The temperature reached 41.1 C in Naka Ward, Hamamatsu, at 12:10 p.m. Monday, tying the national record, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The agency urged people to be on alert for heatstroke as a high-pressure system over the Japanese archipelago pushed temperatures to 35 C and higher in various parts of the country.
A temperature of 41.1 C was last recorded in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, on July 23, 2018.
The agency said such extreme heat is likely to continue through around Thursday. It called on people to refrain from going out and to use air conditioning among other measures to prevent heatstroke.
-- Heatstroke cases surge
Reports of hospitalizations and fatalities caused by heatstroke surged on Sunday, the last day of the Bon Festival holiday.
In Nishio, Aichi Prefecture, a man in his 90s was found unconscious in bed at about 8 a.m. Sunday. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Deaths in Hamamatsu and Fujimi, Saitama Prefecture, were also thought to have been caused by heatstroke.
According to the Tokyo Fire Department, 252 people aged 6-99 were taken to hospitals in Tokyo for heatstroke. Of them, seven people in their 70-90s were in critical condition. About 60% of those taken to the hospitals were aged 70 or over.
The agency said extreme heat -- temperatures of 35 C or higher -- is expected to continue in many parts of Japan throughout the week.
"There is a risk of heatstroke even indoors or at night," an agency official said. "We want everyone to take sufficient measures."
-- Beach, river deaths
Water-related accidents were reported in various parts of the country over the holiday period, with two deaths reported in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Sentaro Kimura, 81, a painter from Kawasaki, was found floating in waters off a beach in Shimoda in the prefecture. He was taken to a hospital but subsequently died. Authorities also confirmed the death of Takeshi Ito, 58, who had been swimming at a beach in Atami.
A 33-year-old from Brazil is believed to have drowned in the Arakawa river in Yorii, Saitama Prefecture. According to the Yorii police, about 10 people, including the victim, his family members and friends, were having a barbeque by the river.
Two people in their 20s drowned in Ota River in Asakita Ward, Hiroshima, and 44-year-old sailor Masato Ogasawara drowned in the sea off Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture. According to the Uwajima Coast Guard Office, Ogasawara was diving in waters off an uninhabited island with his friend. He drowned while swimming to their boat, which had been swept away.
Five other people also reportedly died in river accidents in Okayama, Fukui and Tokushima prefectures.
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