Best Time To Visit Japan: When To Plan Your Trip

Whether you prefer the cherry blossoms of spring, the festivals of summer, the vibrant foliage of autumn or the snowy landscapes of winter, there’s really no wrong time to visit Japan.

However, if you want to see certain seasonal sights, eat season-specific foods or avoid the crowds that swarm around Japan’s cherry blossom and fall foliage seasons, there are some times that will be better than others for your Japan trip.

So, let’s get into it — here’s everything you need to know about when to visit Japan based on weather, what to wear, things to do and see, and of course… things to eat!

Well, we’ll be saying this a lot, but every time you visit Japan will feel like the best time. Depending on the kind of weather you like, the sights you want to see and the things you want to do, each season offers something different for every traveler.

Spring in Japan brings with it some of the most beautiful weather. Think blue skies, gentle breezes and sun-kissed days that don’t have you breaking out in a sweat the second you step outside.

Even so, the mornings and evenings can still get a little chilly — especially if you’re visiting in March — so you may want to bring another layer, like a cardigan or jacket.

Planning to fill your feed with cherry blossoms? Think ahead about the kinds of clothes and colors that might complement shades of pastel pink. You’re welcome.

Japan’s cherry blossoms are fickle creatures, heavily affected by the weather. If the weather is too cold, they may take a little longer to bloom; too hot, and they may bloom early and disappear quickly. You have to get it just right.

Although you’ll need to keep an eye on cherry blossom forecasts around the time you plan to visit, you can usually expect cherry blossoms to be in full bloom from late March to early April.

During this time, you’ll see people flock to their nearest cherry blossom viewing spots for hanami (cherry blossom viewing), enjoying picnics with friends and family under the fluttering pink petals.

Naturally, you want to do as the locals do and get up-close-and-personal with Japan’s famous cherry blossoms, but where to go? That’s where we come in, offering a selection of sakura cherry blossom tours that will show you the best cherry blossom spots and more.

Join a cherry blossom festival in Nakameguro

For a must-visit cherry blossom spot in the heart of Tokyo, join this cherry blossom evening tour of Nakameguro. Munch on local snacks, sip on refreshing drinks and end the tour at a local izakaya pub.

Walk the historic streets of Yanaka (Tokyo) with cherry blossoms

In this Tokyo cherry blossom tour, get a taste for snacks, street food and Japanese sake in the backstreets of this Tokyo district. You'll also have time to browse local shops and visit an artist gallery and studio.

Discover Osaka's best cherry blossoms

In this Osaka cherry blossom tour, you'll get to explore secret communal gardens, try a few of Osaka's tasty treats and be shown to an off-the-beaten-path hanami spot.

See the beauty of cherry blossoms in Kyoto

Strolli around the Demachiyanagi area of Kyoto and experience an authentic hanami picnic, giving you plenty of time to snap a few petal-filled photos.

You'll also sample snacks and streets from local shops as you go before stopping for dinner at a restaurant in the area — and don't forget your special hanami gift!

Find out more:

• Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo

• Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto

• Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Osaka

Explore Tokyo’s Meguro and Shinagawa by bike

In this Tokyo bike tour, you’ll stop off at a cafe for sweets and snacks, visit an unusual museum, buy something at a unique vending machine and climb a mysterious mountain. And, since you came during spring, you’ll witness the awe-inspiring beauty of the cherry blossoms along Meguro River, one of the most popular sakura spots in Tokyo.

Alternative Tokyo bike tour: Retro Shibamata streets

For a bike tour of Tokyo that’ll take you on a cycle on the more traditional side of Japan, explore Shibamata on a Brompton. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant (including gluten-free and pescatarian options!), visit Mizumoto Park and sip on coffee at a bike-friendly local cafe.

Cycle around the seaside city of Kanazawa

Join this Kanazawa bike tour and explore the scenic seaside city with an expert local guide, taking you along riversides and mountain paths to this region’s famous geisha and temple districts. You’ll also enjoy a lunch of traditional fermented foods and a katana experience with a master in Japanese martial arts.

Experience Hiroshima’s peaceful city by bike

Hit up many of Hiroshima’s must-see sights in this bike tour of Hiroshima Peace Park and Hiroshima Castle, stopping off for a pastry at a local bakery and for a dinner of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki (savory cabbage pancake).

