Overall Tokyo weather is mild. Like New York, Tokyo too experiences four distinct
seasonal cycles namely winter, spring, summer and autumn.
Tokyo is situated right at the center of the Japanese archipelago in the southern Kanto Area. Tokyo is bordered by the Edogawa River on the eastern side. On the west, Tokyo is surrounded by mountains. The southern part of Tokyo is bounded by the Tamagawa River and to the north of Tokyo is the Saitama Prefecture. The summers in Tokyo are hot and humid while the winters are severely cold often accompanied with snowfall. Tokyo receives adequate amount of rainfall each year and it is mainly in the summer season. Average temperature in Tokyo is 16 degree Celsius.
The summer months in Tokyo are June, July and August. August is usually the hottest month in Tokyo. In August the temperatures can rise up to 43 o C. The middle of Tokyo in the Adachi Ward recorded 109 o F in the summer of 2004. The rise in temperature in Tokyo is partly due to the effects of ‘global warming' and urban heat.
The difference between the summer and winter temperatures in Tokyo is almost 20 o C. The coldest month in Tokyo is January. The winter temperatures often fall below freezing point. Snowfall is a common feature in Tokyo during the winter months.
The rainy season in Tokyo sets in early June and lasts till the middle of July. Besides the monsoon showers, Tokyo also receives heavy showers in the form of typhoons. The typhoon season is usually in September.
The climatic conditions in Tokyo as in the rest of Japan have undergone several changes owing to the effects of urbanization. The summer heat has risen in recent years. Earlier it was the wind from Tokyo Bay that used to keep the city cool during summer. But now due to the construction of high-rises and skyscrapers in the Bay area a large amount of this cool wind has been cut off. The best time to visit Tokyo would be in spring or autumn. It is best to avoid the humidity and heat of the summer months as well as the freezing temperatures of winter. March to May and again late September to November would be the ideal time to travel to Tokyo. You will be in time to catch the beautiful scenery of blooming flowers like cherry blossoms.
