Tracking Typhoon Shanshan

As of August 28th, Typhoon Shanshan has arrived in Japan, beginning its disruptive journey from the country’s southern reaches towards the northeast. With the news reporting the risk of an “unprecedented weather event,” many travelers in Japan (or planning to visit in the next few days) are understandably worried about how it might affect their trip, while locals are voicing concerns about everyday disruptions and more major damage.

Official reports from the Japan Meteorological Agency tell us that now that Typhoon Shanshan has made landfall far southwest in Kyushu, it will expand as it moves towards the island of Shikoku and Japan’s main island of Honshu. As the typhoon approaches, these areas are expected to experience strong winds and heavy rain, potentially leading to flight delays, train service suspensions, and road closures. While we would recommend avoiding travel during this period, if you can’t avoid it, we recommend you closely monitor weather forecasts and take precautions when possible.

Typhoon Shanshan’s Impact on Flights

Japanese weather media outlet Weather News reports that as Typhoon Shanshan nears throughout the day on Wednesday, August 28th, airports on the Japanese islands located between Okinawa and the rest of Japan (including Amami and Tokunoshima) will likely experience inclement weather disruptive enough to result in flight cancellations or delayed departures. Some flights in or out of this area have already been confirmed as canceled, as a precaution, and airports just north of the area in Kyushu may face similar situations.

By Thursday, August 29th, the typhoon’s impact will extend to the Chugoku and Shikoku regions northwest of Kyushu. Around Saturday, August 31st, airports in the Kansai, Tokai, and Hokuriku regions (all across western Japan) may see significant delays or cancellations. Even as Typhoon Shanshan is expected to lose steam as it reaches eastern Japan, airports in the Kanto region surrounding Tokyo might also experience delays or restrictions due to strong winds.

If you have plane tickets for any part of Japan during the span of Typhoon Shanshan, we strongly recommend keeping yourself up to date on your flight status by checking official airline websites, and other frequently updated sources of information.

Typhoon Shanshan’s Impact on Rail Service & Shinkansens

For Japan’s many railways, Weather News reports that rail service in Kyushu is likely to be suspended in advance on August 28th as a safety precaution, and some train routes north of Kyushu and in the Tokai region (along the southern coast of central Japan) may experience rainfall heavy enough to cause service suspensions or speed restrictions. NHK tells us that shinkansen (bullet train) routes in Kyushu are also likely to see significant delays or suspensions.

By Thursday, August 29, the typhoon is expected to impact rail lines in western Japan, expanding to more widespread rail service disruptions by the next day. The entire southwest section of Japan is looking at a forecast of heavy rainfall and strong winds, which may lead to preemptive suspensions announced ahead of the typhoon’s arrival, and is also likely to affect the Tokaido and Sanyo shinkansen lines that are heavily utilized by many international travelers in Japan. The eastern Kanto region is expecting less severe weather, but travelers should still be wary of delays or partial suspensions on coastal lines and shinkansen routes due to worsening weather conditions. Travelers heading north on Saturday, August 31st and Sunday, September 1st, will want to watch out for potential issues on the train and shinkansen routes leading between the Tokyo area and farther north in Japan.

Since the path and speed of the typhoon is prone to change at any time, the information above is only based on meteorologists’ best guess, and the actual routes affected by Typhoon Shanshan may change at any time. Railways and shinkansen lines may also choose to suspend service out of an abundance of caution. Keep yourself updated by checking the official websites and social media accounts of the railway companies you plan to use, or if possible, try not to travel long distances during the typhoon!

▶︎ Major stations are likely to have information available in English, but sometimes you do see temporary signs in Japanese, and it’s helpful to understand a little of what might be spoken over the loudspeakers. Here are a few useful Japanese words you might see or hear at stations when trains are suspended or delayed:

遅れ (okure): train delay
運転見合わせ (untenmiawase): temporary suspension of train service, pending resumption based on conditions
運休 (unkyu): full-day suspension, no resumption of service

Staying Safe During a Japanese Typhoon

To keep yourself safe during the oncoming typhoon, we recommend utilizing local Japanese resources. The first is the official Japan Meteorological Agency website, which has slightly iffy English at times, but reliably accurate information that’s generally as up-to-date as it gets. For a more appealing interface and a slightly different variety of information, check out the Safety tips app, available on both iOS and Android. The app not only has disaster updates, but also useful Japanese phrases for emergency situations, and information on nearby evacuation shelters when necessary, making it extremely practical for foreign travelers in Japan to have on their phones in case of emergency.

More than anything else, for those in Japan over the next few days, please stay put and stay inside whenever possible, especially if Typhoon Shanshan is coming right at you. Avoid the coast, keep an eye on the latest weather forecasts, and stay safe during this “unprecedented” weather event!

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