Ask a Tokyoite when to come and they'll say October, then look annoyed that you asked.
Weather#
| Typical | |
|---|---|
| Days | ~22°C / 72°F, clear, dry |
| Nights | ~15°C / 59°F |
| Rain | Low after the first ten days |
| Typhoons | Small risk early in the month |
| Leaves | Starting in the hills; Tokyo turns in November |
September before, November after.
What's on#
- Sports Day, the second Monday: a national holiday, school sports festivals everywhere.
- Jazz and music festivals: Tokyo Jazz, Asagaya Jazz Streets, mid to late month.
- Autumn festivals at shrines most weekends; Kawagoe's great float festival on the third weekend is a day trip.
- Food: new rice, matsutake, sanma, sweet potato everything, and the start of oden season.
- Shibuya Halloween, 31st: now controlled, with street-drinking bans and closures; the party moved to clubs and Shinjuku.
What to do#
All of it, outdoors: the 7-day itinerary in its best month, Hakone with Fuji clear and the first colour, Nikko for leaves from late October, the neighbourhoods on foot, Tokyo to Kyoto if you're going on. Things to do.
Prices#
High; not peak. Book early. Where to stay, Tokyo on a budget.
Pack#
Shirts and a light jacket, a layer for evenings, walking shoes. What to wear in Tokyo.
With a Tokyoite#
October is when locals are out: a shrine festival, a jazz street, the first oden at a standing bar. Post your dates on Roavi Community and a Local Friend can show you the city in its favourite month.
Tokyo in October? Spend an evening with someone who lives there.
Meet a Local FriendFrequently Asked Questions
What is the weather like in Tokyo in October?
The best of the year: highs around 22°C (72°F), lows around 15°C (59°F), low humidity, clear skies most days. The first ten days can still see a typhoon or a rainy spell; after that, settled autumn.Is October or November better for Tokyo?
October for warmth and long days; November for autumn leaves, which peak in Tokyo in late November and early December. Both are excellent and busy. Late October has early colour in Nikko and Hakone and perfect city weather.What is Shibuya Halloween like now?
Tamer than its reputation. After years of overcrowding, Shibuya now bans street drinking around Halloween, closes the Hachiko area in the evening and asks people not to come. Costumed crowds still gather; the free-for-all is over. Shinjuku and clubs host events instead.Is October busy in Tokyo?
Busy: it's a top month for international visitors and domestic travel around Sports Day (the second Monday). Book hotels early. It's not as crowded or expensive as cherry blossom week.
This article was written with the help of AI and reviewed by the Roavi team.
