Japan›Month by month

When to go

Japan, month by month

Where in Japan is at its best each month, and where to skip. Each verdict comes from the place's stated best season and the closures, weather warnings and festivals Tourisma has for it: in the middle of the season is a great month, its first or last month a good one; a weather warning (monsoon seas, smoke) moves a month down, a closure (a park shut, the boats stopped) moves it down to mixed at most, and a shut place is better avoided.

Japan in January

Plan January

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Fukuoka, Himeji, Hiroshima & Miyajima, Ishigaki, Kamakura, Kanazawa, Kobe, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo (Hongu), Kyoto, Matsumoto, Nagasaki, Naha (Okinawa), Naoshima, Nara, Nikko, Okayama & Kurashiki, Osaka, Sendai & Matsushima, Takayama, Tokyo, Yokohama.

Can fall this month

  • New Year (Shogatsu)
  • Nagasaki Lantern Festival (dates shift yearly)
  • Shirakawa-go winter light-up
  • Hokkaido ski season

Japan in February

Plan February

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Fukuoka, Himeji, Hiroshima & Miyajima, Ishigaki, Kamakura, Kanazawa, Kobe, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo (Hongu), Kyoto, Matsumoto, Nagasaki, Naha (Okinawa), Naoshima, Nara, Nikko, Okayama & Kurashiki, Osaka, Sendai & Matsushima, Takayama, Tokyo, Yokohama.

Can fall this month

  • Nagasaki Lantern Festival (dates shift yearly)
  • Sapporo Snow Festival
  • Shirakawa-go winter light-up
  • Hokkaido ski season

Japan in March

Plan March

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Hakodate, Ishigaki, Kamakura, Kanazawa, Koyasan, Matsumoto, Mount Fuji & Kawaguchiko, Nikko, Sapporo, Sendai & Matsushima, Shirakawa-go, Takayama.

Can fall this month

  • Cherry blossom (hanami)
  • Omizutori, Todai-ji
  • Hokkaido ski season

Japan in April

Plan April

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Furano & Biei, Hakodate, Mount Fuji & Kawaguchiko, Nikko, Niseko, Sapporo, Shirakawa-go.

Can fall this month

  • Cherry blossom (hanami)
  • Golden Week
  • Takayama Festival
  • Fuji Shibazakura Festival

Japan in May

Plan May

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Furano & Biei, Hakodate, Mount Fuji & Kawaguchiko, Niseko, Sapporo.

Can fall this month

  • Golden Week
  • Aoi Matsuri, Gozan Okuribi and Jidai Matsuri
  • Nikko Toshogu Grand Festival
  • Fuji Shibazakura Festival

Japan in June

Plan June

At their best

No place is in the middle of its season this month.

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Beppu, Fukuoka, Furano & Biei, Hakone, Himeji, Hiroshima & Miyajima, Kanazawa, Kobe, Kumano Kodo (Hongu), Kyoto, Mount Fuji & Kawaguchiko, Nagasaki, Naha (Okinawa), Naoshima, Nara, Niseko, Okayama & Kurashiki, Osaka, Takayama, Tokyo, Yokohama.

Japan in July

Plan July

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Beppu, Fukuoka, Hakone, Himeji, Hiroshima & Miyajima, Kamakura, Kanazawa, Kobe, Kumano Kodo (Hongu), Kyoto, Nagasaki, Naoshima, Nara, Nikko, Okayama & Kurashiki, Osaka, Sendai & Matsushima, Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Tokyo, Yokohama.

Better avoided

  • Ishigaki · Typhoon Season in Okinawa; Box Jellyfish Season
  • Naha (Okinawa) · Typhoon Season in Okinawa; Box Jellyfish Season

Can fall this month

  • Gion Matsuri
  • Tenjin Matsuri
  • Lavender season, Furano

Japan in August

Plan August

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Beppu, Fukuoka, Hakone, Himeji, Hiroshima & Miyajima, Kamakura, Kanazawa, Kobe, Kumano Kodo (Hongu), Kyoto, Nagasaki, Naoshima, Nara, Nikko, Okayama & Kurashiki, Osaka, Sendai & Matsushima, Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Tokyo, Yokohama.

Better avoided

  • Ishigaki · Typhoon Season in Okinawa; Box Jellyfish Season
  • Naha (Okinawa) · Typhoon Season in Okinawa; Box Jellyfish Season

Can fall this month

  • Obon
  • Aoi Matsuri, Gozan Okuribi and Jidai Matsuri
  • Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony
  • Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony
  • Sendai Tanabata

Japan in September

Plan September

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Beppu, Fukuoka, Furano & Biei, Hakone, Himeji, Hiroshima & Miyajima, Kamakura, Kanazawa, Kobe, Kumano Kodo (Hongu), Kyoto, Nagasaki, Nara, Nikko, Okayama & Kurashiki, Osaka, Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Tokyo, Yokohama.

Better avoided

  • Ishigaki · Typhoon Season in Okinawa; Box Jellyfish Season
  • Naha (Okinawa) · Typhoon Season in Okinawa; Box Jellyfish Season

Japan in October

Plan October

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Ishigaki, Naha (Okinawa), Furano & Biei, Niseko, Sapporo.

Can fall this month

  • Autumn leaves (koyo)
  • Aoi Matsuri, Gozan Okuribi and Jidai Matsuri
  • Takayama Festival
  • Nikko Toshogu Grand Festival
  • Nagasaki Kunchi

Japan in November

Plan November

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Furano & Biei, Hakodate, Niseko, Sapporo.

Can fall this month

  • Autumn leaves (koyo)
  • Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu

Japan in December

Plan December

At their best

Good, at the edge of the season

Mixed: Fukuoka, Himeji, Hiroshima & Miyajima, Ishigaki, Kamakura, Kanazawa, Kobe, Koyasan, Kumano Kodo (Hongu), Kyoto, Matsumoto, Nagasaki, Naoshima, Nara, Nikko, Okayama & Kurashiki, Osaka, Sendai & Matsushima, Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Tokyo, Yokohama.

Can fall this month

  • Autumn leaves (koyo)
  • New Year (Shogatsu)
  • Hokkaido ski season
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