Jet lag in Japan: a plan for your first 48 hours
Checked against 14 official sources. 7 minute read.
What to know first
Japan is 7–9 hours ahead of the UK and western and central Europe and 13–17 hours ahead of North America, so most visitors arrive with their body clock badly out of step. From Europe you have to shift your clock earlier, which is the harder direction: the CDC puts adjustment at about one hour a day in that direction, so a full shift of 7–9 hours takes about 7–9 days. Keep the first two days easy. Stay awake until about 21:00–22:00 local time on arrival day, nap no more than 20–30 minutes, go outside in daylight and keep light low in the evening, stop caffeine six hours before bed, and put nothing pre-booked at a fixed time before day 3. If you wake at 04:00, use it: Japan has plenty that's open early.
Next step: Write down your landing time in Japanese time, then use the table below to plan only three things for arrival day: getting to the hotel, a meal, and a short walk in daylight.
- Japan's time zone
- UTC+9 all year, no daylight saving time
- UK clocks go back
- 25 October 2026 (Japan then 9 hours ahead)
- EU clocks go back
- 25 October 2026 (last Sunday of October)
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On this page
What to do: situation by situation
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Land early morning (06:00–10:00) from Europe | Leave bags at the hotel, stay outdoors in daylight from late morning, eat lunch on Japanese time, one nap of 20–30 minutes. What to avoid: Sleeping in the afternoon until evening; a long museum day indoors. |
| Land afternoon (14:00–18:00) | Check in, shower, short walk and early dinner, bed 21:00–22:00. What to avoid: A late night out "to stay awake". |
| Land late evening (after 21:00) | Go straight to the hotel; see arriving late at your hotel. What to avoid: Booking an early start the next morning. |
| Awake at 03:00–05:00 on day 2 | Read, shower, then go out at dawn to an early-opening sight. What to avoid: Lying awake in the dark for hours, or switching on bright screens at 02:00. |
| Crashing at 15:00 on day 2 | 20–30 minute nap, coffee before 16:00, then outside. What to avoid: Napping longer than 30 minutes. |
| Travelling with children | Plan a park or playground, not a timed ticket, for days 1–2. What to avoid: Fixed-time bookings before day 3. |
| Big booking on day 2 (restaurant, theme park, tour) | Move it to day 3 or later if you can; see pacing your itinerary. What to avoid: Paying for something you'll be too tired to enjoy. |
Time difference from home
Japan uses Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) all year and has no daylight saving time, so the gap changes when your home clocks change.
UK, Ireland, Portugal: 8 hours (until 25 October 2026). After the change: 9 hours.
France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands: 7 hours (until 25 October 2026). After the change: 8 hours.
New York, Toronto: 13 hours (until 1 November 2026). After the change: 14 hours.
Los Angeles, Vancouver: 16 hours (until 1 November 2026). After the change: 17 hours.
From North America, Japan is the next calendar day but your body often adapts as if it had moved its clock later, which most people find easier; from Europe it's the opposite.
Worked example: London to Tokyo, landing in the morning
This is an illustration with round numbers (a 14-hour flight), not a specific airline's schedule. Check the flight time on your own booking; we haven't checked current airline timetables (not stated here as of 11 October 2026).
You leave London at 11:00 BST on 11 October 2026 and land at Haneda at 09:00 Japan time on 12 October 2026. Your body thinks it's 01:00. You slept perhaps four hours on the plane.
Day 1 (arrival)
09:00 — 01:00. What you do: Land; immigration, baggage, airport train.
10:30 — 02:30. What you do: Drop bags at the hotel (check-in is usually 15:00); see leaving luggage before check-in.
11:00–13:00 — 03:00–05:00. What you do: The hardest stretch. Walk outdoors in daylight: a park, a shrine, a shopping street near the hotel.
13:00 — 05:00. What you do: Lunch on Japanese time, even if you're not hungry.
