Best time to visit Japan

• “the best time to visit Japan is spring (late March to May) or autumn (October to November)” selfguidejapan.com
• “The best time to visit Japan is between October and November” intrepidtravel.com
• “Spring and autumn are often considered the most pleasant seasons” wildfrontierstravel.com

3 of the 7 travel guides we read name these months.

1. January50°F / 34°F · 5 rainy daysChecking fares…Ski season in the north, with hot springs and clear Fuji views; crowds are busy only Jan 1 to 3.Hokkaido is a winter sports destination with deep snow.Sapporo snow festival · Shirakawa-go winter illumination
2. February52°F / 36°F · 6 rainy daysChecking fares…The quietest month for visitors in 2025.The Sapporo Snow Festival is the best known winter event.Typically the coldest month on the central and northern islands.Plum blossom season, Odawara · Setsubun
3. March58°F / 41°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…Cherry blossoms begin in late March.One of the most popular months, with pricey, booked hotels.Cherry blossom season at Mount Yoshino · Omizutori fire ritual at Todai-ji
4. Best timeApril67°F / 50°F · 11 rainy daysChecking fares…The busiest month for visitors in 2025; Golden Week starts April 29.Typically when cherry blossoms peak.Takayama Spring Festival (Sanno Matsuri) · Fuji Shibazakura Festival
5. May75°F / 58°F · 11 rainy daysChecking fares…Busy until May 5, then calmer.Golden Week brings sharp price rises and sold-out transport and hotels.Aoi Matsuri · Sanja Matsuri
6. June79°F / 65°F · 13 rainy daysChecking fares…Rainy season begins, which keeps crowds down.Low visitor numbers and no national holidays.Meigetsu-in Hydrangea Season · Yosakoi Soran Festival
7. July86°F / 72°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…Firework festivals are big in July.Gion Matsuri and the Mt Fuji climbing season fall in July.Gion Matsuri · Tenjin Matsuri
8. August88°F / 74°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…August is peak typhoon season.The O-Bon holiday season starts mid-August, with crowded sights and busy transport.Aomori Nebuta Matsuri · Awa Odori
9. September82°F / 69°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…Typhoon peak, and a quiet month for visitors.Tokyo gets more rain in September and October than in the June rainy season.Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri · Kinchakuda Red Spider Lilies
10. Best timeOctober72°F / 59°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…A busy month, with autumn festivals and foliage in the north and mountains.Comfortable weather and drier air after summer humidity fades.Nada no Kenka Matsuri · Nikko Autumn Colours
11. Best timeNovember62°F / 48°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…Autumn colors in Tokyo and Kyoto; busy, especially in Kyoto.Fall colors run from mid-November to early December in Tokyo and Kyoto.Karatsu Kunchi · Tori no Ichi Rake Fair
12. December54°F / 39°F · 6 rainy daysChecking fares…Quiet, then the New Year rush; winter illuminations.Chichibu Night Festival · Jigokudani Snow Monkeys

Weather: Tokyo averages from Japan Meteorological Agency (1991 to 2020 averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.

