Essential Guide: How to Stay Safe During a Typhoon in Japan – Travel Tips and Resources

Traveling in Japan during typhoon season can be overwhelming, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the country’s weather patterns. This guide will help you understand what a typhoon is, how to stay safe, and where to find the latest travel updates. Discover essential resources, safety tips, and what to do with your travel reservations if a typhoon disrupts your plans.

What is a Typhoon?

Typhoons are similar to hurricanes, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, and potential flooding. Typhoon season in Japan typically runs from June to October. When a typhoon approaches, transportation can be disrupted, and outdoor activities may be unsafe. Understanding what to expect will help you stay prepared.

General Travel Tips During a Typhoon

• Stay Informed: Regularly check weather updates and local advisories. If a typhoon is approaching, assess how it will affect your travel plans.
  • NHK World: for multilingual news and emergency updates in English and other languages.
• Contact Your Hotel, Airline, or Train Service: If you need to cancel or change reservations, contact your providers early. Many airlines and hotels in Japan offer flexible cancellation policies during severe weather, but it’s important to check specific terms. Be prepared for potential cancellation fees, but some providers may waive them in emergencies. Some of the examples are below.
  • Japan Airlines (JAL): Click Here for flight updates and cancellation policies.
  • All Nippon Airways (ANA): Click Here for flight updates and cancellation policies.
  • JR East Railway: Click Here for real-time train updates.

Essential Weather Resources

Once you understand the general situation, use the following resources to track the typhoon’s movement and prepare for any disruptions:

• Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA): Provides localized weather forecasts, typhoon tracking, and emergency alerts in English.
  • Also, JMA’s Typhoon Center may be helpful too.
• Meteoblue: Offers radar images and wind patterns to help plan your travel. Visit Meteoblue
• Windy: Visualize real-time wind and typhoon movements. Visit Windy

How to Prepare and Stay Safe

1. Monitor the Situation: Use JMA and Windy to track the typhoon’s path and adjust your travel plans as needed.
2. Secure some drinks and snacks just in case you have difficulties. You may be stranded in the transport or at the accommodation.
3. Check Transport and Accommodation Policies: Contact your airline, train service, or hotel directly to discuss rebooking or cancellation options. Also, check their websites for policy updates during the storm.
4. Stay Indoors: If you’re staying at a hotel, avoid windows and prepare a basic emergency kit (water, snacks, flashlight, and phone charger). Follow the hotel staff’s instructions and local advisories. Especially, do not move around when it is dark, or the weather is too severe.
   If the storm is powerful, close the curtain, stay away from the windows, and move to the core of the building. If you are near a cliff or steep hills, stay away from that side to avoid a potential landslide. If you have higher floors, move to upstairs.
5. Find Evacuation Shelters: Your hotel or the local government can guide you to the nearest shelter if needed. You can also download the Safety Tips app by the Japan Tourism Agency for emergency alerts and shelter locations.
6. Keep Emergency Contacts Ready:

• Fire/Ambulance: Dial 119
• Police: Dial 110
• JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline (for life-threatening emergencies!: +81-50-3816-2787 (24/7 multilingual support)

These steps and resources will help you stay informed and prepared during a typhoon in Japan. Keep these links handy, and make sure to stay updated with reliable information throughout your travels.

These are general safety tips, but please use advice from the nearby train, hotel, and shop staff.

I tried my best to provide the most general advice here but I will not be responsible for any damages caused by the information on this page.

About the Author: Hiroshi Iwasaki was a founding member of the Japan Forum for Disaster Mitigation by Youth. He has been actively involved in various disaster mitigation and relief efforts, ranging from local community advocacy to emergency relief during major disasters, including the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Hiroshi also has an extensive background in outdoor activities, from crossing North America by bicycle to achieving the highest ranks in the Boy Scouts. His experiences in disaster management and the outdoors bring a unique perspective to travel safety in Japan.

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