October is, with April, the month most weather forecasters would choose for a first trip to Japan. Tokyo averages a high of 22°C (72°F) and a low of 14.8°C, the humidity is gone, and the sunny-day share climbs through the month as the autumn rain front and the typhoon season fade away. Kyoto and Osaka are a comfortable 23°C, Sapporo shows its autumn colours at 16°C, and Okinawa is still swimming weather at 28°C.
Here is 58 years of Japan Meteorological Agency data for 12 cities, where and when the leaves turn, the residual typhoon risk in early October, what to pack for cool evenings, and a tool to check the odds for your dates.
- Tokyo: high 22.0°C (72°F), low 14.8°C (59°F), sunny days 43%, rain days 32%, 30°C days 1%, snow days 0%
- Coldest of the 12 cities: Sapporo (high 16.4°C (62°F)); warmest: Naha (Okinawa) (high 28.1°C (83°F))
- Wettest: Kanazawa (rain on 41% of days); driest: Nagasaki (20%)
- Verdict: One of the two best months: sunny, dry and comfortable across the country, with autumn colours starting in the north and the mountains.
Check the weather odds for your exact dates (58 years of records)
Choose a city, a date and a window, and the tool counts every October day since 1968 at that weather station: how often it was sunny, how often it rained or snowed, how often it hit 30°C, and what the last dozen years actually looked like. It is the same data set the rest of this page is built on, narrowed to your itinerary.
October weather in 12 Japanese cities
Japan stretches 3,000km from Hokkaido to Okinawa, so a single national figure means little. The table runs north to south. “Sunny days” is the share of days whose daytime weather log starts with clear or sunny; “rain days” is days with 1mm or more.
| City | High / low | Rain days (1mm+) | Sunny days | Rainfall | 30°C+ days | Also |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | 16 / 8°C 62°F / 46°F | 39% | 51% | 110mm | 0% | – |
| Sendai | 20 / 12°C 68°F / 53°F | 26% | 50% | 151mm | 0% | – |
| Kanazawa | 22 / 14°C 71°F / 57°F | 41% | 46% | 177mm | 1% | – |
| Tokyo | 22 / 15°C 72°F / 59°F | 32% | 43% | 235mm | 1% | – |
| Chiba (Tokyo Disney Resort) | 22 / 16°C 72°F / 60°F | 33% | 42% | 226mm | 1% | – |
| Nagoya | 23 / 15°C 74°F / 59°F | 28% | 54% | 165mm | 1% | – |
| Kyoto | 23 / 14°C 74°F / 58°F | 26% | 51% | 143mm | 2% | – |
| Osaka | 24 / 16°C 75°F / 61°F | 27% | 53% | 136mm | 2% | – |
| Hiroshima | 24 / 15°C 75°F / 59°F | 21% | 59% | 109mm | 1% | – |
| Fukuoka | 24 / 16°C 75°F / 61°F | 22% | 57% | 95mm | 1% | – |
| Nagasaki | 24 / 16°C 75°F / 62°F | 20% | 61% | 102mm | 2% | – |
| Naha (Okinawa) | 28 / 24°C 83°F / 74°F | 28% | 60% | 179mm | 16% | tropical nights 18% |
Hokkaido and Tohoku (Sapporo, Sendai)
Autumn colours peak in Hokkaido; Sapporo is 16°C with the first frost late in the month. Sapporo 16.4°C (62°F) / 8.0°C (46°F), rain 39%, sunny 51%; Sendai 19.8°C (68°F) / 11.9°C (53°F), rain 26%, sunny 50%.
Sea of Japan coast (Kanazawa)
Kanazawa is mild and pleasant before its winter rains begin. Kanazawa 21.8°C (71°F) / 13.9°C (57°F), rain 41%, sunny 46%.
Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka
Dry, sunny and comfortable at 22 to 24°C; the residual typhoon risk fades after mid month. Tokyo 22.0°C (72°F) / 14.8°C (59°F), rain 32%, sunny 43%; Kyoto 23.4°C (74°F) / 14.4°C (58°F), rain 26%, sunny 51%; Osaka 23.7°C (75°F) / 16.0°C (61°F), rain 27%, sunny 53%.
Western Japan and the south (Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Okinawa)
Kyushu is warm and dry; Okinawa is still 28°C with the warmest sea of the year. Fukuoka 23.7°C (75°F) / 16.0°C (61°F), rain 22%, sunny 57%; Naha (Okinawa) 28.1°C (83°F) / 23.5°C (74°F), rain 28%, sunny 60%.
What October feels like, and why
Migrating highs return. After the autumn front clears in early October, high-pressure systems cross the country every few days with dry, clear air: the Japanese call it aki-bare, autumn clear sky. Tokyo’s rainfall is still 235mm for the month, but most of it falls in the first ten days; by the second half the rain days thin out and the second half of October averages around 40% sunny days rising to 55% in November.
Typhoons are not quite finished. October typhoons are fewer than in September but tend to recurve toward the Tokyo area: Hagibis (12 October 2019) was the most destructive storm to hit Kanto in decades. If your dates are before 15 October, keep an eye on the tracker; after that the risk is small.
Autumn colours march south. Hokkaido peaks in mid October (Daisetsuzan earlier, Sapporo late October), Nikko and the Japan Alps in late October, Tokyo and Kyoto not until mid to late November. Okinawa, meanwhile, is the last chance for beach weather, and the north-east monsoon has not yet started.
