10 Tips For Surviving Summer In Japan; How To Handle The Heat?

Summer in Japan is HOT!

I traveled to Japan in August but I have never experienced heat like this, and it didn’t even let up through September!

It was so hot that it really affected our trip and how we traveled. So here are all the tips I learned while traveling Japan in the summer, so you can be better prepared!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Heads Up! Summer Weather In Japan Extends Beyond The Summer Months

Officially, summer in Japan is from June to August.

But if you talk to any local, there are six months of summer in Japan. The heat can start as early as May and last well into October.

I visited at the end of August and stayed until mid-September. I was hopeful that it would cool off by September, but it did not.

So even if you aren’t traveling during the ‘typical’ summer months of Japan, these tips might still apply to you.

As it turns out, I managed to visit Japan during the hottest September recorded in the last 125 years. Just our luck!

Top 10 Tips For Visiting Japan In Summer

1. Be Prepared For HOT (Especially Japan In August!)

Not only will it be hotter in Japan than you think, but there’s also no break from it!

Summer in Japan is humid. So if the weather says that it’s 30°C outside, that doesn’t account for the humidity. Expect it to feel closer to 35°C or more!

When I was in Yokohama at the end of August, the feels-like was 42°C one day!

On top of that, because of the humidity, it doesn’t cool down once the sun sets. So you don’t get a break from the summer heat in the morning or evening. Maybe it cooled down by a few degrees, but not by much.

P.S. If you go further South to Hokkaido or Sapporo, expect it to be even hotter!

Average Summer Temperatures In Honshu & Kyushu Cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, & Fukuoka)

	High (C/F)	Low (C/F)	# of Rainy Days
June	26°C/ 79°F¹	19°C/ 66°F¹	11
July	30°C / 86°F²	24°C/ 75°F²	10
August	33° C / 90° F³	25°C/ 77°F³	8
September	28° C / 83° F⁴	20° C / 70° F⁴	11

* Source 1, 2, 3, 4

2. Summer Is Also Typhoon Season In Japan

Summers in Japan is also typhoon season. Typhoon season in Japan can last from May to October, but most storms will occur between July and September.

Typhoons in Japan don’t necessarily affect the entire country; there are some cities that are more typhoon prone than others. For example, there are more typhoons in Nagoya than Tokyo or Kyoto.

So you might want to keep your itinerary open, or avoid certain areas altogether. You can actually track typhoons in Japan (warning: my partner became a little too obsessed with tracking them while we were there!).

But keep in mind, even if you avoid typhoon prone cities, a typhoon can still affect your travel plans. Trains can be delayed or even cancelled due to a typhoon.

If you’re visiting Japan in the summer, you should also pack certain essentials in case of rain, regardless of where you’re going. I recommend bringing some waterproof shoes; I bought Cloud 5 waterproof On Shoes and fell in love.

3. Expect To Do Less Than You Normally Would While Traveling

This was the biggest shock for us while traveling during the summer in Japan.

You simply can’t do as much during the day as you normally would because of the heat.

The heat is so exhausting, slowing you down every chance it gets!

You’re just moving slower- you can’t walk as fast, you have to stop to cool down, and therefore you can’t go as far.

I would sometimes just go inside a shop for the A/C, to let my body cool off.

P.S. If you’re traveling to different cities and towns throughout Japan, you should send your luggage so you don’t have to travel with it – see my tips for using Yamato Transport for luggage delivery in Japan.

4. Prioritize/ Research Indoor Activities

Normally you rejoice on vacation when the weather is nice because you can take advantage of all the outdoor activities – this is not the case in Japan!

It’s honestly way too hot to be outside for too long at a time. Because of the heat (and potential rain), be prepared with indoor activities.

Towards the end of our trip, we were so fed up with the heat and constantly sweating that we just went to museums. We were just so thankful to have A/C for an hour or two.

I recommend planning indoor activities (like museums, shopping…etc.) in the afternoon, when the heat is at its worst.

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My digital travel planner template has everything you need to plan your vacation: research templates, travel planner itinerary, travel budget templates…etc. . You can print it out or use it digitally on your phone, tablet, or computer.

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indoor-shopping-when-its-raining-or-too-hot-outside-in-japan-sumemr

5. Budget Extra For Taxis, Ubers, & Public Transport

As I mentioned, you won’t be able to walk as much as you normally would in the heat, so budgeting more for transportation is necessary.

In Kyoto, we booked a hotel that was a 15 minute walk from the train, thinking we could easily do that walk every morning…how wrong we were!

By the end of the trip we were taxiing everywhere. I recommend adding it into your budget now, so it’s not a surprise when you’re there.

Your feet will need the break, and you’ll be thankful for the escape from the heat.

Psst! Use my travel planner on Etsy to plan and budget your trip to Japan.

taking-a-taxi-in-japan-to-beat-the-summer-heat

6. Budget Extra For Cold Snacks / Drinks

Similarly, you should budget more just for extra cold drinks and snacks.

We couldn’t make it more than an hour without a means of cooling down via a cold snack.

Luckily, Japan has the cold snacks covered! Enjoy a traditional shaved ice (Kakigōri) or modern green tea soft serve!

They also have a surprising amount of vending machines stocked with cold drinks. So it’s important to carry change as they often don’t take card.