14:00–14:30 — 06:00–06:30. What you do: One nap, alarm set for 30 minutes, or sit in a café.
15:00 — 07:00. What you do: Check in, shower; last coffee by 15:30.
16:00–18:00 — 08:00–10:00. What you do: Short outing nearby.
18:30 — 10:30. What you do: Early dinner.
21:30 — 13:30. What you do: Bed. Phone away, room dark and cool.
Day 2: you may wake at 04:00–05:00 (20:00–21:00 in the UK). That's fine. Sunrise in Tokyo on 12 October 2026 is at 05:44, according to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. Go out at 06:30 to Sensō-ji or a neighbourhood shrine, get morning light, and eat breakfast at 07:30. Plan a normal but unhurried day with no fixed-time booking, a short nap of 20–30 minutes if needed, and bed by 22:00.
Day 3 onwards: you're two hours closer to Japan time. This is when to put timed tickets, early tours and long day trips.
Flying from the US instead. Leaving Los Angeles at 11:00 PDT, a 12-hour flight (round numbers again; check your booking) lands at 15:00 the next day in Japan (23:00 in LA). Stay up until 21:00 and expect to feel sleepy in the early evening and wake before dawn. After westward travel the CDC's advice is the reverse of the eastward advice: avoid bright light in the early morning, and try to stay up until your destination bedtime.
Light, sleep, food and caffeine
Light matters most. The CDC says light can play a key role in shortening jet lag. Its advice after flying east is to get bright light in the early morning and avoid light in the evening; on arrival, go outside, because daylight at your destination's time eases the shift.
Naps: the CDC says short daytime naps of 20–30 minutes can help you stay alert, and that lengthy naps make it harder to sleep at night.
Caffeine: the CDC allows it during the day for alertness and says to stop six hours before bedtime. Every konbini sells canned and fresh coffee.
Food: eat meals on Japanese time from the first day, even small ones. A konbini breakfast at 07:00 works.
Alcohol: it helps you fall asleep but breaks up your sleep; the CDC advises avoiding excess.
Melatonin and sleeping pills: Japan's health ministry treats melatonin as a medicine ingredient, and has warned about "health foods" found to contain it, so you won't find it sold as a supplement in Japan. If you plan to bring any sleep aid, check the rules first in bringing medication into Japan.
Before you fly: going to bed an hour earlier for two or three nights before an eastward flight gives you a small head start.
What's open early and late
If you wake at 04:00 or can't sleep at midnight, you have options. Hours vary by place and season, so treat these as typical.
All night: Convenience stores, many in cities. Breakfast, coffee, toiletries, ATMs.
From about 05:00: First trains. The first weekday Yamanote Line train from Tokyo Station (towards Shinagawa) leaves at 04:49.
From 05:00: Beef bowl chains (some 24 hours). Matsuya serves breakfast sets from 05:00 to 11:00, from ¥350 to ¥700.
From 05:40 (October): Meiji Jingū; Sensō-ji main hall from 06:30. Meiji Jingū's gates open at 05:40 in October and 06:10 in November (times change monthly with sunrise and sunset). Sensō-ji's main hall opens at 06:30 from October to March, 06:00 the rest of the year.
From 06:00 (visitors from 09:00): Tsukiji Outer Market. Professional buyers have priority 06:00–09:00; the market's own guidance for the public is 09:00–14:00, and many shops close on Sundays and some Wednesdays.
Dawn: Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto. Quiet at dawn. The shrine publishes hours for its offices, not for the grounds (not stated officially as of 11 October 2026).
From about 07:00: Chain cafés near stations. Seat, toilet and Wi-Fi.
Late evening: Ramen shops, izakaya, some public baths (sentō). Each sentō sets its own hours; check the bath's listing on the Tokyo Sento Association site (typical hours not stated officially as of 11 October 2026).
Museums, most temple halls and department stores usually open around 09:00–10:00, which is why day 2 mornings are best spent outdoors.