What to pack for Japan in October
The rule of thumb: dress for Tokyo’s average low in the morning and its average high in the afternoon, then adjust north or south. Indoor spaces are heated hard in winter and cooled hard in summer, so removable layers matter in every month.
| City | Feels like | What to wear | Rain gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | Cool | a jacket or light coat, a sweater for mornings and evenings | umbrella essential |
| Tokyo | Mild | long sleeves or a T-shirt with a light jacket; evenings need the jacket | folding umbrella |
| Kyoto | Mild | long sleeves or a T-shirt with a light jacket; evenings need the jacket | folding umbrella |
| Fukuoka | Mild | long sleeves or a T-shirt with a light jacket; evenings need the jacket | folding umbrella |
| Naha (Okinawa) | Early summer | short sleeves by day, a light long sleeve for evenings | folding umbrella |
- Pack for a 10-degree day: T-shirt and light jacket in Tokyo, a sweater for Kyoto evenings and Hokkaido.
- Hotel prices rise steadily through October toward the November leaf peak in Kyoto; book early.
- If your trip starts before 15 October, buy insurance with typhoon cover.
- Sunset comes early (about 5pm in Tokyo by the end of the month); plan outdoor sights for the morning.
Events and seasonal highlights in October
- Autumn colours: Daisetsuzan and Kamikochi early October, Nikko and Hakone late October, Kyoto from mid November.
- Takayama Autumn Festival (9 to 10 October); Nagasaki Kunchi (7 to 9 October); Jidai Matsuri (22 October) in Kyoto.
- Sports Day (second Monday): school sports days across the country.
- Halloween in Shibuya (31 October); crowd controls in place.
- Cosmos and autumn roses in parks; new rice and matsutake mushrooms on menus.
- Okinawa: still 28°C with the sea at 27°C; Naha Great Tug-of-War (second Sunday).
Compare any two cities, month by month
Pick two of the 12 cities to see their highs, lows, rain days, sunny days, hot days and snow days side by side for the whole year. October is highlighted.
How October compares with the rest of the year in Tokyo
| Month | Tokyo high / low | Rain days | Sunny days | 30°C+ days | Snow days | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10 / 1°C | 14% | 70% | 0% | 6% | 60mm |
| February | 11 / 2°C | 20% | 61% | 0% | 10% | 57mm |
| March | 14 / 5°C | 29% | 51% | 0% | 3% | 116mm |
| April | 19 / 10°C | 33% | 48% | 0% | 0% | 134mm |
| May | 24 / 15°C | 32% | 43% | 1% | 0% | 140mm |
| June | 26 / 18°C | 39% | 27% | 11% | 0% | 168mm |
| July | 30 / 22°C | 33% | 34% | 53% | 0% | 156mm |
| August | 31 / 24°C | 27% | 46% | 73% | 0% | 155mm |
| September | 28 / 20°C | 37% | 35% | 27% | 0% | 225mm |
| October | 22 / 15°C | 32% | 43% | 1% | 0% | 235mm |
| November | 17 / 9°C | 22% | 55% | 0% | 0% | 96mm |
| December | 12 / 4°C | 15% | 67% | 0% | 1% | 58mm |
In Tokyo, October ranks 9th of 12 for sunny days and 8th of 12 for fewest rain days. The previous month, September, averages a high of 27.5°C (82°F); the next, November, 16.7°C (62°F).
After mid October the typhoon risk drops sharply and the migrating highs make forecasts unusually reliable. If you have one flexible week for Japan and want blue sky, the second half of October is my pick.
Frequently asked questions
How cold or hot is Japan in October?
Tokyo averages a high of 22.0°C (72°F) and a low of 14.8°C (59°F) in October. Sapporo in the north averages 16.4°C (62°F) / 8.0°C (46°F), while Naha in Okinawa averages 28.1°C (83°F) / 23.5°C (74°F). Kyoto and Osaka run a degree or two warmer than Tokyo in summer and slightly colder on winter mornings.
Does it rain a lot in Japan in October?
In Tokyo, 32% of October days get 1mm or more of rain (about 10 days), and 32% have a rainy weather log. Kyoto is at 26% of days and Naha at 28%. Sapporo records 39% of days with precipitation, much of it rain.
Is October a good month to visit Japan?
One of the two best months: sunny, dry and comfortable across the country, with autumn colours starting in the north and the mountains. Early October can still see a typhoon.
Is October a good month to visit Japan?
One of the two best. It is dry, sunny and comfortable almost everywhere, prices are moderate until the November leaf peak, and only the first half carries a small typhoon risk.
Can I see autumn leaves in October?
In Hokkaido (mid October), the Japan Alps, Nikko and Hakone (late October) yes. Tokyo and Kyoto peak in the second half of November; October in those cities is green with a hint of yellow.
How cold is Japan in October?
Tokyo averages 22°C by day and 15°C at night; Kyoto 23°C / 14°C; Sapporo 16°C / 8°C with the first frost late in the month; Naha 28°C / 24°C.
- Tokyo averages 22.0°C (72°F) / 14.8°C (59°F); sunny on 43% of days, rain on 32%
- North to south range: Sapporo 16.4°C (62°F) to Naha 28.1°C (83°F)
- One of the two best months: sunny, dry and comfortable across the country, with autumn colours starting in the north and the mountains.
- Use the date tool above to check the odds for your own dates
Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency climatological normals (1991 to 2020) for temperatures, precipitation and sunshine; JMA daily observations 1968 to 2025 (58 years) compiled by this site for the share of sunny, rainy, snowy, hot and cold days. Written by a certified Japanese weather forecaster (気象予報士). Percentages are the share of days in the month; a 30 percent rain-day figure means roughly 9 days a month.