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Japan Rainy Season (Tsuyu) 2026: Dates, What to Expect, Where to Escape

2026-09-06 · min read

💡TL;DR⏱ 1 min read

Tsuyu (rainy season) hits Japan early June to mid-July. It's not the disaster foreigners think — hydrangea season, 30% cheaper hotels, and Hokkaido skips it entirely.

Foreigners cancel Japan trips because of 'rainy season'. It's actually one of the best times to visit — hydrangea season, hotels 30% cheaper, and 2 regions skip tsuyu entirely.

2026 tsuyu (rainy season) dates by region

Region	Start (typical)	End (typical)	Rainy days
Okinawa	May 10	June 20	20 days
Kyushu (Fukuoka, Kumamoto)	June 5	July 15	22 days
Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto)	June 8	July 18	18 days
Kanto (Tokyo)	June 10	July 22	17 days
Tohoku (Sendai)	June 15	July 28	15 days
Hokkaido	NO TSUYU	-	3-5 total rainy days June-July

🎯Hokkaido escape hack

Hokkaido doesn't have tsuyu. If you must visit Japan in June, fly directly to Sapporo^PR. Lavender in Furano peaks late June-early July, weather is 20-25°C, and hotels are cheap.

Why tsuyu isn't actually bad

●Not raining ALL DAY: usually 2-4 hours of rain per day; check weather app hourly
●Hydrangea (ajisai) season: temples covered in pink/purple/blue flowers, only during tsuyu
●30% cheaper hotels: shoulder season pricing
●Fewer [tour](https://www.klook.com/en-US/search/?query=Japan)ists: photograph landmarks without crowds
●Temps 22-27°C: warm but not the July-Aug heat inferno
●Fresher air: rain washes pollution

Best ajisai (hydrangea) viewing spots

●Meigetsu-in Temple, [Kamakura](https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?ss=Kamakura) — 2500 blue hydrangeas, THE spot (June 10-25 peak)
●[Hakone](https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?ss=Hakone) Tozan Railway — mountain train line covered in hydrangeas
●Mimuroto-ji Temple, Uji, [Kyoto](https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?ss=Kyoto) — 10,000 hydrangeas of 50 varieties
●Toshogu Shrine, Nikko — subtle, less crowded than Kamakura^PR
●[Kamakura](https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?ss=Kamakura)'s Hasedera Temple — hillside covered in hydrangeas

Best indoor activities for rainy days

●TeamLab Planets [Tokyo](https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?ss=Tokyo) — immersive digital art, no weather issue
●Ghibli Museum — book advance tickets^PR
●[Osaka](https://www.booking.com/searchresults.html?ss=Osaka) Aquarium (Kaiyukan) — one of the world's largest
●Onsen day trips — Kinugawa, Kusatsu, Hakone^PR, better in rain actually
●Depachika food hall crawls — Isetan Shinjuku, Takashimaya
●Snack [tour](https://www.klook.com/en-US/search/?query=Japan) of Shibuya's Center Gai underground — endless food halls

What to pack for tsuyu

●Umbrella: buy at 7-Eleven ¥600, don't bring your own
●Waterproof shoes: sneakers get wrecked; consider quick-dry travel shoes
●Waterproof daypack cover (or use plastic bag)
●Light rain jacket: packable, breathable
●Extra socks + shoe inserts: nothing worse than wet-feet all day
●Ziplock bags: for phone, camera, passport

🔥 Hotels selling out for 2026

Find Sapporo hotels (skip tsuyu)

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Book Kamakura ajisai tour (Klook)

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