• Sapporo snow festivalSapporo, HokkaidoEvery January to February
• Shirakawa-go winter illuminationShirakawa-go, GifuEvery January to February
• Red crowned crane courtship danceKushiro wetlands, HokkaidoEvery January to February
• Plum blossom season, OdawaraOdawara, KanagawaEvery February to March
• SetsubunTokyo, KantoEvery February
• Cherry blossom season at Mount YoshinoYoshino, NaraEvery March to April
• Omizutori fire ritual at Todai-jiNaraEvery March
• Japanese Grand PrixSuzuka, Mie PrefectureEvery March to April
• Cherry blossoms in TokyoTokyo, JapanEvery March to April
• Takayama Spring Festival (Sanno Matsuri)Takayama, GifuEvery April
• Fuji Shibazakura FestivalFujikawaguchiko, YamanashiEvery April to May
• Hirosaki Cherry Blossom FestivalHirosaki Park, AomoriEvery April to May
• Ashikaga Great WisteriaAshikaga Flower Park, TochigiEvery April to May
• Aoi MatsuriShimogamo Shrine, KyotoEvery May
• Sanja MatsuriAsakusa Shrine, TokyoEvery May
• Meigetsu-in Hydrangea SeasonMeigetsu-in, KamakuraEvery June to July
• Yosakoi Soran FestivalOdori Park, SapporoEvery June
• Otaue Rice Planting FestivalSumiyoshi Taisha, OsakaEvery June
• Furano Lavender SeasonFarm Tomita, Nakafurano, HokkaidoEvery June to August
• Gion MatsuriYasaka Shrine and downtown KyotoEvery July
• Tenjin MatsuriOsaka Tenmangu and the Okawa RiverEvery July
• Sumida River Fireworks FestivalSumida River, TokyoEvery July
• Aomori Nebuta MatsuriAomori CityEvery August
• Awa OdoriTokushima CityEvery August
• Gozan no OkuribiDaimonji-yama and the hills of KyotoEvery August
• Harajuku Omotesando Genki Matsuri Super YosakoiHarajuku, TokyoEvery August
• Kishiwada Danjiri MatsuriKishiwada, OsakaEvery September
• Kinchakuda Red Spider LiliesKinchakuda, Hidaka, SaitamaEvery September to October
• Owara Kaze no BonYatsuo, ToyamaEvery September
• Nada no Kenka MatsuriMatsubara Hachiman Shrine, HimejiEvery October
• Nikko Autumn ColoursIrohazaka and Lake Chuzenji, NikkoEvery October to November
• Oeshiki at Ikegami HonmonjiOta, TokyoEvery October
• Karatsu KunchiKaratsu, SagaEvery November
• Tori no Ichi Rake FairOtori Shrine, Asakusa, TokyoEvery November
• Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo AvenueIcho Namiki, Aoyama, TokyoEvery November to December
• Autumn leaves in KyotoKyoto, JapanEvery November to December
• Chichibu Night FestivalChichibu, SaitamaEvery December
• Jigokudani Snow MonkeysJigokudani Monkey Park, Yamanouchi, NaganoEvery December to March
• Whooper Swans at Lake KussharoSunayu, Lake Kussharo, HokkaidoEvery December to March
• Hatsumode in TokyoTokyo, KantoEvery December to January

Is it worth visiting Japan in January?

Yes for snow: ski slopes and hot springs, with fewer crowds after the New Year holiday.

What is the weather like in Japan in fall?

October to November is comfortable, with cooler, drier air after summer; Tokyo daytime highs are around 15 to 21C.

