Yen & Zen · For travelers
Japan jet lag calculator
Flight time from your city, time difference, and a practical plan to adapt to Japan time as quickly as possible.
Check your flight ticket — use local Japan time.
Why Japan jet lag is different
The direction of travel matters. Flying eastward (like Los Angeles to Japan) is easier than flying westward (like Europe or Latin America to Japan). Your body adapts better to shortening the day than to lengthening it.
From the UK and Western Europe, Japan is +8 hours in summer and +9 in winter. From the US East Coast, the difference is +13/+14 hours. From Los Angeles, +16/+17 hours.
Basic rules to adapt quickly:
- Stay awake until 21:00–22:00 Japan time on your first day, even if you're exhausted.
- Get natural light in the morning — sunlight is the best circadian rhythm regulator.
- Avoid long naps (more than 20 minutes) in the first few days.
- Melatonin (1–3mg) taken at Japan bedtime can help for the first couple of nights. Available without prescription at pharmacies and Amazon Japan.
- Most people fully adapt within 3 to 5 days.
Return jet lag is usually harder than the outbound trip. Plan accordingly if you're going straight back to work.