The short answer
Late March to early April for cherry blossom and November for autumn colour are the most beautiful, and the busiest and most expensive. May and October are the best balance of good weather, fewer crowds and better prices. December to February is ideal for snow in Hokkaido and the Japan Alps.
Month by month
January: Snow country
Cold and clear. Hokkaido powder snow, snow-covered Shirakawa-go and quieter Kyoto temples.
Plan a trip for JanuaryFebruary: Winter festivals
Sapporo Snow Festival in early February. Good hotel availability outside Hokkaido.
Plan a trip for FebruaryMarch: Blossom begins
Cherry blossom usually opens in late March in Tokyo and Kyoto. Book four to six months ahead.
Peak season. Hotels fill early.
Plan a trip for MarchApril: Peak cherry blossom
Early April is peak bloom on the main route. The busiest and most expensive weeks of spring.
Peak season. Hotels fill early.
Plan a trip for AprilMay: Fresh green
Pleasant and green. Avoid Golden Week (late April to early May), when Japan travels domestically.
Plan a trip for MayJune: Rainy season
Tsuyu brings frequent rain to most of Japan except Hokkaido, which is at its best.
Plan a trip for JuneJuly: Summer festivals
Hot and humid on the main route. Gion Matsuri in Kyoto, lavender in Hokkaido.
Plan a trip for JulyAugust: Fireworks and islands
Hot, with fireworks festivals and Obon holidays. Okinawa and Hokkaido work well.
Plan a trip for AugustSeptember: Late summer
Still warm, with a chance of typhoons. Fewer crowds and good value.
Plan a trip for SeptemberOctober: Clear autumn days
Comfortable weather everywhere. Foliage starts in Hokkaido and the mountains.
Plan a trip for OctoberNovember: Autumn foliage
Peak koyo in Kyoto and Tokyo, usually mid to late November. Book four to six months ahead.
Peak season. Hotels fill early.
Plan a trip for NovemberDecember: Lights and early snow
Winter illuminations in the cities, ski season begins. Busy around New Year.
Plan a trip for DecemberBloom and foliage dates shift each year and differ by region. We confirm timing for your dates when we plan.
| Month | What it’s like |
|---|---|
| January | Snow country. Cold and clear. Hokkaido powder snow, snow-covered Shirakawa-go and quieter Kyoto temples. |
| February | Winter festivals. Sapporo Snow Festival in early February. Good hotel availability outside Hokkaido. |
| March Peak season | Blossom begins. Cherry blossom usually opens in late March in Tokyo and Kyoto. Book four to six months ahead. |
| April Peak season | Peak cherry blossom. Early April is peak bloom on the main route. The busiest and most expensive weeks of spring. |
| May | Fresh green. Pleasant and green. Avoid Golden Week (late April to early May), when Japan travels domestically. |
| June | Rainy season. Tsuyu brings frequent rain to most of Japan except Hokkaido, which is at its best. |
| July | Summer festivals. Hot and humid on the main route. Gion Matsuri in Kyoto, lavender in Hokkaido. |
| August | Fireworks and islands. Hot, with fireworks festivals and Obon holidays. Okinawa and Hokkaido work well. |
| September | Late summer. Still warm, with a chance of typhoons. Fewer crowds and good value. |
| October | Clear autumn days. Comfortable weather everywhere. Foliage starts in Hokkaido and the mountains. |
| November Peak season | Autumn foliage. Peak koyo in Kyoto and Tokyo, usually mid to late November. Book four to six months ahead. |
| December | Lights and early snow. Winter illuminations in the cities, ski season begins. Busy around New Year. |
Best time for your family
- First-time visitors: late March to early April, or November, if you can book early. Otherwise May or October.
- Families with grandparents: April–May and October–November, when walking around is comfortable and it is neither hot nor icy.
- Families with young children: May, October, or the Indian summer holidays if you head north to Hokkaido.
- Honeymooners: autumn in Kyoto and Hakone for ryokan stays, or winter for onsen and snow.
- Snow lovers: January and February in Hokkaido, Shirakawa-go and the Japan Alps.
Indian holidays and Japan
- Summer vacation (May–June): May is excellent. June is the rainy season across most of Japan, except Hokkaido, which is at its best.
- Diwali (October or November): one of the best times to go, with comfortable weather and autumn colour beginning. Book early, as it overlaps with Japan’s own autumn peak.
- Christmas and New Year: winter illuminations in the cities and ski season in the north. Japan is busy over New Year, and some businesses close for a few days.
Weeks to plan around
- Golden Week (late April to early May): Japan’s biggest domestic holiday. Trains and hotels are full and prices rise.
- Obon (mid August): another busy domestic travel week.
- New Year (around 29 December to 3 January): very busy travel, and some sights and restaurants close.
Bloom and foliage dates shift each year and differ by region. We check the current forecasts when we plan your dates.
Questions people ask
When do cherry blossoms bloom in Japan?
In Tokyo and Kyoto, usually from late March to early April. Further north, such as Hokkaido, it is late April to May. Exact dates shift every year, so we confirm the forecast for your dates.
When is the autumn colour at its best?
In Kyoto and Tokyo, usually mid to late November. It starts earlier, in October, in Hokkaido and the mountains.
Is Japan too hot in summer?
July and August are hot and humid on the main Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka route. Hokkaido is cooler and pleasant then, and Okinawa suits beach holidays.
How far ahead should we book?
Four to six months for cherry blossom and autumn colour. Two to three months is usually enough for other seasons.