Which city sees sunrise first?

Among major cities, Auckland (New Zealand) and Tokyo are typically among the first to see sunrise due to their eastern longitudes. At high latitudes in summer, cities like Helsinki and Oslo see very early dawns around 3am to 4am.

Does longitude affect sunrise time?

Yes. Each degree of longitude east shifts sunrise approximately 4 minutes earlier. Cities at the eastern edge of their timezone see sunrise earliest, while western-edge cities see it latest.

Why does Japan have such early sunrises?

Japan is one of the world's easternmost major countries. Tokyo at 139 degrees east longitude sees sunrise very early. In summer, civil dawn begins before 4am in Tokyo.

Cities with the Earliest Sunrise

The earliest sunrise depends on both longitude (how far east a city is) and latitude (high-latitude cities in summer see early dawn). The cities below consistently show some of the earliest sunrise times among major world cities, making them ideal destinations for morning photographers.

City Comparison: Today's Times

City	Country	Sunrise	Sunset	Daylight
Suva	Fiji	05:37	18:08	12h 31m
Wellington	New Zealand	06:30	19:44	13h 13m
Auckland	New Zealand	06:36	19:39	13h 03m
Christchurch	New Zealand	06:36	19:55	13h 19m
Nouméa	New Caledonia	05:22	17:59	12h 37m
Brisbane	Australia	05:11	17:57	12h 46m
Sydney	Australia	06:13	19:10	12h 57m
Port Moresby	Papua New Guinea	05:48	18:07	12h 19m
Melbourne	Australia	06:34	19:39	13h 05m
Sapporo	Japan	05:50	16:51	11h 01m
Sendai	Japan	05:47	16:58	11h 11m
Tokyo	Japan	05:50	17:05	11h 16m

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city sees sunrise first?: Among major cities, Auckland (New Zealand) and Tokyo are typically among the first to see sunrise due to their eastern longitudes. At high latitudes in summer, cities like Helsinki and Oslo see very early dawns around 3am to 4am.
Does longitude affect sunrise time?: Yes. Each degree of longitude east shifts sunrise approximately 4 minutes earlier. Cities at the eastern edge of their timezone see sunrise earliest, while western-edge cities see it latest.
Why does Japan have such early sunrises?: Japan is one of the world's easternmost major countries. Tokyo at 139 degrees east longitude sees sunrise very early. In summer, civil dawn begins before 4am in Tokyo.

All Photography Guides Data Methodology