Your next step
Convert your landing time to Japanese time, then fill in a day-1 plan with only three items: hotel (or luggage drop), one meal, one daylight walk. Move any timed booking to day 3 or later.
Key facts, checked 11 October 2026
Japan's time zone: UTC+9 all year, no daylight saving time.
UK clocks go back: 25 October 2026 (Japan then 9 hours ahead).
EU clocks go back: 25 October 2026 (last Sunday of October).
US clocks go back: 1 November 2026.
Body clock adjustment: About 1 hour a day eastward, 1.5 hours a day westward.
Naps and caffeine: Naps of 20–30 minutes; stop caffeine 6 hours before bed.
Standard hotel check-in: Usually 15:00 (Toyoko Inn's standard check-in is 15:00).
Sunrise in Tokyo, 12 October 2026: 05:44.
Early openings: Meiji Jingū 05:40 (October); Sensō-ji main hall 06:30 (October–March); Tsukiji Outer Market public hours 09:00–14:00.
Sources for this section: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, sunrise and sunset in Tokyo, October 2026 · GOV.UK, when the clocks change · European Commission, summertime · NIST, daylight saving time · US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Yellow Book, Jet Lag Disorder · Toyoko Inn, standard check-in time
Questions about this guide
Should I sleep on the plane?
If the flight lands in the morning, try to sleep in the second half of the flight, when it's night in Japan. If it lands in the evening, stay awake for the last few hours so you're tired at bedtime.
Is it better to arrive in the morning or the evening?
An afternoon or early-evening arrival is easiest: you go to bed at a normal Japanese time within a few hours. A morning arrival gives you an extra day but means a long first day with the hotel room not ready until 15:00.
Can I check in early to sleep?
Only if the hotel offers early check-in, usually for a fee, or if you book the room from the night before. Ask before you travel; see leaving luggage before check-in.
How long until I feel normal?
The CDC estimates the body clock adapts by about one hour a day after eastward travel and 1.5 hours a day after westward travel. From the UK (8–9 hours), that's roughly 8–9 days to adapt fully, which is why this guide keeps the first two days light.
What about jet lag on the way home?
Flying west back to Europe is usually easier. The CDC's advice after westward travel is to avoid bright light in the early morning and to stay up until your destination bedtime. Keep the first day back light and keep naps to 20–30 minutes.
Official pages for this guide
The rules in this guide come from the official pages below. Japan, Booked. does not book or submit requests on your behalf.
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Yellow Book, Jet Lag Disorder
- GOV.UK, when the clocks change
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, sunrise and sunset in Tokyo, October 2026
- Meiji Jingū, opening times (top page, monthly gate times)
- Sensō-ji, main hall opening times (site footer)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, buying or bringing medicines from abroad
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "health foods" found to contain the medicine ingredient melatonin
- Tsukiji Outer Market, calendar and business hours
- JR East, Tokyo Station Yamanote Line timetable (weekdays)
- Matsuya, breakfast menu
- European Commission, summertime
- NIST, daylight saving time
- Tokyo Sento Association
- Toyoko Inn, standard check-in time
Read next
- Eating well and cheaply from Japanese convenience storesWhat to buy at 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson for each meal, how heating and eat-in tax work, allergen labels, and a real-price daily budget.
- Getting to your hotel after a late airport arrivalPlan evening connections, hotel arrival times, and a reliable backup plan in case your flight is delayed.
- Is your Japan itinerary realistic? A pacing check for travel days, hotel changes and day tripsScore your plan: each hotel move costs about half a day and arrival day is rarely full. Door-to-door times, day trip vs overnight, and Monday closures.
- How to store luggage at hotels in JapanMake more of your arrival and departure days. Learn about bag drop-off, collection times and sending luggage ahead.
