Tokyo

All of Japan runs on one clock, Japan Standard Time, fixed in 1888 to the 135th meridian east — the line that passes through the city of Akashi near Kobe. Tokyo lies almost five degrees east of that meridian, so the sun rises and sets about 20 minutes earlier than clock time suggests. Combined with the absence of daylight saving time, this gives Tokyo some of the earliest summer sunrises of any major capital: in June, first light arrives before 4:30 a.m.

Japan has tried summer time only once, from 1948 to 1951 under the Allied occupation. It proved unpopular — mainly because it lengthened working days — and was repealed in 1952. The idea has resurfaced several times since, most recently as a heat-relief measure for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but it has never been adopted, so the offset to UTC has stayed at exactly +9 hours for more than 70 years.

Japan also counts years by imperial era alongside the Gregorian calendar. The current era, Reiwa, began on 1 May 2019, so 2026 is Reiwa 8 — you will see this format on official forms, bank documents and train passes. When planning deadlines, watch the big holiday clusters: New Year (1–3 January), Golden Week (late April to early May) and the Obon period in mid-August, when many offices slow down or close.

For travellers, flying to Tokyo from Europe means moving your body clock 8 to 9 hours forward, which is usually harder than flying west. Getting outside in the morning light after arrival is one of the most effective ways to reset your sleep.