WHEN TO VISIT JAPAN (and when NOT to!) 🍡 seasons, dates, advice | japan travel guide

Watch this to know when to AVOID coming to Japan and when the best times of year are for travel!

After living in Japan for five years, the importance surrounding the contrast of the different seasons has rubbed off on me 🤧 So now I'm here today to tell you what the best times of year I think are to visit Japan and the ones you ABSOLUTELY should avoid if possible!! There are a lot of holidays not reflected on the calendar so it's very easy for tourists to accidentally come during a bad time of year and as a result their trip isn't as good...don't get me wrong, if your trip happens to be in one of the bad times of year to visit, you will still have a great time, but everything will...require more planning, let's say 💦

What do you think? Let me know if there are any more times you'd like to mention down below or let me how your trip to Japan was and what time of year you've visited in if you've come before!!

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WHEN TO VISIT JAPAN (and when NOT to!) 🍡 seasons, dates, advice | japan travel guide

[AllisoninTokyo]

I AM BACK!!!! 😤 Sorry I was busy playing Baldur's Gate 3 and getting sick :)
ADDITIONAL TIP! There are many types of cherry blossoms that bloom at different times in Spring!! Four main ones, in order of blooming, are: kawazu, shidare, somei yoshino, and yae ✍ Please look these up if you are concerned you will miss the blossoms in spring!!
ALSO, it is truly amazing I totally forgot to mention Obon even though I literally filmed this during Obon like omg

[xinbei]

I visited Japan last year in early-mid November and went to Kawaguchiko to see Mt Fuji. Best experience ever! Love the autumn season in Japan!

[VanillaCoke]

My friends and I actually went to Kawazu this year and saw the Sakura in full bloom in the second half of February! It's one of my favouritre memories from my year in Japan because it was relatively empty, not too crowded, the river lined with sakura trees, the nice festival food, the vibes... it was amazing. February in general is a pretty good time to be in Japan. Yeah, there's no Autumn colours and, except for the Kawazu, no cherry trees but there are fewer tourists.

[Msxallisonwonderland]

I would also note that the second half of March is also really expensive. This is when school finishes for the year and the work year ends. A lot of children are out of school which means a lot of people are going on holiday, as well. If you are going to come in winter, the end of January to the end of February will be your cheapest time of winter.

[helenwalder]

We just came back from Japan. Spent the 1st 3 weeks of August there. Yes it was hot and humid, but there are always shops etc with aircon😊. We had the best time despite the heat.

[xXNekou]

I visited Japan in May this year, avoided Golden Week, and I was very happy with my decision, because for the whole trip the weather was lovely, not cold, but not too hot either (between 18C and 30C I think), and mostly sunny (spent 2 weeks in Tokyo area and it rained only for like 3 or 4 days) :)

[pryonic]

I recently got back from a 3 week trip to Japan over the end of July and early August. My partner is a teacher so if we want to go for any decent length of time (and Japan is a long way from the UK!) we have to go during the summer holidays.

It was very hot and humid everywhere (although Koyasan and Hakone were bearable being in the hills) but well worth it and I wouldn't have shortened it for anything. Also I think being summer meant some of the tourist places were slightly less crowded than they can be in spring and Autumn/fall.

We knew it was going to be hot so we made sure to plan

1. Hotels with air con - as long as I can sleep I can usually cope with most things
2. Not trying to speed-tourist and do everything. We planned a slow-paced itinerary without too much travel and without trying to do too much in one day
3. Drink lots of a water - more than you expect (Japan really need to up its water-bottle filling game - seem everyone just buys bottled drinks but the tap water is drinkable and that's much better for the environment!)
4. Nip into shops whenever needed for some much needed air-con

It was a great trip!

[Bigrocks]

Planning a trip to Japan for three weeks in November of 2024. I spent three years in Kyushu and the Chugoku region of western Honshu over 40 years ago and am so excited to finally be going back! Way, way, way overdue! Will spend a few days in Tokyo and then the majority of the remaining time in Kansai down to Shimonoseki. Can’t wait!

