When is the best time to visit Japan?

It’s such a simple question but the answer is rather more complex and ultimately depends on what you’re looking to get out of your Japan experience.

Undoubtedly the most popular times to visit Japan are during the relatively short windows of Spring and Autumn when the country is in a perfect ‘goldilocks’ period – neither too hot nor too cold.

Visiting Japan in Spring: Cherry Blossom Season, Crowds & Alternatives

Does that mean this is the best time to go? Well, both have their upsides and downsides. The climate, as previously mentioned, is ideal. In a typical year, the winter cold tends to loosen its grip on Japan in mid-March and is followed shortly after by the blooming of the short-lived and incredibly beautiful cherry blossoms.

This stunning display of pink flowers has long been a national obsession in Japan and viral social media posts have spread that obsession throughout the world. Today, visitors flock to Japan in their millions to catch the floral display, all timing their trips to coincide with the blossoms – which typically only bloom for two weeks of the year at most.

The result is huge crowds in all of Japan’s most popular spots, hotels fully booked months in advance and an epidemic of price-gouging. In short, unless the cherry blossoms are your primary reason for visiting Japan, this is a time to avoid at all costs.

Visit later in the season, when the cherry blossom crowds have gone home, the weather has warmed, the trees are fully green and other flowers are in bloom. You don’t have to resign yourselves to big crowds and bigger prices for a Springtime trip – delay your trip into June, when people usually stay away to avoid the traditional rainy season (something I’ve always found to be a bit of a myth), and you’ll have the place practically to yourselves.

Visiting Japan in Autumn: When to See the Best Autumn Colours

Japan’s spectacular autumn colours – less world-famous, spread over a longer season – don’t quite suffer from the same the problem and make for a wonderful backdrop to your Japan travels. But make no mistake, this is still a busy time in Japan, and October in particular suffers from high prices and large crowds, despite being too early for autumn colours in many parts of the country.

I prefer November as the temperature is cooler than in October, which has been unusually hot in recent years, the trees will be at their most vibrant and colourful, and it’s past the peak tourist season for autumn. It’s worth noting that the seasons change a little later in Japan than they do in Europe; mild temperatures will persist even into December, weeks after the autumn travel rush has died down.

Visiting Japan in Winter: Snow, Onsens & Powder Skiing

Having discussed Spring and Autumn at length, however, I do feel it’s worth making the case for Japan’s less celebrated seasons.

Winter in Japan is magical. It’s undoubtedly my favourite season in Japan. There’s something about a shrine when it’s blanketed in snow that heightens the sense of majesty within. And a steaming onsen bath – or better, an outdoor rotenburo in the snow – becomes a transcendental experience.

And then of course there’s the snow – so much snow, the lightest and fluffiest powder in the world. Our friends at Different Snow can tell you all about that, and why it’s the best skiing you’ll enjoy anywhere in the world.

Visiting Japan in Summer: Festivals, Fireworks & Hidden Regions

And finally, a word for summer, and why you shouldn’t be put off a visit to Japan for your summer holidays. Yes, it’s very hot and humid, but if you’re prepared for that you can have a great time.

Crucially, there are experiences you can only have at this time of year. Summer in Japan means festivals and nearly every town in Japan will have one of its own, typically featuring food stalls, dancing and fireworks. But there are a few that stand above the rest, such as Nebuta Matsuri in northern Aomori prefecture, with its otherworldly parade of lantern floats, the Awa Odori dance festival on Shikoku Island, or Obon in Kyoto when the mountains surrounding the city are lit up with bonfires.

While the cities of Tokyo and Kyoto swelter, this is the time when lesser-visited regions such as Tohoku or the northern island of Hokkaido really come into their own. Cooler temperatures, beautiful scenery and a true, authentic Japanese experience. All the ingredients for the perfect Japan trip are here.

So, when is the best time to visit Japan? Truthfully, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, it all depends on what you want from your trip. Whether it’s cherry blossom, autumn colours, powder snow or summer festivals, Japan delivers in every season.

If you’d like help deciding when to go and more importantly, how to make the most of it, just let us know. We’ll shape the trip around you, not the other way round. Click here to get in touch or call us on 01242 242 505 to begin your Different Japan experience.