Live · calculated from the IANA time-zone database
Time difference between Tokyo and Shanghai
Short answer
Shanghai is 1 hour behind Tokyo. Right now it is 21:33 in Tokyo (GMT+9, UTC+9) and 20:33 in Shanghai (GMT+8, UTC+8).
Right now
Tokyo · Japan
21:33
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Japan Standard Time · GMT+9 · UTC+9
Shanghai · China
20:33
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
China Standard Time · GMT+8 · UTC+8
Times at the moment this page was generated. Reload for a fresh reading.
Does the difference between Tokyo and Shanghai change during the year?
No. The difference is 1 hour for the whole of 2026: neither city observes daylight saving time.
Best time to call Shanghai from Tokyo (and vice versa)
The window in which both cities are inside their 9:00–17:00 working day runs from 10:00 to 17:00 in Tokyo, which is 09:00 to 16:00 in Shanghai: 7 hours of overlap per day. For a call that disturbs nobody, aim for the middle of that window.
Outside that window, the practical rule: mornings in Tokyo are afternoons in Shanghai. Avoid any hour that falls before 8:00 or after 21:00 in either city.
Tokyo to Shanghai conversion table
Each Tokyo hour and its equivalent in Shanghai today. Rows shaded green are working hours (9:00–17:00) in both cities at once.
| Tokyo time · Tue, Sep 15 | Shanghai time |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | 23:00previous day |
| 01:00 | 00:00 |
| 02:00 | 01:00 |
| 03:00 | 02:00 |
| 04:00 | 03:00 |
| 05:00 | 04:00 |
| 06:00 | 05:00 |
| 07:00 | 06:00 |
| 08:00 | 07:00 |
| 09:00 | 08:00 |
| 10:00 | 09:00 |
| 11:00 | 10:00 |
| 12:00 | 11:00 |
| 13:00 | 12:00 |
| 14:00 | 13:00 |
| 15:00 | 14:00 |
| 16:00 | 15:00 |
| 17:00 | 16:00 |
| 18:00 | 17:00 |
| 19:00 | 18:00 |
| 20:00 | 19:00 |
| 21:00 | 20:00 |
| 22:00 | 21:00 |
| 23:00 | 22:00 |
Looking for it the other way round? This page covers both directions: Shanghai to Tokyo is the same difference with the sign flipped.
The two time zones
Tokyo — Asia/Tokyo
Tokyo keeps Japan Standard Time (JST), a fixed UTC+9 with no daylight saving. Japan and South Korea share the offset, so Tokyo and Seoul are always on the same clock.
Shanghai — Asia/Shanghai
Shanghai — and all of China, from Beijing to Kashgar — uses a single zone, China Standard Time (UTC+8), with no daylight saving.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours difference between Tokyo and Shanghai?
Shanghai is 1 hour behind Tokyo. The difference is the same all year: neither city changes its clocks.
When it is 12:00 noon in Tokyo, what time is it in Shanghai?
11:00 in Shanghai (at today's difference of 1 hour).
What is the best time for a meeting between Tokyo and Shanghai?
Between 10:00 and 17:00 in Tokyo, which is 09:00–16:00 in Shanghai: 7 hours of overlap inside both cities' 9:00–17:00 working day.
Do Tokyo and Shanghai observe daylight saving time?
Tokyo: no. Shanghai: no. Neither changes, so the difference is fixed.
What time zone is Tokyo in? And Shanghai?
Tokyo: Japan Standard Time (Asia/Tokyo, UTC+9). Shanghai: China Standard Time (Asia/Shanghai, UTC+8).
Tools
Meeting grid — add both cities and click a slot
Time zone converter — any city, any time
Working hours overlap calculator
Daylight saving time 2027 — all dates
More time differences from Tokyo
More time differences from Shanghai
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