Film production in Tokyo
Between June and December, usable daylight in Tokyo moves by 4h 47min — from 14h 33min down to 9h 46min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Tokyo rises at 04:26 and sets at 18:59; the evening golden hour starts at 18:21 and runs for 38 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:44–16:30, with a 39-minute golden-hour window from 15:51.
In practice, a spread of 4h 47min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:51 | 16:51 | 10h 00min | 16:13 |
| February | 06:30 | 17:23 | 10h 53min | 16:48 |
| March | 05:54 | 17:49 | 11h 55min | 17:15 |
| April | 05:10 | 18:14 | 13h 04min | 17:40 |
| May | 04:38 | 18:39 | 14h 02min | 18:03 |
| June | 04:26 | 18:59 | 14h 33min | 18:21 |
| July | 04:37 | 18:59 | 14h 21min | 18:21 |
| August | 05:01 | 18:33 | 13h 32min | 17:58 |
| September | 05:24 | 17:51 | 12h 27min | 17:18 |
| October | 05:48 | 17:08 | 11h 20min | 16:34 |
| November | 06:17 | 16:36 | 10h 19min | 15:59 |
| December | 06:44 | 16:30 | 9h 46min | 15:51 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Tokyo starts at 19:18 in June and ends at 19:29 — a window of 12 minutes. In December it is 11 minutes from 16:48. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (17:49) and September (17:51) there are 2 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Tokyo averages 16 rain days in June and 5 in January. A three-day exterior shoot in June statistically loses 1.6 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4.1 °C | 5 | 7.8 |
| February | 5.4 °C | 8 | 8.0 |
| March | 9.4 °C | 11 | 8.1 |
| April | 14.1 °C | 12 | 8.6 |
| May | 18.8 °C | 12 | 8.9 |
| June | 22.0 °C | 16 | 8.1 |
| July | 26.1 °C | 16 | 8.7 |
| August | 27.3 °C | 14 | 9.9 |
| September | 23.6 °C | 15 | 7.4 |
| October | 17.5 °C | 13 | 7.0 |
| November | 12.1 °C | 10 | 7.2 |
| December | 6.5 °C | 7 | 7.5 |
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Tokyo?
In June it starts at 18:21 and lasts 38 minutes; in December it starts at 15:51 and lasts 39 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Tokyo get?
Between 9h 46min in December and 14h 33min in June. The 4h 47min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Tokyo?
Combining daylight and rain days, May comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.