When Should You Visit Japan? 📆

Trying to decide when to visit Japan? Here’s some information to help you organize your thoughts and make a smart decision.

When it comes to timing your trip, most travelers are choosing between two peak seasons:

1. Cherry blossom season (late March – early April) 🌸

2. Autumn foliage (late September – early December) 🍁

Both periods are fantastic, with comfortable weather (pleasant, not too humid, and usually sunny), and, of course, both are crowded with tourists. Cherry blossoms are beautiful, short-lived, and a bit unpredictable. They can also bring heavy crowds and long lines in popular areas. Autumn foliage lasts longer and is slightly easier in terms of crowds, but you’ll be “settling” for orange, red, and yellow trees instead of the iconic pink - and possibly missing some of the unique events that come with sakura season.

Below are tables with average weather data for each month in Tokyo, Kyoto/Osaka (very close to each other, so the weather is similar), and the Japanese Alps (Takayama).

Source: Japan Meteorological Agency

January

City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	10°C (50°F)	2°C (36°F)	15%
Kyoto / Osaka	9°C (48°F)	3°C (37°F)	20%
Takayama	3°C (37°F)	-5°C (23°F)	45%

Around New Year, many shops, restaurants, and attractions are closed for at least one day between December 29 and January 4. Overall, January is a good time to visit Japan. The weather is usually sunny and dry, and tourist sites are not very crowded (except during New Year). For ski lovers - there’s plenty of snow, and conditions are great for winter sports.

The downside: relatively short days (sunset around 5:00 PM in Tokyo) and less impressive scenery.

February

​City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	10°C (50°F)	2°C (36°F)	20%
Kyoto / Osaka	9°C (48°F)	3°C (37°F)	20%
Takayama	4°C (39°F)	-5°C (23°F)	45%

Similar to January, February is also a great time to visit - sunny, dry, and not crowded. Days are still relatively short, though slightly longer than January (sunset around 5:30 PM in Tokyo). February is probably the best month for winter scenery, including snow-covered villages like Shirakawa-go.

March

​City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	13°C (55°F)	5°C (41°F)	30%
Kyoto / Osaka	13°C (55°F)	5°C (41°F)	30%
Takayama	9°C (48°F)	-2°C (28°F)	45%

Early signs of spring begin to appear, and the weather becomes noticeably milder.

Toward the end of March, cherry blossom season begins in some areas—a beautiful and very popular time to visit.

For the cherry blossom forecast, click here.

April

City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	18°C (64°F)	11°C (52°F)	35%
Kyoto / Osaka	20°C (68°F)	11°C (52°F)	30%
Takayama	17°C (63°F)	3°C (37°F)	35%

Along with autumn, April is considered one of the best times to visit Japan. Cherry blossoms are at their peak, and the weather is usually pleasant. And the crowds? As expected - this is peak international tourism, with visitors from all over the world, along with busy domestic travel during Golden Week.

For the cherry blossom forecast, click here.

May

City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	23°C (73°F)	15°C (59°F)	30%
Kyoto / Osaka	24°C (75°F)	15°C (59°F)	30%
Takayama	22°C (72°F)	9°C (48°F)	35%

Golden Week (late April–early May) is one of the busiest travel periods in Japan. Outside of that, May is one of the best months to visit - beautiful greenery, comfortable temperatures, and relatively fewer crowds.

For the cherry blossom forecast, click here.

June

​City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	25°C (77°F)	19°C (66°F)	40%
Kyoto / Osaka	27°C (81°F)	20°C (68°F)	35%
Takayama	26°C (79°F)	15°C (59°F)	40%

From early June, the rainy season (tsuyu) begins across most of Japan (except Hokkaido). It doesn’t rain every day, but the weather is often cloudy and gloomy. Hot spring destinations like Hakone and Mount Koya can still be enjoyable, and Hokkaido is a good alternative.

July

​City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	29°C (84°F)	23°C (73°F)	30%
Kyoto / Osaka	31°C (88°F)	24°C (75°F)	35%
Takayama	29°C (84°F)	19°C (66°F)	45%

The rainy season usually ends in mid-July. It becomes hot and humid, and even standing outside can feel uncomfortable. Hokkaido is much more pleasant and very popular during summer. There are also many festivals, Mount Fuji opens for climbing, and it’s a great time for beach trips in Okinawa.

August

​City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	31°C (88°F)	24°C (75°F)	25%
Kyoto / Osaka	33°C (91°F)	25°C (77°F)	20%
Takayama	31°C (88°F)	20°C (68°F)	35%

August is hot and humid across most of Japan. Conditions are more comfortable in higher elevations and in Hokkaido.

September

​City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	27°C (81°F)	21°C (70°F)	35%
Kyoto / Osaka	29°C (81°F)	21°C (70°F)	30%
Takayama	26°C (79°F)	16°C (61°F)	40%

Typhoon season peaks in August–September. Storms usually hit Okinawa, Kyushu, and Shikoku, bringing rain and wind across Japan. Forecasts are quite accurate, so it’s usually manageable, but it can disrupt plans.

October

​City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	22°C (72°F)	15°C (59°F)	30%
Kyoto / Osaka	23°C (73°F)	15°C (59°F)	25%
Takayama	20°C (68°F)	9°C (48°F)	30%

One of the most pleasant months to visit - comfortable weather and low humidity.

Fall colors begin in the north and gradually move south.

November

​City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	17°C (63°F)	10°C (50°F)	20%
Kyoto / Osaka	17°C (63°F)	10°C (50°F)	20%
Takayama	13°C (55°F)	2°C (36°F)	35%

A fantastic month to visit - mild weather, beautiful autumn colors, and manageable crowds.

December

​City	Avg Temp (Day 🌞)	Avg Temp (Night 🌚)	Rainy Days 🌧️
Tokyo	12°C (54°F)	5°C (41°F)	10%
Kyoto / Osaka	12°C (54°F)	5°C (41°F)	15%
Takayama	6°C (43°F)	-2°C (28°F)	40%

December is a solid month to visit, but with a few downsides: very early sunsets (around 4:30 PM in Tokyo), less vibrant scenery, and some attractions closing toward the end of the month for New Year.