See the natural scenes of Shizuoka

Escape the cities for the bountiful countryside scenes of Shizuoka, cycling to a historic green tea farm, trying the different types of green tea for yourself and visiting Shizuoka's Sengen Shrine — as well as exploring an old shopping arcade!

You’ve arrived at the perfect time to try Japanese spring foods like:

• Sakura mochi: Chewy rice cakes infused with the subtle tang of cherry blossoms, often wrapped in a sakura leaf.

• Strawberry mochi: Also known as ichigo daifuku, you can enjoy a whole in-season strawberry in the center of a fresh rice cake filled with anko red bean paste.

• Bamboo shoots: Takenoko are another springtime specialty, served in a variety of ways, from grilled or simmered to battered and fried in tempura.

Read more: Things To Do in Japan in Spring: Cherry Blossom Viewing, Festivals & Seasonal Foods

You’re going to want light, breathable fabrics like cotton or linen, as well as a hat, UV umbrella and a portable fan. Unless you’re spending your entire Japan trip in the north — think Hokkaido — be prepared to sweat. 

From the second you leave the air-conditioned paradise of your accommodation, you’re going to be hit with a wave of heat and humidity. You can’t do much about it, so simply embrace it and try out all of Japan’s unique cooling products, like tingly menthol wipes and sprays.

Want to escape the heat? Check out these restaurants and food tours in Northern Japan.

Japan’s rainy season: June is also known as tsuyu, Japan’s rainy season, meaning that at any point during the day the clouds may release extremely heavy rain upon your Japan trip. It could last only a few minutes, hours or most of the day — either way, you’ll want to be prepared.

Get ready: Rain or Shine: 10 Tips To Survive Japan’s Rainy Season

Make tempura and try nagashi somen in Tokyo

In this cooking class near Shibuya, you’ll master the basics of making fresh tempura, try to catch noodles as they flow down a slide — a traditional summer activity — and learn all about Japanese summer cuisine and culture. 

Try traditional nagashi somen experience in Beppu

For an even more authentic version of nagashi somen with real bamboo, head to the onsen town of Beppu, where noodles will flow in ice-cold water towards your chopsticks. Catch them (if you can), then dip them in sauce and feel refreshed with every mouthful.

Experience a sand bath and nagashi somen in Kagoshima

In this unique Kagoshima tour, you’ll get to explore a katsuobushi factory, learn about the production process, visit a roadside station (michi no eki) for local produce, and that’s not all…

You’ll also be buried up to your neck in the healing sand baths of Ibusuki before visiting a geothermal steam cooking area for lunch. Here, you’ll get to choose between the summer specialty of nagashi somen or the regional specialty of katsuobushi ramen.

Read more: Best Things To Do in Japan in the Summer: Festivals, Flower Fields & Seasonal Foods

Summer is a time of many festivals in Japan, but one is louder and brighter than all the rest: hanabi firework festivals. They’re spread across Japan and take place across all summer months, meaning you’re likely never too far from a night sky lit up by explosions of color.

They’re also a great chance to get dressed up in traditional kimono and eat Japanese street food. And who doesn’t want more excuses to do that?

Find out more: Hanabi Matsuri: 10 Summer Firework Festivals in Japan

Along with nagashi somen, this season brings with a wide variety of dishes that symbolize Japanese summer:

• Kakigori shaved ice: Shaved ice is absolutely everywhere during the hotter months, cooling off travelers and locals with a frosty, sweet treat — think ice topped with syrups, fresh fruit, condensed milk and more.

• Zaru soba / udon: It’s everything you love about soba and udon noodles, served cold! Placed on a bamboo tray and dipped into a broth, it’s instantly refreshing and filling.

• Watermelon: Watermelon, or suica, is another classic Japanese summer snack. Gigantic (and expensive) watermelons are split between families and friends, while shops have a plethora or melon-flavored goodies to try. 

Find out more: 10 Best Japanese Summer Foods

As you might have already seen from our Kyoto Fall Guide 2024 or Tokyo Fall Guide 2024, fall in Japan is all about clear days and cooler evenings, perfect for exploring with blue skies before adding an extra layer of clothing in the evening. Bliss.

Typhoon season: Now, while the above is true, October is also the typhoon season in Japan. This may mean that you want to carry an umbrella for unexpected rain, or even stock up a few extra snacks so that you can stay inside on especially windy days.

Just like cherry blossoms in the spring, different regions of Japan experience the peak of seasonal beauty at different times, but the most vivid autumn foliage tends to appear between early November and early December.

