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Time Difference: San Francisco to Tokyo

🇺🇸San FranciscoUTC-8
vs
🇯🇵TokyoUTC+9
🇺🇸
San Francisco, US
Fri, Jun 5
🇯🇵
Tokyo, Japan
Fri, Jun 5

Click a time to convert

Time Difference
16 hours
Tokyo is 16 hours ahead of San Francisco
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🇺🇸
San Francisco
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🇯🇵
Tokyo
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San Francisco vs Tokyo timezone guide

San Francisco (US) uses the America/Los_Angeles timezone at UTC-8, while Tokyo (Japan) uses Asia/Tokyo at UTC+9. This means Tokyo is 17 hours ahead of San Francisco (based on standard offsets — the live difference above accounts for daylight saving time).

Best meeting times between San Francisco and Tokyo

Standard 9-to-5 working hours in San Francisco and Tokyo do not overlap. To meet synchronously, one side will need to start early or stay late — see the hour-by-hour planner below for the least disruptive options.

Hour-by-hour planner

San FranciscoTokyoStatus
6am10pmSan Francisco early, Tokyo late evening
7am11pmSan Francisco early, Tokyo late evening
8am12amSan Francisco early, Tokyo asleep
9am1amSan Francisco working hours, Tokyo asleep
10am2amSan Francisco working hours, Tokyo asleep
11am3amSan Francisco working hours, Tokyo asleep
12pm4amSan Francisco working hours, Tokyo asleep
1pm5amSan Francisco working hours, Tokyo asleep
2pm6amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
3pm7amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
4pm8amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
5pm9amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
6pm10amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
7pm11amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
8pm12pmOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
9pm1pmOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
10pm2pmSan Francisco late evening, Tokyo working hours

Green = standard working hours (9 AM – 5 PM). Amber = early (6–9 AM). Orange = evening (5–10 PM). Grey = asleep or late.

Daylight saving time between San Francisco and Tokyo

San Francisco observes daylight saving time, but Tokyo does not. That means the difference between the two cities changes seasonally — by one hour, around San Francisco's transition dates.

  • Dec 31 → Mar 8San Francisco is 17 hours behind Tokyo
  • Mar 8 → Nov 1San Francisco is 16 hours behind Tokyo
  • Nov 1 → Dec 31San Francisco is 17 hours behind Tokyo

Distance between San Francisco and Tokyo

Great-circle distance
8,275 km
Direct flight time
~10h 44m

San Francisco and Tokyo are 8,275 km apart along the great-circle route. A direct flight takes roughly ~10h 44m, depending on aircraft type, winds, and routing.

More comparisons

San Francisco to New YorkSan Francisco to LondonSan Francisco to SydneyTokyo to New YorkTokyo to LondonTokyo to SydneyTokyo to Dubai

Frequently asked questions

What is the time difference between San Francisco and Tokyo?
The current time difference is 16 hours. San Francisco is currently 16 hours behind Tokyo.
Is San Francisco ahead of Tokyo?
No. San Francisco is currently 16 hours behind Tokyo.
What time is it in Tokyo when it's 9 AM in San Francisco?
When it's 9 AM in San Francisco, it's 1am in Tokyo.
When is the best time to schedule a meeting between San Francisco and Tokyo?
Standard 9-to-5 working hours in San Francisco and Tokyo do not overlap. To meet synchronously, one side will need to start before 9 AM or work past 5 PM — see the planner above for the least disruptive options.
Do San Francisco and Tokyo observe daylight saving time?
San Francisco observes daylight saving time, but Tokyo does not — the difference between the two cities changes by one hour around the DST transition dates.
How far apart are San Francisco and Tokyo?
San Francisco and Tokyo are 8,275 km apart along the great-circle route. A direct flight takes roughly 10 hours 44 minutes.