Looking for a better weather app for Japan, preferably for iOS or a website.

Conclusion

If you're traveling in Japan — especially in summer — sudden rain showers (like mini downpours) can happen even on a sunny day.
To stay prepared, Yahoo! Japan’s Rain Cloud Radar (雨雲レーダー) is one of the most reliable tools for real-time weather updates. 🌦️📱

General Information

Japanese summers are hot, humid, and often unpredictable.
It’s common for the weather to suddenly change — clear skies can quickly turn into a short, heavy shower and go back to sunny in 10 minutes.

While the default weather app on your phone might be fine in your home country, in Japan, it often misses short-term changes.
That’s why local Japanese apps and services are better for reliable, detailed forecasts.

🧭 Best Weather Apps and Sites for Japan

1. Yahoo! Japan Weather App / Website (Yahoo!天気)

• Best for: Real-time rain tracking
• Language: Japanese only, but very visual and easy to understand
• Features:
  • Detailed rain cloud radar by the minute
  • Push notifications for approaching rain
  • Hour-by-hour and weekly forecasts
• App (iOS/Android): Search for “Yahoo!天気” in the App Store
• Website: weather.yahoo.co.jp

💡 Even if you don’t read Japanese, the radar map is intuitive and very accurate.

2. Tenki.jp

• Japan’s official weather forecast service (run by the Japan Weather Association)
• More detailed than global apps
• Hourly, daily, and weekly forecasts
• Website: tenki.jp
• App: Available in Japanese only

💡 Great for planning multi-day trips or checking pollen, UV, or typhoon info.

3. Windy

• Language: English-friendly
• Excellent for visualizing wind, rain, cloud movements
• Popular among hikers, pilots, and travelers
• Website: windy.com
• App: iOS/Android

💡 Beautiful map interface and global coverage. Not Japan-specific, but very useful.

4. Google Weather (via Google Search)

• Not as accurate for sudden showers, but simple for daily weather
• Just search “Tokyo weather” or “Kyoto weather” in Google
• Reliable for basic planning

💡 Good backup for general info, but not great for surprise summer rain.

My Personal Tip

I often travel around Japan in the summer, and I’ve learned that even on sunny days, a 10-minute downpour can come out of nowhere.
To avoid getting soaked, I check Yahoo!天気’s rain cloud radar whenever I go out.
It’s especially helpful for:

• Deciding if you need an umbrella ☔
• Avoiding getting caught between train stations
• Planning short walks or photo shoots

Even if the app is in Japanese, you can still understand the map and rain cloud animation — it’s super visual.

Travel Tips

• Carry a small foldable umbrella in summer, even if the forecast says sunny
• Check the rain radar before heading out — many sudden rains last only 10–15 minutes
• Use hotel Wi-Fi to download the app if you have limited mobile data
• Many stations have free umbrellas you can borrow or buy for cheap at convenience stores
• Don’t trust only Apple/Google default apps — they often miss short, local rain