• Hokkaido: Early November

• Tohoku Region: Early to Late November

• Kanto Region: Late November to Early December

• Chubu Region: Mid-November to Early December

• Kansai Region: Late November to Mid-December

• Chugoku and Shikoku Regions: Mid-November to Late November

• Kyushu Region: Late November to Early December

• Okinawa: Late November to Early December

For a detailed guide into where to catch all of Japan’s fall colors, explore our Japan Fall Foliage Forecast 2024.

Just as popular as cherry blossoms in Japan, people love traveling around the country to find the best viewing spots for fall foliage. From Tokyo’s best parks to scenic countryside regions and mountains, there’s something for everyone.

Find the best fall foliage spots across Japan:

• Fall in Kyoto 2024: Enjoy Autumn Colors and Fall Foliage

• Fall in Tokyo 2024: Experience Autumn Colors and Fall Foliage

• 20 Recommended Spots for Stunning Fall Colors in Japan

Read more: Things to Do and Places to Visit in Japan During Autumn

As the weather begins to cool down, hiking is back on the menu! Grab your boots and take a look through these Japan hiking tours:

Hike in Tokyo on this Mt. Takao and vegan food tour

Mt. Takao is a perfect day trip from the bustling center of Tokyo, and it only gets more beautiful during fall. On this Mt. Takao hiking tour, you’ll head up to the peak of this gentle mountain, visit Yakuo-in — a sacred mountain temple — and then enjoy the vegan and vegetarian delights of shojin ryori at this very temple.

Hike in Nara with a scenic breakfast

In this hiking and breakfast picnic experience in Nara, you’ll go beyond the famous deer to the Asuka Mizuochi Ruins and Asukadera Temple, dating back to 596 A.D. You’ll walk the forest trails of Asuka Historical Park until you reach the Amakashi-no-Oka Observatory and enjoy a breakfast of local ingredients and fresh coffee.

Hike in Hiroshima and join a Japanese tea ceremony

In this Hiroshima hiking tour that takes you up the Mt. Futaba trail, you’ll visit the Hiroshima Toshogu and Kinko Inari Shrines while a local expert tells you about the area and the sights you’ll see. Once you reach a spot with a panoramic view, you’ll take part in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

Hike up Mt. Haguro in Yamagata with lunch

Make memories on this Yamagata hiking tour and you’ll trek up the holy mountain of Mt. Haguro, a road much less traveled than Japan’s more crowded mountains. Wander through an ancient cedar forest, see the Five-story Pagoda, pray at the Sanjin Gosaiden Shrine, and dine on shojin ryori at the temple itself. 

Hike in Hokkaido and traverse lake and forest

In this unique canoeing and hiking tour in Hokkaido, you’ll take to water and land! First, paddle a canoe through the highest lake in Hokkaido, then trek through the lakeside forest before dining on a lunch of local, seasonal dishes.

• Chestnuts: Known as kuri in Japan, chestnuts are everything during fall, enjoyed mixed in rice, as part of a mont blanc desserts, or hidden within all kinds of snacks and sweets at local supermarkets and convenience stores.

• Persimmon: Kaki are prevalent during this time of the year, bringing a splash of yellow and orange to Japanese streets and orchards. Enjoyed simply by slicing and eating, this fruit has a unique texture and flavor.

• Roasted sweet potato: A seasonal dish that you’ll likely smell wafting down the street before you see it, accompanied by the nostalgic yells of yaki-imo as they’re sold from a roaming sweet potato truck.

Find out more: Japan Fall Foods: 12 Must-Try Seasonal Delights

You're going to want to pack a warm jacket, gloves, scarves, hats and thick, fluffy socks. Though the days might start clear and somewhat mild, the evening will become much colder.

Not in the mood to pack your bulkiest clothes? Stop by Uniqlo for their beloved thermal clothing — they're the saviour of Japan's winter.

It’s worth noting that while we’ve used Tokyo as our example of average temperature during winter, if you travel further north to places like Hokkaido it’s going to be much colder. For example, if you were to stay in Sapporo, Hokkaido’s capital, it would look more like this:

For fluffy snow that’s piled so high it can even be made into impressive sculptures, you need to head north. In the north, you can find snow throughout the winter period, whereas in Tokyo and further south the weather remains more mild and may not even see snow.