- Bringing medication into Japan: which route your medicine needsUp to a 1-month supply of ordinary, non-controlled prescription medicine needs no paperwork; more needs a Yunyu Kakunin-sho. Codeine and Elvanse need permission; Adderall is banned. CBD and posting rules.
Sources and how this guide was checked
Published · Based on official sources · no affiliate links
Official sources
These official sources explain the rules and conditions used in this guide. Live availability and your own booking, admission or service outcome still need to be confirmed for your trip.
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Yellow Book, Jet Lag Disorder
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Body clock adjustment; Naps and caffeine.
Last checked - GOV.UK, when the clocks change
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: UK clocks go back.
Last checked - National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, sunrise and sunset in Tokyo, October 2026
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Japan's time zone.
Last checked - Meiji Jingū, opening times (top page, monthly gate times)
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Sensō-ji, main hall opening times (site footer)
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, buying or bringing medicines from abroad
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "health foods" found to contain the medicine ingredient melatonin
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Tsukiji Outer Market, calendar and business hours
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - JR East, Tokyo Station Yamanote Line timetable (weekdays)
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Matsuya, breakfast menu
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - European Commission, summertime
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: EU clocks go back.
Last checked - NIST, daylight saving time
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: US clocks go back.
Last checked - Tokyo Sento Association
What this confirms: Background source checked for this guide.
Last checked - Toyoko Inn, standard check-in time
What this confirms: Supports the key facts on: Standard hotel check-in; Sunrise in Tokyo, 12 October 2026.
Last checked
About this guide
Time differences, an hour-by-hour arrival day, when to nap, light and caffeine, and what's open at 5am in Tokyo and Kyoto when jet lag wakes you early.
Checked against official sources on 11 October 2026. Time differences and opening times checked on 11 October 2026; health guidance from the US CDC Yellow Book. Japan, Booked. is independent and this page has no affiliate links.
How we checked this
Sources and limits of this guide
These dated notes show what each source supports, and what you still need to check yourself.
If columns are cut off, scroll sideways. Keyboard: focus the table, then use Left/Right Arrow keys.
| Question | What we found | Where it comes from | What this means for your trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan's time zone | UTC+9 all year, no daylight saving time | National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, sunrise and sunset in Tokyo, October 2026 | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| UK clocks go back | 25 October 2026 (Japan then 9 hours ahead) | GOV.UK, when the clocks change | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| EU clocks go back | 25 October 2026 (last Sunday of October) | European Commission, summertime | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| US clocks go back | 1 November 2026 | NIST, daylight saving time | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Body clock adjustment | About 1 hour a day eastward, 1.5 hours a day westward | US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Yellow Book, Jet Lag Disorder | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
| Naps and caffeine | Naps of 20–30 minutes; stop caffeine 6 hours before bed | US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Yellow Book, Jet Lag Disorder | Checked 11 October 2026. Recheck before you rely on it. |
Based on official sources, linked below.
Guide updates Reviewed
When this guide was checked and what changed
- First published
- Last checked
- Check again by
- What we checked
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, GOV.UK, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Meiji Jingū, Sensō-ji, Ministry of Health, Tsukiji Outer Market, JR East, Matsuya, European Commission, NIST, Tokyo Sento Association and Toyoko Inn, checked 11 October 2026.
- Latest update
- : First published: the time difference from home, a plan for the first 48 hours, light, naps, food and caffeine, and what's open early and late, checked against official pages on 11 October 2026.
The date above reflects when these checks were last run. If an individual source was rechecked later, you’ll see that date next to it below. Other copy edits are listed in the update history.
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Update history
- First published
First published: the time difference from home, a plan for the first 48 hours, light, naps, food and caffeine, and what's open early and late, checked against official pages on 11 October 2026.
If an operator, organiser or product changes in a way that affects the guide, we check it again sooner. Reader reports help us spot what to investigate, and we verify them against current official information before publishing. Read our update and corrections policy. See every guide's review schedule. Suggest an improvement to this guide.