June belongs to the rainy season, tsuyu, across most of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, a spell of overcast skies and regular rain that shapes the month far more than any festival does. Unlike the rest of the country, Hokkaido has no rainy season at all, a genuine climatic difference rather than a marketing one, which is exactly why Luxury Japan Travel's Summer Tour of Hokkaido opens its first departure in the final week of June.
the weather
The weather
Tokyo's June days average a high of 26.1°C and a low of 18.5°C. Kyoto runs close to the same figures, 28.1°C by day and 19.2°C overnight, since both cities sit in the same broad climate band despite Kyoto's inland basin sharpening the extremes at either end of the year. Sapporo is a different country: an average high of 21.8°C and a low of 13.4°C, figures from the Japan Meteorological Agency's published climate normals for 1991 to 2020, the thirty-year average against which every year in Japan is still read. Rain follows the same normals: Tokyo averages 167.8 millimetres of precipitation across around 8.5 days with measurable rain in June, while Sapporo's own June total is 60.4 millimetres, mostly as rain by this point in the year.
in season
What is in season
- Hydrangeas (ajisai) are at their best through the month in temple gardens across Honshu.
- The rainy season (tsuyu) typically runs from early June into the middle of July across most of the country, excluding Hokkaido.
- Iris gardens reach their peak in the first half of June.
- Ayu (sweetfish) season opens on many rivers.
- Hokkaido, outside the rainy season entirely, begins its own short, mild summer.
beyond the three cities
Beyond Tokyo, Kyoto and Sapporo
Hokkaido's exemption from the rainy season is the defining regional fact of June. While Tokyo, Kyoto and every city south of them sit under tsuyu's grey skies for a month or more, Hokkaido's early summer runs clear and mild, cooler than Honshu's but without the daily rain, which is exactly the contrast the Summer Tour of Hokkaido is built to use.
closed and crowded
What is closed, and what is crowded
June carries no nationwide closure and is one of the quieter months for domestic travel, since the rain keeps casual sightseeing plans flexible rather than fixed. Hokkaido, unaffected by the rainy season, sees a gradual rise in visitors through the month as its own summer season opens, without approaching the crowds it draws later in July and August. Opening hours at smaller shops, temples and museums vary enough by day and by property that any single visit is worth confirming the same week, rather than relying on a printed schedule alone.
what to wear
What to wear
Light, breathable clothing and a proper umbrella or raincoat for anywhere on Honshu, Shikoku or Kyushu, since rain is a reasonable expectation on most days somewhere on an itinerary. Hokkaido calls for a much lighter kit again: a light jacket for the evenings is usually enough. Comfortable, easily removed shoes are worth choosing whatever the season, since temples, ryokan and traditional restaurants alike expect shoes off at the door, often several times in a single day.
where the tours run
Where Luxury Japan Travel goes in June
The Summer Tour of Hokkaido opens its first 2027 departure on 25 June, twelve days at $18,500 per person, placed deliberately in the one part of the country with no rainy season at all. A deposit of USD $3,500 per person secures a place, with the balance due 95 days before departure. Guests travelling elsewhere in Japan this month are directed to the Custom Tour of Japan.
the year
Continue through the year
This page is one of twelve, one for each month of the Japanese year, each reporting the same weather, season and closure detail in its own month and linking both of its neighbours in the sequence. June sits between May and July on that calendar, and the full set is gathered in The Japan Edition's Seasons hub.