However, head north to places like Hokkaido, the Tohoku region, Niigata and Nagano and you’ll be blessed with months of snow — ideal if you’re hoping to get some snowboarding or skiing time on your Japan trip. 

Find out more: 9 Beautiful Winter Landscapes in Japan

Tokyo Mega Illumi

Tokyo Mega Illumi is held every winter at Oi Racecourse and happens every year, featuring illuminations of the Japanese countryside, seasonal motifs and even a wisteria tunnel made of lilac lights. 

Hirakata Park Flowering Illumination

Held from early November and all the way through to April, Osaka's Hirakata Park is taken over by sparkling lights, family-friendly rides and eye-catching Christmas trees.

Sagamiko Illumillion

Based in Lake Sagami Resort Pleasure Forest, The Sagamiko Illumillion is one of the largest winter illuminations in the Kanto Region. Hillsides come alive with around six million lights, an animated light show and a dancing water fountain. There’s also a chair lift up the hillside and amusement park rides.

In the winter months, there are illuminations all over the country at this time, so make sure to check if anything is happening in the areas you’re planning to visit! 

Read more: The Best Things To Do in Winter in Japan: Christmas Displays, Snow Sports and More

Head to Japan’s Seven Hells in Beppu

For a peek into Japan’s famous onsen hot spring culture, there’s nowhere quite as perfect as Beppu, blessed with the “Seven Hells” — seven hot springs of different varieties, colors, smells and mineral properties.

In this private Myoban onsen tour, you’ll get a chance to soak in open-air hot springs surrounded by nature, learn about medicinal bath salts, and enjoy a jigokumushi pudding, a pudding made using the hot spring water.

Try another natural onsen in Kannawa, Beppu

There are plenty of chances to relax in onsen around Beppu, and in this Kannawa onsen tour you’ll learn about this town’s history, choose between a dip in Hyotan Onsen or trying a steam onsen experience, and try out the steam cooking method for yourself.

Spoil yourself with a one-night stay at Shizuoka Onsen

If you want to make even more memories alongside your onsen relaxation, treat yourself to this one-night stay at Shizuoka onsen, in which you’ll also get to enjoy a traditional kaiseki multicourse meal (including a wasabi hot pot) and indoor and outdoor hot springs.

Spend the night at Kaga Onsen

Tempted to stay in another traditional inn while you’re in Ishikawa? This Kaga onsen stay also includes a seasonal kaiseki dinner, a private onsen bath in your room, a sake tasting and a gold leaf painting workshop, something that the Kanazawa region is famous for.

There’s nothing more satisfyingly seasonal than hot pot during winter in Japan, when friends often gather around a central dish and chat while enjoying meats and veggies soaked in a flavorful broth. So, how about learning how to make a Japanese hot pot for yourself?

Stay on a traditional Japanese farm and learn to make hot pot

This once-in-a-lifetime farm stay in Odate is run by an energetic farmer’s mother, a contagious energy that will make it a joy to make Kiritampo hot pot alongside her. Once you’ve eaten your handmade meal, relax in a hot spring bath and settle in for a good night’s sleep. The next morning, start your day with radio taiso morning exercises before enjoying breakfast.

Experience fine dining hot pot cuisine in Nagano

Try an especially elegant version of Japanese hot pot in Karuizawa, Nagano, located in Restaurant Sofu, blessed with stunning forest views no matter the season. Begin with a glass of champagne and six small dishes before indulging in a luxurious sukiyaki hot pot, seasonal vegetables, udon or soba and mizugashi sweets.

We also have a selection of cozy hot pot cooking classes in Japan:

• Japanese Hot Pot Meal Cooking Class with Sake in Fukuoka

• Shabu Shabu Hot Pot Cooking Class in Ninomiya

• Wagyu Beef Sukiyaki Hot Pot Cooking Class in Ninomiya

• Osaka Home Party: Hot Pot Cooking Class Near Namba

Other Japanese foods enjoyed during the winter include crab, fugu (puffer fish) and kabocha pumpkin — not to mention yuzu, which you’ll find flavoring everything from green tea to hot baths.

Find out more: 10 Warming Japanese Winter Foods To Try

There’s no wrong time to visit Tokyo, but most people find themselves drawn to Japan’s capital during spring (March, April and May) and fall (September, October, November).

The cheapest time to visit Japan is usually January and February. This is when Japan is at its coldest, and there’s not even a whisper of the crowds that will appear when the cherry blossoms start to bloom.