You might also be interested in reading…

20 Practical Souvenirs From Japan You’ll Actually Use At Home

kakigori-shaved-ice-snack-to-stay-cool-in-japan-summers

7. Pack A Refillable Water Bottle

You need to drink A LOT in Japan’s summer heat, and the easiest way to do that is if you have a refillable water bottle. This way you can ensure that you stay hydrated and you always have (cold) water on you.

My go to is our giant ThermoFlask, you can get it on Amazon.

Sometimes there will be water fountains at train stations in Japan, but you can’t count on them, so you may have to get creative…

Japan’s tap water is safe and drinkable, so we always filled up at our hotel in the morning.

Often restaurants will also have a jug of water on the table, so we refilled from that at lunch every day.

We also just bought water bottles at convenience stores (or vending machines) and put the water into our own bottles.

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8. Bring Or Buy Japan Summer Essentials

There are a few summer essentials that you should either bring with you, or buy when you’re in Japan to deal with the heat.

You’ll notice everyone using these in Japan, and they really make a difference.

First, a small towel known as a wafuka in Japan to wipe your sweat away. You will sweat so much, and sometimes in areas you didn’t think you could sweat.

I used my quick dry Packtowel (like this one on Amazon), but then bought some extras while we were in Japan.

You might also be interested in…

My digital and printable packing guide on Etsy. Filled with packing planning prompts for your next trip!

P.S. Get an additional discount on my Etsy shop with my code ATRLOVE!

Second, a handheld fan will be your best friend! We struggled finding a good one, so you might just want to order one before you go, like this one on Amazon. Or if you start your trip in Kyoto, we bought ours at Edion.

And finally, a sun-umbrella! It’s like an umbrella but has UV protection. You won’t be stressing over applying sunscreen all the time (and worrying if you missed a spot). But it also just gives you a constant source of shade as you walk and keeps you a few degrees cooler. If you don’t want to worry about buying one when you’re in Japan, buy it on Amazon.

P.s. all of these summer essentials also make great souvenirs from Japan. See more of my recommend souvenirs from Japan.

trying-to-cool-of-in-summer-heat-in-japan

9. If You’re Going To Wear Sandals, Pack Socks

It isn’t uncommon in Japan to take off your shoes when you go inside.

It’s often when there are tatami floors inside temples and shrines, but it can also be in restaurants and cafes, or museums and castles. It can pretty much be anywhere, especially when you least expect it!

So if you like wearing sandals in the summer, I recommend ALWAYS bringing a pair of socks in your day bag in Japan. This way, you’ll avoid an awkwardness when you have to take off your shoes…

ck I would pack my smallest pair of socks that take up the least amount of space in my bag.

a top down view of a pebble filled floor, and a raised wooden floor on top. On the wood floor is a sign that says in both Japanese and English: shoes strictly prohibited with a visual sign as well. In front of the wood floor is a pair of feet wearing thin white ankle socks

10. No One Wears Shorts… You Might Want To Change What You’re Packing

I was not expecting this at all when arriving in Japan in the summer! I’ve visited warm destinations before and never been shocked by the clothing.

As it turns out, very few people wear shorts in the summer in Japan…not even the men, and I don’t know how they manage without dying of heat.

But if you’re someone that likes to fit in on vacation, you might want to pack a pair of light pants to wear, or at least some longer shorts.

Did You Know Pants Can Be Cooler Than Shorts?

If you can find loose, lightweight pants, you might even be cooler wearing them than shorts.

The sun isn’t beating on your legs, which also means you don’t have to worry about sunscreening!

And if there’s wind, the pants will also create a nice breeze!

wearing-light-pants-in-the-summer-in-japan — *I wish I brought more of these lightweight pants for surviving summer in Japan!* *These are from H&M*

P.S. Check Japanese Summer Festivals… There Are A Lot Of Them!

We were lucky and visited conveniently between two summer festivals in Japan.

Festivals, although a fun experience, can add certain complications to your trip. There will be more crowds and potential closures you might not have been aware of.

Check this list of the top summer festivals in Japan so you can decide if you want to go to one, or avoid them altogether!

Plan the ultimate vacation

P.S. Get an additional discount on my Etsy shop with my code ATRLOVE!

a man standing inside kanazawa castle grounds, on a raised outlooking, looking at kanazawa castle in the distanced. It's an iconic Japanese architecture roof and build, it's white and grey. There's a tree next to the main building. And you can see the stone wall separating the castle grounds from the park surrounding it

P.S.S You Might Want To Skip Mount Fuji In The Summer In Japan

This was the biggest disappointment for us when we visited Japan in the summer.

Though it will depend on when you visit during the summer in Japan, there might not be that famous snow cap on Mount Fuji.

If you’re lucky, there might still be a small snow cap in May, but otherwise it’s gone between June and October.

So don’t visit Japan in the summer if you’ve been waiting to see that iconic photo in reality!

Of course, you can still see Mount Fuji (and we did) but it will just look like any other mountain, albeit a very big one, so we were still equally impressed!

P.S. Interested in what else you shouldn’t be doing in Japan? Read my post on top things to do in Japan that you should actually avoid, and what you should do instead!

mount-fuji-in-the-summer-in-japan-no-snow-cap

If You Can, Avoid Japan In The Summer…

At the end of the day, if you can, I would avoid visiting Japan in the summer. It’s just too hot (and not to mention there are more crowds!).

You’re probably safe if you visit in May or October as they are more shoulder season months. They’re still warm, but it definitely cools off during those months, and there will be fewer tourists.