Best season to travel to Japan
 

So next year I'll be going to Japan with my girlfriend for close to 20 days or so. I'll be visiting mainly the traditional tourist spots (JR Pass, Honshu, Kyushu) and a visit to my old host families house in Fukui


I've pretty much decided the I want to go in fall, but I'm not sure when the prime month is. October? Basically I'm asking when the foliage is most orange. :D

What's your favorite Japanese season?


I first went in the dead of summer, and it's something I don't want to re-live.

i first visited last november and things were pretty orange and red.

october should be nicer, not as chilly perhaps?

not sure havent gone through it yet :P.

Sadly I haven't been to Japan even once yet.. but I'd really like to go in the spring and see all the cherry blossom trees bloom. I'll do it in the future for sure!

spring and autumn ...yipeeee..

＞I'm asking when the foliage is most orange.
It depends on your destination, Koyo-zensen moves from north to south and from higher altitude to lower.

Momijigari
http://www.jpn-miyabi.com/Vol.7/momijigari-e.html
Koyo-Zensen
2008

Sakura blossom around the golden week time, when most stores are closed and people are traveling around to visit families and friends. So unless you want to deal with the hassle and headache of closed store and PACKED public transport, otherwise I say to stay away from that time frame. In which case, it will make spring quite dull for travel. Weather is nice though

I usually choose around October/Novemberish.....

Around the golden week time (of Japan)? It is too late except Hokkaido.
Sakura blossoms moves according to Sakura-zensen that moves south to north as opposed to Koyo-zensen.
In Tokyo, it is around the end of March or early April.

You are right, I keep thinking golden week is end of march beginning of april (in which case it is the sakura season), but its in fact one month later, end of april beginning of may.. my mistake...

definitely autumn=
you should not miss 'kouyou' where the leaves turn to yellow-chocolate color~
soooo beautiful~

When i was kyoto, i recall the red leaves didn't really get going until mid-november, but it WAS an odd year 2007. it changed very quickly and then it was something like the most snow in Osaka in thirty years.

The last several times I've been there right in time for cherry blossom season (end of March beginning of April) and it's completely lovely. The weather can be a bit chilly but there have been enough warm and sunny days for a pleasant stay. It's also great to see all of the friends and families getting together for cherry blossom viewing.

This time I'm going in October, a few days from now and it looks like it will be too hot and rainy for my comfort. I can't figure out if it's sudden massive downpour, consistent heavy fall, on and off light fall or just mildly raining all day. I'm sure I'll still enjoy myself but it will be harder to pre-plan day trips from Tokyo to outdoor areas like Nikko or Kamakura. I didn't think October was supposed to be quite as rainy as it is right now. :confused:

Yeah, the best months to go are from March-June. That's just my opinion. Also, buy many umbrellas. I seem break the 200yen ones a lot.

its not actually that hot right now. and i'm further south than tokyo, but i would imagine it wont be that much different than here. i think if youre coming form san francisco you'll find it ok.

not sure about the rain up there though.

But are the trees turning colors? :D

haha nah not quite, one or two are.

the afternoons can get a bit warm, and night are really nice, and i have thought of putting a light coat on. I havent yet though.

its a bit muggy today though, but nothing like last month.

its not like edelweiss is coming from alaska :P

The weather now is wonderful, blue skies and white clouds, not too hot and humid, but not cold either.

The leaves around here are starting to change, though still slowly. Autumn comes earlier to Nothern Japan, and movies slowly southward over time, just like the cherry blossoms bloom early in the south of the country, and late in the north.

October is the best time to travel to most places. It is not an especially busy time as kids are in school, and most people take their vacations in the summer or during Golden Week.

April and May are very busy, it's hard to get plane tickets or hotel rooms, and all the resorts and such are packed. June is the rainy season, and July brings the heat and humidity, which tend to stay until the end of August (though it was noticeably cooler this summer compared to last). In November it gets chilly, and from December through March it's downright cold.

ya...i hope i can also in time for cherry blossom season.
i never been to Tokyo on F & E before.
feel so excited.:D