Tokyo Records Longest Rainy Streak at 34 Straight Days
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Central Tokyo has logged its longest continuous rainy spell on record, with precipitation falling for 34 consecutive days as of Tuesday, September 29, 2026. The prolonged wet weather has shattered the city's previous record while raising concerns over potential landslides, crop damage, and regional flooding across eastern Japan.
According to data from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) cited by Kyodo News, the record-breaking streak began on August 27, 2026. A combination of approaching typhoons, a stationary autumn rain front, and a low-pressure trough triggered persistent downpours across the capital region.
This 34-day run surpasses the previous mark of 33 straight days set between June 27 and July 29, 2019.
The wet weather has delivered extraordinary rainfall to the capital. The Straits Times reported that central Tokyo received a total of 629 millimeters of precipitation through September 28, roughly three times the monthly average for September. The single heaviest downpour occurred on September 21, when 156 millimeters fell as Typhoon Dujuan battered the Kanto region. That storm triggered severe flooding and landslides, leaving 14 people dead in areas surrounding Tokyo, according to Xinhua.
Beyond the capital, rain drenched broad stretches of the country on Tuesday, from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the west. In central Japan's Fukui Prefecture, the city of Echizen recorded over 30 millimeters of rainfall in a single hour early Tuesday morning, The Straits Times reported.
Public broadcaster NHK noted that parts of southern Kanto have received three times their normal monthly rainfall over the past 30 days, alongside significantly reduced hours of sunlight, prompting weather officials to advise farmers to safeguard vulnerable crops.
Meteorologists warn that the hazardous weather is far from over. NHK reported that Severe Tropical Storm Surigae was moving northeast off southern Japan on Tuesday morning with central atmospheric pressure of 990 hectopascals, sustained winds of 108 kilometers per hour, and gusts reaching 144 kilometers per hour. Although the storm is slowly weakening, it could approach the Izu Islands by Thursday, bringing high waves, swells, and strong winds.
Authorities are urging residents in eastern Japan, particularly in Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures, to remain on high alert. The two prefectures previously suffered severe damage from record downpours, leaving hillside slopes unstable and river levees compromised. Weather agencies warned that even minimal additional rainfall could trigger landslides or secondary flooding.
According to a report from Xinhua, rainfall is expected to persist across eastern Japan through at least Thursday, October 1, driven by the lingering autumn rain front. Officials continue to urge the public to monitor updated weather advisories and avoid high-risk areas.
