Best Time to Travel to Japan

Best Time to Travel to Japan

We often get the question: what is the best time to travel to Japan? Of course, the answer depends on what kind of holiday in Japan you are looking for so that is why we made a list of the pros and cons of each season. We also made a list of (national) holidays in Japan that are best to avoid because of large crowds traveling making roads congested, trains full, and hotels very expensive. Make sure to have a look at this overview of when to best travel to Japan before you make any bookings!

Traveling to Japan in spring

March: Early in the spring season, the weather in Japan is still cold in most areas and the famous cherry blossoms start to bloom on average from late March. Japan’s nature is not at its prime yet during this time, as most of the trees are still quite bare. Early-March to mid-March, there are not that many international travelers because most people come during the height of the cherry blossom season in the last week of March and first week of April. If you want to visit cherry blossom spots that are not totally overrun by crowds, you can consider booking a private guide to take you to the best spots off-peak or places that are a bit more hidden. Of course, the cherry blossoms are gorgeous and you can take many beautiful pictures during your trip, but if you prefer fewer crowds, it is best to not travel to Japan during this period.

On another note, skiing is still possible in most resorts in March so you can head to Nagano or Hokkaido for winter sports in this month.

April: the weather is becoming a big less cold comparing to March, and the cherry blossom season is in full swing in the first week of April. The blossoms taper off from the middle of the month, and so do the largest crowds. The middle of the month is not a bad time to travel in Japan if you don’t mind missing the blossoms and prefer a quieter travel experience.

You can still go skiing in ski resorts at a higher altitude in April, and in Okinawa the sea is slowly warming up so swimming without a wet suit becomes possible towards the end of April.

May to early/mid June: After the Golden Week (see below) is over, a golden time for international travelers who don’t mind missing the cherry blossom season and who like mild temperatures has come. The period between around May 8 and mid June is highly recommended to travel to Japan. Many colorful flowers are blooming in Japan around this time of year such as azalea, wisteria, and hydrangea, and the country is covered with green trees. The rainy season in Japan’s main island usually happens between mid-June and mid-July, but even during this season there tend to be many dry days in between the rainy days.

While winter sports are barely possible anymore, Hokkaido becomes a paradise for flower lovers in this period, and Okinawa’s summer season is starting to get in full swing for all kinds of water sports.

Traveling to Japan in summer

Late June to early September:  Japan’s summer is hot and humid in most locations, with Hokkaido having mostly moderate temperatures and Okinawa being quite bearable with the beach always nearby. On Honshu, where Tokyo and Kyoto are located, you have to get ready for a warm-weather experience. There are great advantages about traveling to Japan in the summer too, though. Most of Japan’s vibrant matsuri festivals are held in the summer including its famously large firework festivals, if you are into outdoor activities this is the best season to come, and nature is beautiful at this time.

It is good to note that with the summer, especially as it progresses, typhoon season has also started. Typhoons usually start hitting Japan from July (a bit earlier for Okinawa) and the season lasts until October. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should avoid this season, but it is good to realize that it may happen that one day of your holiday is spent indoor. Typhoons usually only last for 12-24 hours or so, and afterwards we are rewarded with very beautiful, clear weather. They also don’t hit Honshu that often, with Tokyo and Kyoto being spared most of the time.

Traveling to Japan in autumn

Late September to mid-October: from late September, temperatures tend to go down and besides typhoons that pass by a little too close for comfort bringing humidity and rain, the weather tends to be rather fine. You’re also still on time for the tail-end of the beach season in Okinawa. Only the long weekend that usually happens in the 3rd week of September is better to avoid, but the rest of this time of the year is great for travel to Japan.

Mid-October to early-December: this is also a great period to come to Japan. It is getting cooler but the sun tends to shine often during this time. From October, autumn foliage starts covering the countryside and cities in the north of Japan and from mid-November the colorful leaves come to Tokyo and Kyoto. Needless to say, this is a popular time to travel in Japan but the crowds are less daunting compared to those during the cherry blossom season. From December, ski resorts in Hokkaido and Nagano start to open up again.

Traveling to Japan in winter

Mid-December to early-March: the winter is the least popular time to come to Japan for international travelers except for those who come here to ski and snowboard. It does get quite cold in most parts of Japan, and nature isn’t as beautiful during this season because it also tends to get dry. If you like to travel when most others don’t and don’t mind wearing a winter coat, this is the best time for you. It is best to avoid traveling during the New Year’s holidays as many places are closed and the trains and planes are often full, but the rest of the winter you won’t have any problems finding a plane or train seat and hotel rooms.

The winter sports season is in full swing in snow resorts all over Hokkaido and Honshu, and many people also like to travel to Okinawa for a milder climate. Do keep in mind that the ocean is cold though, so it is not the best time to go to Okinawa if you want to swim.

Holidays in Japan to avoid

These are the longer holidays that are better to avoid altogether when you come to Japan.

*New Year’s holidays: between December 31st and January 4th, most people go to their parental home to spend time with their families and many things are closed.

*Golden Week: this is the one time when many Japanese workers get the chance to make a longer trip. GW falls between April 29 and May 5th, and if there are any weekends around these dates those are also extremely crowded with travelers all over the country. Hotel prices are sky high, so it is really best to avoid this time of the year.

*Obon: during Obon people travel to their parents’ home to celebrate their ancestors. It happens between August 13 and 15, and many people take off for the whole week. Similarly to the New Year’s holidays, roads, trains and planes get very crowded around this time, although shops, restaurants and attractions tend to remain open.

*Silver Week: usually happening around the 3rd weekend of September, 2 National Holidays happen around the same time during Silver Week, so there are many people who want to take a short trip around this time. Hotel prices tend to be high and transportation is more difficult.

There are several more long weekends due to National Holidays in Japan, but because they only last for 3 days including Saturday and Sunday, you don’t necessarily need to avoid them when you come to Japan for more than a week. Here is an overview of all National Holidays.

Fun day tours in Japan

If you are coming to Japan, you may be wondering where to start when you are planning your trip. There is so much to see, do, and experience that it may not be easy to make a choice between all the fun and interesting places to go! When you travel independently, you may also not travel in the most efficient way. Sometimes it is great fun getting ‘lost’ in an unfamiliar place, but sometimes it also feels great to simply be whisked off to all the best sights that a city has to offer, the typical famous must-see spots but also the more local areas that have some hidden gems.

So why not book a private tour for one or a few days? A local guide can also give you great personalized advice on how to fill in your other days in their city. We have a network of enthusiastic guides who aren’t afraid to be flexible and simply want to provide you with an entertaining and enlightening day in their city. Check out our tours for yourself!