[coolman]

I visited Tokyo during both from the start to the end of Golden Week. Honestly, it isn't as bad as many videos make it out to be. I booked my flights and hotels about 7-8 months in advance and the prices were not inflated yet. Malls and restaurants were similar to a weekend crowd in Tokyo and will have lines, but if you dont want to wait, you can always visit the other hundreds of restaurants in the area. Also, if you love to shop, malls and shops have many discounts on offer as a 'golden week sale'. We avoided the theme parks as they are always busy regardless what month or day you go.

[patriciamurashige]

I love visiting Japan in Feb.. the winter is beautiful skies are blue and the cold is very tolerable!! I hate hot and humid so not travel in the summer for me!!

[aDot]

My brother and I are travelling to Japan on November and we seriously cannot wait.
Has been on my list for years!!!❤

[sakurachanmemory]

Autumn is a wonderful time of the year, when the weather is not so cold, everything is so colorful. Best of all, food is prepared according to this season. Sanma fish is delcious in Fall season.

[areasevenpro]

I traveled across Japan last May, from Nagasaki to Tokyo. Aside from the heavy rains during my stay in Nagasaki and Yokohama, as well as occasional showers in Osaka and Tokyo, the weather was fine.
I'll be visiting Hokkaido in February for the annual winter festival. It'll be my first time in a long time to experience extreme cold temperatures.

[stevenelson]

We were in Japan earlier this year and, yes, we hit Golden Week. But it wasn’t terrible. Trains were a little busier than usual, but that was about it. We saw the places we wanted to see and the crowds, while definitely larger, were not overwhelming. It also helped that we booked our flights and hotels before Japan officially reopened, so we got great fares on ANA Premium Economy and great rates, using points, at IHG hotels. Using the points meant we could cancel with no fees, and the fare with ANA had no change fees either. But all went well. We did, unfortunately, miss out on Cherry Blossoms, but that was the only negative.

[SleepingFairy]

My first trip to Japan was in early January and was AMAZING!! Fewer tourists, weather perfect, just simply amazing. Honestly, the “closed” days the first days in January are not so common any more, I was the first week in Kyoto and (except for January 1) all was open, including temples and cute local cafes.

[Foodie.]

I'm visiting Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto for the first time at the end of June to early July 2024. Due to the children's school schedule, the summer is the only time we can go. No way around it. (Sigh, I've always had to pay a higher price for peak season and summer travel.) I've heard about the rain and hopefully being from Seattle will prepare me. We don't do well in the heat and humidity so we booked as soon as school lets out.

[Ninjff]

I’ve visited Japan a few times, usually in late October/ early November. In my experience it’s a great time to go (just maybe avoid places like Shibuya on Halloween if you hate crowds). I also went specifically to experience New Years and while that was fun, it really was a pain in the butt. It was my 3rd trip so I had already seen a lot already, but even just finding places to eat or shop or get a coffee was a real hassle on the 1st and 2nd of January. As she said in the video, maybe worth experiencing once, but not on your first trip.

[realwmm]

The New Years period is much better than it was 40 years ago, when EVERYTHING would close for a week. These days, major stores reopen so at least you can buy some groceries. Forty years ago, my son was born on 12/31. Home alone because wife was in the hospital. Couldn't celebrate. Couldn't buy any food. It was torture.

My opinion is that the best time to be in Tokyo is during Golden Week. Nice weather, and a huge number of Tokyoites have left the city, so nothing is crowded. So as a tourist, if you know what you want to do in advance, this is a good time, but if you just want to wander around perhaps not a good time because some small businesses may be closed.

[jakerex]

We have been to the golden week. And all i can say, its really cool! Lots of people. And i love it! 😂❤

[stillsheryl]

My son lives in Japan and you aren’t wrong about summer heat. It is BRUTAL. Plan another time to visit!