{"id":1363,"date":"2024-09-30T11:07:43","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T02:07:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gogo-tour.com\/contents\/?p=1363"},"modified":"2026-06-15T15:08:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T06:08:01","slug":"precipitation-amount","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.gogo-tour.com\/info\/precipitation-amount\/","title":{"rendered":"Okinawa Climate (Rainfall & Rainy Season Timing) Explained with Graphs | Okinawa Travel with GO!GO!TOUR Rent a Car"},"content":{"rendered":"

Okinawa Climate<\/h2>\r\n

\"\u6c96\u7e04\u306e\u6c17\u5019\"<\/p>\r\n

Okinawa has a subtropical climate, meaning it stays warm throughout the year compared to mainland Japan.<\/p>\r\n

While many people imagine a calm tropical paradise, sudden heavy rain showers can occur quite frequently.<\/p>\r\n

To avoid being caught off guard by unexpected weather, it\u2019s helpful to understand Okinawa\u2019s climate characteristics before traveling.<\/p>\r\n

In this article, we introduce Okinawa\u2019s rainfall patterns as well as the timing of the rainy season<\/a> (tsuyu).<\/p>\r\n

This guide is especially useful for those planning to visit during the rainy season, so we hope you find it helpful for your trip planning!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Okinawa Rainfall<\/h2>\r\n

\"\u96e8\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

In Okinawa, the highest rainfall occurs during the rainy season from May to June and during the typhoon season<\/a> from August to September.<\/p>\r\n

However, sudden heavy rain can occur in any season, making Okinawa a region with relatively high rainfall throughout the year.<\/p>\r\n

That said, rain in Okinawa often differs from mainland Japan. Instead of long periods of continuous rainfall, it is more common to experience short, intense showers that stop quickly<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n

Annual Rainfall in Okinawa<\/h2>\r\n

\"\u96e8\u306e\u96eb\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Okinawa ranks 8th in Japan for annual rainfall, placing it among the highest in the country.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

The national average is 1,610 mm, while Kochi Prefecture ranks 1st.<\/p>\r\n

To help visualize this, we have compared the annual rainfall of Kochi, Tokyo, and Naha below for reference.<\/p>\r\n

\u25bcAnnual Rainfall: Kochi, Tokyo, and Naha<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (Reference period: 1991\u20132020)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u00a0<\/th>\r\nAnnual precipitation<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Kochi<\/th>\r\n2,667mm<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Tokyo<\/th>\r\n1,598mm<\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Naha<\/th>\r\n2,161mm<\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

During Okinawa\u2019s rainy season, rainfall is more than twice that of Tokyo.<\/p>\r\n

Even in winter (January to March), there is still a relatively high amount of rainfall, and April and October show precipitation levels similar to Tokyo\u2019s rainy season.<\/p>\r\n

As you can see, Okinawa actually receives much more rainfall than many people might expect.<\/p>\r\n

Okinawa\u2019s Rainy Season<\/h2>\r\n

\"\u6c96\u7e04\u306e\u6885\u96e8\"<\/p>\r\n

Because Okinawa\u2019s rainy season brings a high amount of rainfall, some travelers may be hesitant to visit during this period.<\/p>\r\n

However, it rarely rains all day. Instead, short and intense downpours, similar to squalls, are more common.<\/p>\r\n

Unlike mainland Japan, where the sky can remain overcast from morning to evening, Okinawa often sees clear breaks in the weather after rain, sometimes revealing bright blue summer-like skies.<\/p>\r\n

The rainfall tends to be heavy in short bursts, so it is uncommon for it to rain continuously throughout your entire trip\u2014so there\u2019s no need to worry too much.<\/p>\r\n

When Is the Rainy Season in Okinawa?<\/h2>\r\n

\"\u6885\u96e8\u660e\u3051\"<\/p>\r\n

Okinawa has the earliest rainy season in Japan, typically starting about one month earlier than mainland Japan.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

For reference, in 2022, Okinawa\u2019s rainy season began on May 4 and ended on June 20.<\/p>\r\n

\u25bcRainy Season Onset & End Dates Across Japan (2022)<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u00a0<\/th>\r\nStart of the rainy season (tsuyu)<\/th>\r\nEnd of the rainy season<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Okinawa<\/th>\r\naround May 4<\/td>\r\naround June 20<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Kyushu<\/th>\r\naround June 11<\/td>\r\nJune 27<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Shikoku<\/th>\r\nJune 13<\/td>\r\nJune 28<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Chugoku<\/th>\r\nJune 14<\/td>\r\nJune 28<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Kinki (Kansai)<\/th>\r\nJune 14<\/td>\r\nJune 28<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Tokai<\/th>\r\nJune 14<\/td>\r\nJune 27<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Kanto-Koshin<\/th>\r\nJune 6<\/td>\r\nJune 27<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Hokuriku<\/th>\r\nJune 14<\/td>\r\nJune 28<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Northern Tohoku<\/th>\r\nJune 15<\/td>\r\nJuly 26<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

Source: Japan Meteorological Agency \u2013 Start and End of the Rainy Season (FY2022 provisional data)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n

On average, Okinawa\u2019s rainy season runs from around mid-May (about May 10) to late June (around June 21), lasting approximately one month.<\/p>\r\n

In contrast, mainland Japan typically enters the rainy season from early to mid-June. This means that Okinawa often finishes its rainy season around the time the rest of Japan is just beginning it.<\/p>\r\n

Below are the recent 5-year trends for Okinawa\u2019s rainy season start and end dates:<\/p>\r\n

\u25bc<\/strong>Okinawa \u2013 Rainy Season Start & End (Past 5 Years)<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u00a0<\/th>\r\nStart of the rainy season<\/th>\r\nEnd of the rainy season<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
2018<\/th>\r\nJune 1<\/td>\r\nJune 23<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
2019<\/th>\r\nMay 16<\/td>\r\nJuly 10<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
2020<\/th>\r\nMay 16<\/td>\r\nJune 12<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
2021<\/th>\r\nMay 5<\/td>\r\nJuly 3<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
2022<\/th>\r\nMay 4<\/td>\r\nJune 20<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

Source: Japan Meteorological Agency \u2013 Rainy Season Start and End Dates (Confirmed values since 1951): Okinawa<\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Looking at the past five years, there are cases where the rainy season ended in early July, showing that in some years the rainy season can last longer than usual.<\/p>\r\n

This indicates that while Okinawa\u2019s rainy season generally follows a similar pattern each year, its duration can occasionally vary depending on weather conditions.<\/p>\r\n