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Time difference between San Francisco and Tokyo
San Francisco
—
Tokyo
—
Tokyo is 16 hours ahead of San Francisco right now.
Does the gap change?
The gap isn't fixed. San Francisco changes its clocks for daylight saving time and Tokyo doesn't, so the difference moves during the year:
- From around November 2, 2026: Tokyo ahead by 17 hours
- From around March 15, 2027: Tokyo ahead by 16 hours
Best time to meet
Normal office hours in Tokyo and San Francisco don't overlap. The most workable window is 3 PM to 10 PM in San Francisco, which is 7 AM to 2 PM in Tokyo, with one side starting early or finishing late.
For a recurring meeting, it's fairest to rotate which city takes the inconvenient slot.
City details
San Francisco to Tokyo, hour by hour
| San Francisco | Tokyo | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 AM | Night | 4 PM | Work hours |
| 1 AM | Night | 5 PM | Early or late |
| 2 AM | Night | 6 PM | Early or late |
| 3 AM | Night | 7 PM | Early or late |
| 4 AM | Night | 8 PM | Early or late |
| 5 AM | Night | 9 PM | Early or late |
| 6 AM | Night | 10 PM | Night |
| 7 AM | Early or late | 11 PM | Night |
| 8 AM | Early or late | 12 AM (Thu) | Night |
| 9 AM | Work hours | 1 AM (Thu) | Night |
| 10 AM | Work hours | 2 AM (Thu) | Night |
| 11 AM | Work hours | 3 AM (Thu) | Night |
| 12 PM | Work hours | 4 AM (Thu) | Night |
| 1 PM | Work hours | 5 AM (Thu) | Night |
| 2 PM | Work hours | 6 AM (Thu) | Night |
| 3 PM | Work hours | 7 AM (Thu) | Early or late |
| 4 PM | Work hours | 8 AM (Thu) | Early or late |
| 5 PM | Early or late | 9 AM (Thu) | Work hours |
| 6 PM | Early or late | 10 AM (Thu) | Work hours |
| 7 PM | Early or late | 11 AM (Thu) | Work hours |
| 8 PM | Early or late | 12 PM (Thu) | Work hours |
| 9 PM | Early or late | 1 PM (Thu) | Work hours |
| 10 PM | Night | 2 PM (Thu) | Work hours |
| 11 PM | Night | 3 PM (Thu) | Work hours |
Based on today's clocks. Work hours are 9 AM to 5 PM.