Summer in Tokyo: Weather, Heat Tips and Fireworks

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Researched guide · Checked on Oct 22, 2026

Summer in Tokyo (June to September) starts with the rainy season, then turns hot and humid, with typhoons possible in late summer. In return you get fireworks, festivals and long evenings. Here is what the weather is like, how to cope with the heat, and the summer events worth planning around.

Tokyo weather in summer

Month	Average high	Average low	Rain	What to expect
June	26°C	18°C	168 mm	Rainy season starts, usually in early June
July	30°C	22°C	156 mm	Rainy season ends around mid-July, then hot and humid
August	31°C	24°C	155 mm	The hottest month
September	28°C	20°C	225 mm	Still hot and very rainy, with typhoons

Averages from the Japan Meteorological Agency. See Tokyo weather by month for the whole year.

Staying safe in the heat

Japan’s Ministry of the Environment and the Japan Meteorological Agency issue a Heat Stroke Alert when the risk of heat illness is forecast to be extremely high (a WBGT heat index of 33 or more). Alerts are announced at 5:00 pm the day before and again at 5:00 am on the day, and there is a higher-level Special Heat Stroke Alert. The alert season runs from late April to late October; you can check the map in English on the Ministry’s heat illness site.

• Drink water often, before you feel thirsty, and rest in the shade or indoors.
• Plan outdoor sightseeing for the morning and evening, and spend the hottest hours in museums, shopping streets or aquariums. See our rainy day (and hot day) ideas.
• Carry an umbrella. Summer showers can be sudden and heavy.
• Feeling unwell? See seeing a doctor in Tokyo. In an emergency, call 119.

Fireworks: Sumida River Fireworks Festival

Tokyo’s best-known fireworks show is the Sumida River Fireworks Festival near Asakusa, with two launch sites along the river. In 2026 it was held on Saturday, July 25, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. It is cancelled in bad weather; the decision is made at 8:00 am on the day.

• 2027 date: not announced yet. The festival is usually on the last Saturday of July. Check the official site in spring.
• Crowds: very large. The organizers say there is nowhere to sit except the paid seats sold to sponsors, and Asakusa Station is very crowded after the show, so they ask visitors to use other stations to go home.
• Heat and storms: the organizers remind visitors to prepare for heat and sudden heavy rain.
• See our Asakusa guide and Tokyo events by month.

Summer festivals

Many neighborhoods hold summer festivals with food stalls and dancing. One of the biggest is the Koenji Awa Odori dance festival on the last weekend of August, with over 10,000 dancers and about one million visitors. See our Koenji guide.

Mid-August is Obon, a busy holiday period in Japan. Trains, Shinkansen and popular day trip spots are crowded, so book seats early.

Escaping the heat

• Karuizawa is a cool highland resort about 70 minutes from Tokyo Station by Shinkansen. See our Karuizawa day trip.
• Climbing Mt. Fuji is only possible in summer. In 2026 the Yoshida Trail season ran from July 1 to September 10. Check the official Mt. Fuji climbing website for the next season’s dates, the climbing fee and booking rules.
• Indoor sights: teamLab, museums and aquariums such as Sumida Aquarium.
• Evening views: go up an observation deck after sunset. See Tokyo observation decks compared.

Typhoons

Across Japan, typhoons come close most often in August and September. Around Tokyo, about three a year come close on average. They can stop trains and flights for a day, so keep your plans flexible and read our typhoon guide.

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