Japan by month
Japan in September
Still warm (Tokyo around 27°C by day) and the peak of typhoon season, with Tokyo's wettest month of the year. In Hokkaido's mountains, the first autumn colour appears by late September.
What September is like
Summer heat lingers through mid-September: Tokyo averages 27.5°C by day and Osaka 29.5°C. It is also one of the wettest months, with typhoons and autumn rain fronts; Tokyo's September averages 225 mm and Kochi's nearly 400 mm.
The air clears and cools in the last week, especially in the north. Sapporo averages 22.8°C, and nights there drop to around 15°C.
Where to go in September
Japan's autumn colour starts in Hokkaido's Daisetsuzan mountains, around Asahidake and Kurodake, from mid to late September. In early September, the Owara Kaze no Bon festival in Toyama has slow, lantern-lit dances through the streets at night.
Late September brings red spider lilies (higanbana) to fields such as Kinchakuda in Saitama, around the autumn equinox.
Typhoons and Silver Week
Typhoons can stop flights, trains and ferries for a day or two, especially in Okinawa, Kyushu and Shikoku. Keep plans flexible and follow the Japan Meteorological Agency's forecasts in the days before you travel.
Respect for the Aged Day (third Monday) and the autumnal equinox sometimes combine into a 'Silver Week' of holidays, which makes domestic travel busier. Check the calendar for the year you travel.
Festivals and events
Typical weather in September
Average daily high and low and total rainfall for the month (1991–2020). Tap a city for its 7-day forecast.
| City | High | Low | Rain (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | 23°C | 15°C | 142 |
| Asahikawa | 22°C | 12°C | 136 |
| Kushiro | 20°C | 13°C | 153 |
| Aomori | 25°C | 16°C | 133 |
| Akita | 25°C | 17°C | 161 |
| Sendai | 25°C | 18°C | 193 |
| Niigata | 26°C | 19°C | 152 |
| Kanazawa | 27°C | 20°C | 232 |
| Tokyo | 28°C | 20°C | 225 |
| Utsunomiya | 27°C | 19°C | 217 |
| Nagano | 26°C | 17°C | 126 |
| Nagoya | 29°C | 21°C | 232 |
| Osaka | 30°C | 22°C | 153 |
| Takamatsu | 29°C | 21°C | 167 |
| Matsue | 27°C | 20°C | 204 |
| Hiroshima | 29°C | 21°C | 163 |
| Kochi | 30°C | 21°C | 398 |
| Fukuoka | 29°C | 22°C | 175 |
| Kagoshima | 30°C | 23°C | 223 |
| Amami | 30°C | 24°C | 346 |
| Naha | 31°C | 26°C | 275 |
| Ishigaki | 31°C | 26°C | 260 |
Tips
- Pack for heat in the first half of the month and a light layer for the evenings later on.
- Buy travel insurance that covers weather delays, and leave a buffer day before your flight home.
- If a typhoon is forecast, stay indoors on the day it passes; shops and trains often close in advance.
Questions travellers ask
Is September a good time to visit Japan?
It's warm and less crowded than summer, but it is the peak of typhoon season. Late September is better than early September.
When do autumn leaves start in Japan?
In Hokkaido's Daisetsuzan mountains from mid to late September, then they move south and down to the cities through October and November.
How hot is Japan in September?
Still warm: Tokyo averages 27.5°C and Osaka 29.5°C by day, cooling noticeably by the end of the month.
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.
All 12 months7-day forecasts for 22 cities
Facts checked 23 October 2026