Moon · Tokyo
Moon in Tokyo
A bright, fully-lit disc that works well for landscapes and moonrise shots.
Darkest skies, best for the Milky Way and astrophotography.
Moonrise & moonset in Tokyo - next 14 days
| Date | Phase | Illum. | Moonrise | Moonset | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Sep 24Today | Waxing Gibbous | 93% | 4:15 PM | 2:39 AM | 9:54 PM · 45° |
| Fri, Sep 25 | Full | 97% | 4:41 PM | 3:41 AM | 10:38 PM · 51° |
| Sat, Sep 26 | Full | 100% | 5:07 PM | 4:45 AM | 11:23 PM · 58° |
| Sun, Sep 27 | Full | 100% | 5:34 PM | 5:49 AM | - |
| Mon, Sep 28 | Full | 97% | 6:03 PM | 6:56 AM | 12:10 AM · 64° |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Waning Gibbous | 93% | 6:37 PM | 8:06 AM | 12:59 AM · 70° |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Waning Gibbous | 86% | 7:18 PM | 9:18 AM | 1:53 AM · 76° |
| Thu, Oct 1 | Waning Gibbous | 77% | 8:08 PM | 10:31 AM | 2:50 AM · 80° |
| Fri, Oct 2 | Last Quarter | 66% | 9:06 PM | 11:40 AM | 3:52 AM · 82° |
| Sat, Oct 3 | Last Quarter | 55% | 10:13 PM | 12:41 PM | 4:55 AM · 82° |
| Sun, Oct 4 | Last Quarter | 44% | 11:24 PM | 1:33 PM | 5:57 AM · 81° |
| Mon, Oct 5 | Last Quarter | 33% | - | 2:16 PM | 6:55 AM · 77° |
| Tue, Oct 6 | Waning Crescent | 23% | 12:36 AM | 2:52 PM | 7:49 AM · 72° |
| Wed, Oct 7 | Waning Crescent | 14% | 1:46 AM | 3:23 PM | 8:40 AM · 67° |
Times are local to Tokyo. A dash means the event falls on a neighboring calendar day. “Highest” is the moon’s transit - its best viewing moment - with peak altitude above the horizon.
The moon over Tokyo on Thu, Sep 24
Tonight the moon over Tokyo is a Waxing Gibbous, 93% illuminated. It rises at 4:15 PM, is highest at 9:54 PM, sets at 2:39 AM, all in local time.
The moon is bright for most of the evening, washing out faint stars but lighting up foregrounds. Good for moonlit landscapes; less good for astrophotography.
For direction, the moon climbs highest toward the south at 9:54 PM, peaking 45° above the horizon. Like the sun, it rises on the eastern side of the sky and sets on the western side, with the exact bearing drifting through the month - the table above gives each day’s times so you can plan a specific alignment.
Frequently asked
- What time does the moon rise in Tokyo today?
- In Tokyo on Thu, Sep 24, moonrise is at 4:15 PM and moonset is at 2:39 AM, local time. Because the moon moves along its orbit each day, both shift roughly 30 to 70 minutes later from one day to the next.
- What phase is the moon tonight in Tokyo?
- On Thu, Sep 24 the moon is a Waxing Gibbous, 93% illuminated. The next full moon is Sun, Sep 27 and the next new moon is Sun, Oct 11.
- Is tonight a full moon in Tokyo?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waxing Gibbous at 93% illumination. The next full moon in Tokyo is Sun, Sep 27.
- When is the best time to see the moon in Tokyo tonight?
- The moon is highest at 9:54 PM, reaching 45° above the horizon toward the south. Around that time it clears buildings and haze best.
- Why does the moon rise later each night?
- The moon orbits Earth in about 29.5 days, moving roughly 12° eastward against the sky each day. Earth has to rotate that extra bit before the moon clears the horizon again, which delays moonrise by about 50 minutes on average - less near the equator, more at high latitudes. In Tokyo right now the shift is about 26 minutes: 4:15 PM today versus 4:41 PM tomorrow.
