How bad is jet lag flying to Tokyo?

It depends where you start. From Los Angeles you cross 16 time zones travelling east, which typically takes about 16 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Tokyo there is little or no jet lag at all.

Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Tokyo?

Flying east — where you lose hours and have to fall asleep earlier — is generally harder than flying west, for the same number of time zones. The table above marks the direction of each route so you know which kind of adjustment to expect.

How long does it take to get over jet lag in Tokyo?

A common rule of thumb is one day of recovery per time zone crossed when heading east, and a little faster heading west. Bright light at the right time of day and adjusting your sleep before you fly both speed it up.

Jet lag when you fly to Tokyo

Tokyo is on Asia/Tokyo. How much jet lag you get depends entirely on where you start — how many time zones you cross, and in which direction. Travelling east is the harder direction. Shift your bedtime earlier for several days beforehand and seek bright morning light on arrival.

Jet lag to Tokyo by departure city

From	Time zones	Direction	Distance	Flight (approx.)	Recovery
Los Angeles	16	→ east	8,815 km	11 hours	~16 days
New York City	13	→ east	10,849 km	13½ hours	~13 days
São Paulo	12	→ east	18,534 km	22½ hours	~12 days
London	8	→ east	9,559 km	12 hours	~8 days
Paris	7	→ east	9,713 km	12 hours	~7 days
Johannesburg	7	→ east	13,540 km	16½ hours	~7 days
Dubai	5	→ east	7,937 km	10 hours	~5 days
Mumbai	4	→ east	6,724 km	8½ hours	~4 days
Singapore	1	→ east	5,318 km	7 hours	~1 day
Sydney	1	← west	7,826 km	10 hours	~1 day

Distances are great-circle; flight times are rough nonstop estimates. Recovery uses ~1 day per zone east, faster west.

Beating jet lag in Tokyo

Jet lag happens because your body clock stays on home time for a while after you land. The bigger the offset between Tokyo and where you flew from, the longer it takes to catch up — roughly a day for each time zone when you travel east, and somewhat faster when you travel west, because it is easier to stay up late than to force yourself to sleep early.

A few days before you fly, nudge your sleep schedule toward Tokyo time — earlier if you are heading east, later if west. On arrival, get outside: daylight is the strongest signal for resetting your clock. Morning light helps after an eastward trip; evening light helps after a westward one. To see the exact current offset, check the current time in Tokyo.

Frequently asked questions

How bad is jet lag flying to Tokyo?: It depends where you start. From Los Angeles you cross 16 time zones travelling east, which typically takes about 16 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Tokyo there is little or no jet lag at all.
Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Tokyo?: Flying east — where you lose hours and have to fall asleep earlier — is generally harder than flying west, for the same number of time zones. The table above marks the direction of each route so you know which kind of adjustment to expect.
How long does it take to get over jet lag in Tokyo?: A common rule of thumb is one day of recovery per time zone crossed when heading east, and a little faster heading west. Bright light at the right time of day and adjusting your sleep before you fly both speed it up.