• Best Beaches in Japan20 places
• Best Places to Visit in Japan20 places

• IrelandApril to May and September
• IcelandJune to August
• ItalyApril to May and September to October
• Costa RicaDecember to April
• Puerto RicoDecember to April
• AlaskaJune to August
• PortugalMay to June and September to October
• CancúnDecember to April
• GreeceMay to June and September to October
• ThailandNovember to February
• The Grand CanyonApril to May and September to October
• DisneylandJanuary to February and September to October
• MiamiDecember to April
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• PragueApril to May and September to October
• EcuadorJune to September
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• TokyoMarch to May and October to November
• MoroccoMarch to May and September to November
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• MontrealMonth by month
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• NashvilleApril to May and September to October
• Disney WorldJanuary to February and September
• BangkokNovember to February
• PolandMay to June and September
• New YorkApril to May and September to October
• CroatiaMay to June and September
• RomeApril to May and September to October
• San DiegoSeptember to October
• FranceMay to June and September to October
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• BrazilMonth by month
• BostonSeptember to October
• DubaiNovember to March
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• SeoulApril to May and September to October
• New ZealandFebruary to April
• GuatemalaNovember to April
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• FloridaNovember to April
• LisbonApril to May and September to October
• AustriaMay to June and September to October
• Los AngelesMarch to May and September to November
• ChicagoApril to May and September to October
• ParisApril to May and September to October
• Las VegasMarch to May and October to November
• San FranciscoSeptember to October
• EdinburghMay to June and September
• NapaSeptember to October
• SydneyMarch and October to November
• HawaiiApril to May and September to October
• ScotlandApril to May and September to October
• Punta CanaDecember to April
• MexicoDecember to April
• SavannahMarch to April and October to November
• Washington, DCApril to May and September to October
• ChileMarch to April and October to November
• SwitzerlandJune to September
• Mexico CityNovember to April
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• BanffMonth by month
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• IndiaOctober to March
• TulumDecember to April
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• NorwayMay to September
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• SeattleJune to September
• GermanyMay to June and September
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• The MaldivesNovember to April
• EgyptMarch to April and October to November
• LondonMay to June and September
• CharlestonMarch to May and October to November
• TaiwanMarch to April and October to November
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• Palm SpringsOctober to April
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• South KoreaApril to May and October
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• TorontoMonth by month
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• JamaicaDecember to April
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• TahitiMay to October
• EuropeMay to June and September to October
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• AustinMarch to April and October to November
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• OregonMonth by month
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• ArizonaMarch to April and October to November
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• Lake TahoeJune and September
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• AzoresApril to June and September
• OkinawaMarch to April and October to November
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• US Virgin IslandsDecember to April
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• Santa FeMonth by month
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• Florida KeysDecember to April
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• Hong KongNovember
• CopenhagenMay to June and September
• Sri LankaDecember to March
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• DolomitesJune and September
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• United KingdomMay to September
• SwedenMay to September
• ShanghaiMarch to May and September to November
• San AntonioMonth by month
• Rocky Mountain National ParkJuly to September
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• GreenlandJune to August
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• Catalina IslandMonth by month
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• TexasMarch to May and October
• South AmericaNovember to February
• SloveniaJune to September
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• PhoenixMonth by month
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• NamibiaMay to October
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• MedellínDecember to March and July to August
• MauritiusMay to June and September to November
• MadagascarMay to October
• JordanMarch to May and September to November
• IsraelMarch to May and October to November
• French PolynesiaMay and September to October
• CairoOctober to April
• BudapestMay to June and September to October
• Arches National ParkApril to May and September to October
• ViennaApril to May and September to October
• UzbekistanApril to May and September to October
• TaipeiSeptember to November
• St. JohnDecember to April
• South CarolinaMarch to May and September to November
• ReykjavikJune to August
• NicaraguaNovember to April
• MykonosMay to June and September to October
• MilanMarch to May and September to October
• HoustonFebruary to April and October to November
• HanoiMarch to April and September to November
• GrenadaJanuary to April
• GhanaDecember to February
• Faroe IslandsJune to August
• Cook IslandsApril and September to November
• Canary IslandsMonth by month
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• Big Island of HawaiiSeptember to October
• BerlinMay to June and September
• BeijingApril to May and September to October
• AtlantaSeptember to November
• AlbaniaMay to June and September
• The CaribbeanDecember to April
• St. BartsMonth by month
• South DakotaSeptember
• SerengetiJune to October
• Rhode IslandMay and September to October
• New EnglandSeptember to October
• NassauDecember to April
• LimaDecember to March
• KyotoApril and September to November
• Koh SamuiJanuary to April
• DenmarkMay to June and September
• CreteApril to June and September to October
• Colorado SpringsMonth by month
• Chiang MaiNovember to February
• BelgiumMay to June and September
• UruguayNovember to March
• StockholmJune to August
• PortoMay to June and September
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• MichiganJune to August
• MelbourneMarch to May
• LouisianaMarch to May
• LaosNovember to February
• Kuala LumpurJune to August
• Kruger National ParkMay to September
• JejuMarch to May and September to November
• HondurasJanuary to April
• FlorenceMay and September to October
• DallasMarch to May and September to October
• Cape VerdeNovember to June
• BotswanaMay to October
• ZurichMay to September
• TunisiaApril to June and September to October
• TampaMonth by month
• St. KittsJanuary to April
• OsakaMarch to May and October to November
• OmanOctober to April
• MunichMonth by month
• MooreaMay to October
• KyrgyzstanJune to September
• KazakhstanMay to June and September
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• GoaNovember to February
• EvergladesDecember to March
• Door CountySeptember to October
• DominicaJanuary to April
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• CalgaryJune to August
• BoracayNovember to April
• BonaireMonth by month
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• MazatlánMonth by month
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• French RivieraMay to June and September
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• VirginiaMonth by month
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• MaineJune to September
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• PerthMarch and October to November
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• BoiseMay to June and September to October
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• LouisvilleMonth by month
• OsloMonth by month
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• QuitoJune to September
• Bosnia and HerzegovinaMay to June and September
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• QatarNovember to March
• RussiaMay to September
• SamoaMonth by month
• Saudi ArabiaNovember to February
• ZambiaMay to October
• ZimbabweMay to October
• West VirginiaSeptember to October
• WisconsinJune to October
• Canyonlands National ParkApril to May and September to October
• YucatánNovember to March
• Baja CaliforniaDecember to April
• Blue Ridge MountainsApril to May and October
• Fort MyersNovember to April
• DetroitMonth by month
• Kansas City, MissouriMonth by month
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• RenoMonth by month
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• Durango, ColoradoMonth by month
• BrusselsApril to June and September
• GuangzhouOctober to December
• ChattanoogaApril to May and October
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• CorfuMay to June and September
• CairnsMay to September
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• AlabamaMarch to May and September to November
• ConnecticutOctober
• New JerseySeptember
• PennsylvaniaMonth by month
• Capitol Reef National ParkMonth by month
• LangkawiNovember to March