Rainy season in Japan: Dates and what to expect
Japan’s rainy season starts in early summer, between May and July, depending on the region. The period is called Tsuyu (also pronounced baiyu) which translates to “plum rain” as the season coincides with the ripening of Japan’s plums.
The wet weather is caused by cold winds from the north colliding wind warm southern winds which create several weeks of rain. The amount of rainfall varies dramatically from year to year. Some years are exceptionally wet whereas other years barely see any rain.
When is the rainy season in Japan?
In most japanese regions (including Tokyo), the rainy season runs from the beginning of June to mid July. However, both the north and south of Japan experience it differently. The other thing to bear in mind is that the further west you go, the higher the chance of rain.
Hokkaido and the Ogasawara islands barely experience any rain at all over these weeks. This doesn’t mean the weather there is perfect, there weather can be cold and cloudy during this period. I..