Over 1991–2020, an average of 11.7 typhoons a year came within 300 km of a Japan Meteorological Agency weather station, and 3.0 made landfall on Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku or Kyushu. August and September had the most approaches, 3.3 each; January, February and March had none in the 30 years.
Typhoons near Japan, month by month
JMA counts a typhoon as approaching when its centre comes within 300 km of any of its weather stations, whether or not it makes landfall.1
| Japan | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Came within 300 km | – | – | – | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 11.7 |
| Made landfall | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.3 | – | – | 3.0 |
By region
The same count for each of JMA's forecast regions. A region with islands far to the south, such as Okinawa, sees more.1
| Region | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okinawa | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 7.7 |
| Amami | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.7 | – | – | 4.3 |
| Southern Kyushu | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.5 | – | – | 3.9 |
| Northern Kyushu (with Yamaguchi) | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.4 | – | – | 3.8 |
| Shikoku | – | – | – | – | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.4 | – | – | 3.3 |
| Chugoku | – | – | – | – | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.3 | – | – | 3.0 |
| Kinki | – | – | – | – | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.7 | – | – | 3.4 |
| Tokai | – | – | – | – | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.7 | – | – | 3.5 |
| Hokuriku | – | – | – | – | – | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.4 | – | – | 2.8 |
| Kanto and Koshin | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.7 | – | – | 3.3 |
| Izu and Ogasawara Islands | – | – | – | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 5.4 |
| Tohoku | – | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.5 | – | – | 2.7 |
| Hokkaido | – | – | – | – | – | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | – | – | 1.9 |
A dash means no typhoon approached in that month in the 30 years; 0.0 means fewer than 0.05 a month on average. A typhoon can approach in two months, so months need not add up to the year. JMA counts Yamaguchi with Northern Kyushu, and the Kanto figure leaves out the Izu and Ogasawara Islands.
Which region is each prefecture in?
Each prefecture page uses its region's figure. The busiest month is the one with the most approaches for that region.1
Show all 47 prefectures
| Prefecture | JMA region | Approaches a year | Most in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aichi | Tokai | 3.5 | September |
| Akita | Tohoku | 2.7 | September |
| Aomori | Tohoku | 2.7 | September |
| Chiba | Kanto and Koshin | 3.3 | September |
| Ehime | Shikoku | 3.3 | September |
| Fukui | Hokuriku | 2.8 | September |
| Fukuoka | Northern Kyushu (with Yamaguchi) | 3.8 | August and September |
| Fukushima | Tohoku | 2.7 | September |
| Gifu | Tokai | 3.5 | September |
| Gunma | Kanto and Koshin | 3.3 | September |
| Hiroshima | Chugoku | 3.0 | September |
| Hokkaido | Hokkaido | 1.9 | August and September |
| Hyogo | Kinki | 3.4 | September |
| Ibaraki | Kanto and Koshin | 3.3 | September |
| Ishikawa | Hokuriku | 2.8 | September |
| Iwate | Tohoku | 2.7 | September |
| Kagawa | Shikoku | 3.3 | September |
| Kagoshima | Southern Kyushu | 3.9 | September |
| Kanagawa | Kanto and Koshin | 3.3 | September |
| Kochi | Shikoku | 3.3 | September |
| Kumamoto | Northern Kyushu (with Yamaguchi) | 3.8 | August and September |
| Kyoto | Kinki | 3.4 | September |
| Mie | Tokai | 3.5 | September |
| Miyagi | Tohoku | 2.7 | September |
| Miyazaki | Southern Kyushu | 3.9 | September |
| Nagano | Kanto and Koshin | 3.3 | September |
| Nagasaki | Northern Kyushu (with Yamaguchi) | 3.8 | August and September |
| Nara | Kinki | 3.4 | September |
| Niigata | Hokuriku | 2.8 | September |
| Oita | Northern Kyushu (with Yamaguchi) | 3.8 | August and September |
| Okayama | Chugoku | 3.0 | September |
| Okinawa | Okinawa | 7.7 | August |
| Osaka | Kinki | 3.4 | September |
| Saga | Northern Kyushu (with Yamaguchi) | 3.8 | August and September |
| Saitama | Kanto and Koshin | 3.3 | September |
| Shiga | Kinki | 3.4 | September |
| Shimane | Chugoku | 3.0 | September |
| Shizuoka | Tokai | 3.5 | September |
| Tochigi | Kanto and Koshin | 3.3 | September |
| Tokushima | Shikoku | 3.3 | September |
| Tokyo | Kanto and Koshin | 3.3 | September |
| Tottori | Chugoku | 3.0 | September |
| Toyama | Hokuriku | 2.8 | September |
| Wakayama | Kinki | 3.4 | September |
| Yamagata | Tohoku | 2.7 | September |
| Yamaguchi | Northern Kyushu (with Yamaguchi) | 3.8 | August and September |
| Yamanashi | Kanto and Koshin | 3.3 | September |
What these figures cannot tell you
- Averages over 30 years. Some years have many more, some none; follow JMA's warnings when you travel.
- Close is not a hit. A typhoon 300 km away may bring only rain or wind, or nothing.
- No causes. Weather and holidays sit next to the tourism figures here, but the figures do not show that either makes a month busier or quieter, so we do not say they do.
- We have not been to these places and make no judgement about which is better to visit.
See also where to go in September and August.
Key takeaways
- August and September had the most typhoon approaches over 1991–2020: 3.3 each on average.
- January, February and March had none in the 30 years.
- Okinawa had the most of any region: 7.7 approaches a year.
- What we would skip: ruling out late summer on averages alone. Most approaches bring no landfall; check the forecast nearer the time.
Sources
Every figure comes from the Japan Meteorological Agency's typhoon averages, as on our Japan pages. See how we research.
- Typhoons: 出典：気象庁ホームページ（台風の平年値）, with the regions in 「気象庁が天気予報等で用いる予報用語」（地域名）. Japan Meteorological Agency, typhoon approach and landfall normals, 1991–2020. Accessed 22 September 2026. Licensed under PDL1.0. 「台風の平年値」（気象庁）を加工して作成 — edited by Gallivanting Gadabout (English wording and selection).
Edited data. 「台風の平年値」（気象庁）を加工して作成 — edited by Gallivanting Gadabout (English wording and selection).