and cheap.
Late March to early April
Late April to early May
Mid-August
29 December – 4 January
Month by month
All twelve months, at a glance
Tap any month for full scores, temperatures and planning notes.
- Temperature
- 1–10°C
- Cold, dry, remarkably clear — best Mt Fuji visibility
- Crowds
- Very Low
- Domestic travel stops after New Year; foreign arrivals are at a low
- Prices
- $$
- Cheapest hotel rates of the year from about 5 January
Avoid 29 Dec–4 Jan when much of the city closes. Otherwise, ideal.
- City walking
- Food
- Day trips
- Shopping
- Temperature
- 2–11°C
- Cold and dry with clear skies
- Crowds
- Low
- Quiet apart from a short Lunar New Year bump
- Prices
- $$
- Low, rising slightly at month end
Lunar New Year week is busier — check the dates before booking.
- Gardens
- Museums
- Food
- Temperature
- 5–14°C
- Mild, changeable, occasional rain
- Crowds
- Moderate-High
- Blossom forecasting drives a national and international surge
- Prices
- $$$$
- Reasonable early, very high in the final ten days
Book three months ahead if you want blossom, or go early March for calm.
- Parks
- Walking
- Photography
- Temperature
- 10–19°C
- Mild and pleasant, occasional spring rain
- Crowds
- Very High
- Sakura season plus domestic travel; parks are shoulder-to-shoulder
- Prices
- $$$$$
- Peak hotel pricing citywide
Visit parks before 8am. Golden Week starts at the end of the month.
- Blossom
- Parks
- Festivals
- Temperature
- 15–24°C
- Warm, comfortable, low humidity
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Very busy during Golden Week, then noticeably calm
- Prices
- $$$
- Moderate from mid-month
Travel after 7 May and the whole month changes character.
- Walking
- Day trips
- Rooftops
- Gardens
- Temperature
- 18–26°C
- Tsuyu rainy season — humid with frequent rain
- Crowds
- Low
- Visitor numbers drop sharply with the weather
- Prices
- $$
- Low outside major event weekends
Plan around covered districts and book flexible day trips.
- Museums
- Food
- Shopping
- Temperature
- 22–30°C
- Hot and very humid, rain easing late in the month
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Domestic summer travel builds through the month
- Prices
- $$$
- Moderate, spiking around festival dates
Front-load mornings and evenings; keep afternoons indoors.
- Festivals
- Fireworks
- Night walks
- Temperature
- 24–31°C
- Very hot and humid, typhoon risk late in the month
- Crowds
- High
- Obon shuts offices and moves the whole country
- Prices
- $$$$
- High mid-month, easing either side
Avoid the Obon week entirely unless it's the reason for the trip.
- Festivals
- Fireworks
- Temperature
- 20–28°C
- Warm and humid early, pleasant by month end
- Crowds
- Low-Moderate
- Quiet apart from the Silver Week holidays
- Prices
- $$$
- Moderate and improving
Buy flexible tickets for Fuji-area day trips.
- Walking
- Food
- Shopping
- Temperature
- 15–22°C
- The most reliable weather Tokyo gets — dry, clear, mild
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Busier than summer but far from spring's peak
- Prices
- $$$
- Moderate-high; book six to eight weeks out
Book hotels well ahead — October is the one month that fills quietly.
- City walking
- Rooftops
- Day trips
- Food
- Temperature
- 9–17°C
- Cool, dry and clear
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Koyo season draws heavy domestic weekend travel
- Prices
- $$$
- Moderate-high on weekends, softer midweek
Do the famous gardens on a weekday morning.
- Gardens
- Walking
- Photography
- Day trips
- Temperature
- 4–12°C
- Cold, dry and very clear
- Crowds
- Low-Moderate
- Calm until about 27 December, then the New Year rush
- Prices
- $$$
- Reasonable until the final week
Finish your trip before 27 December to avoid the shutdown.
- Illuminations
- Food
- Shopping
- Views
Climate
Tokyo weather by month
| Month | High | Low | Precipitation | Wet days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10°C / 50°F | 1°C / 34°F | 60 mm | 5 |
| February | 11°C / 52°F | 2°C / 36°F | 56 mm | 6 |
| March | 14°C / 57°F | 5°C / 41°F | 116 mm | 10 |
| April | 19°C / 66°F | 10°C / 50°F | 134 mm | 11 |
| May | 24°C / 75°F | 15°C / 59°F | 140 mm | 11 |
| June | 26°C / 79°F | 19°C / 66°F | 168 mm | 13 |
| July | 30°C / 86°F | 22°C / 72°F | 156 mm | 12 |
| August | 31°C / 88°F | 24°C / 75°F | 155 mm | 9 |
| September | 28°C / 82°F | 20°C / 68°F | 225 mm | 12 |
| October | 22°C / 72°F | 15°C / 59°F | 235 mm | 12 |
| November | 17°C / 63°F | 9°C / 48°F | 96 mm | 8 |
| December | 12°C / 54°F | 4°C / 39°F | 58 mm | 6 |
Climate data: Japan Meteorological Agency. Temperatures are averages of daily highs and lows.
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