Time in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan's sprawling capital and the world's most populous metropolitan area with over 37 million residents, runs on Japan Standard Time (JST), set at UTC+9. This offset is permanent — Japan abolished daylight saving time in 1952, and there are no seasonal clock changes to track. Whether you are checking Tokyo's time in January or August, JST is always UTC+9.

Tokyo sits at roughly 139.7°E longitude, which puts it naturally close to the UTC+9 zone. Geographically, the city experiences dramatically different sunrise and sunset times across the year:

For a live clock showing Tokyo alongside other major cities, visit our World Clock page. To understand time differences at the national level — including how JST affects business across all of Japan — see our time in Japan page.

Tokyo (JST, UTC+9) runs dramatically ahead of every US time zone. The offset changes slightly depending on whether the US is observing daylight saving time (DST), since Japan's clocks never move.

During US Standard Time (approximately November–March):

During US Daylight Saving Time (approximately March–November):

The practical implication: there is essentially no overlapping business-hours window between Tokyo and any US city. Late afternoon or evening calls from the US reach Tokyo in the morning of the next calendar day, which is often the most productive window for both parties. Check our California time page for live LA time, or our New York time page for live NYC time.

This table maps every hour of the New York day to its Tokyo equivalent. Use it for scheduling calls, monitoring pre-market signals, or planning travel logistics.

During US EDT (UTC−4, Mar–Nov), subtract 1 hour from Tokyo column — the gap becomes 13 hours.

The sweet spot for voice calls: 5–7 PM New York time puts Tokyo at 7–9 AM the next morning — start of the Japanese business day with both parties reasonably awake.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), part of Japan Exchange Group (JPX), is Asia's largest exchange by market cap and one of the globe's most-watched equity markets. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index tracks Japan's 225 most influential publicly traded companies.

Tokyo Stock Exchange Schedule (JST):

Converted to Eastern Time (US):

For US-based investors with exposure to Japan-focused ETFs (like EWJ or DXJ) or individual Japanese ADRs, the key insight is that the TSE closes while Americans sleep. Nikkei moves overnight feed into pre-market sentiment when US markets open around 9:30 AM EST. Financial news services post Nikkei closing data around 2–3 AM EST, giving early-rising US traders roughly six hours to digest results before their own market opens.

The yen (JPY/USD) forex pair trades 24 hours but is most liquid during Tokyo hours — roughly 7 PM to 4 AM EST. Currency volatility often spikes at the TSE open (7–8 PM EST) and close (1:30–2:30 AM EST).

Planning a trip to Tokyo or working with a Tokyo-based team? These practical time facts will help.

Narita International Airport (NRT) & Haneda Airport (HND): Nonstop flights from the US East Coast (JFK, EWR) to Narita average 14–15 hours westbound. Flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo average 11–12 hours. Most westbound transpacific flights arrive in Tokyo morning JST — you effectively "skip" a night. Departures from US West Coast in the afternoon arrive Tokyo the following morning.

Tokyo Metro & JR Train System: Tokyo has one of the world's most punctual and extensive urban rail networks.

• First trains: Most lines begin around 5:00–5:30 AM JST
• Last trains: Most lines end around 12:00–1:00 AM JST
• After the last train, taxis are the primary option — fares are high late at night
• The Yamanote Line (looping central Tokyo) runs every 2–4 minutes during peak hours (7:30–9:30 AM and 5:00–8:00 PM)

Peak Hours in Tokyo:

• Morning rush: 7:30 AM – 9:30 AM JST (Shibuya, Shinjuku stations are famously packed)
• Lunch rush: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM JST
• Evening rush: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM JST

Cherry Blossom Season (Sakura) — Timing for US Travelers: Tokyo's famous cherry blossoms typically peak in late March to early April. The exact dates shift year to year based on winter temperatures.

For US travelers, this means booking flights landing in Tokyo around March 25 – April 5 gives the best chance at full bloom. The window is short — full bloom typically lasts only 7–10 days. Use our alarm clock to set early morning reminders for booking cherry blossom viewing events (hanami), which sell out weeks in advance.

For a comparison between Tokyo and Seoul — two cities in the exact same time zone (UTC+9) with strikingly similar but distinct daily schedules — see our time in Seoul page.