Weather in Japan

Japan's cherry blossom (sakura) season in late March to mid-April is its most famous attraction and arguably the most beautiful natural spectacle in Asia — thousands of cherry trees erupting in clouds of pale pink and white blossoms, beneath which office workers, families, and friends gather for hanami (flower-viewing) picnics with sake and bento boxes. The timing varies by location and year but typically peaks in Tokyo during the last week of March and in Kyoto in early April. Book accommodation months in advance for this period as it is the most popular travel season.

Autumn (October–November) rivals spring in beauty: maples, ginkgo trees, and liquidambar turn the mountain slopes and temple gardens of Kyoto, Nikko, and the Japan Alps into riots of red, orange, and gold. Temperatures are comfortable (15–22°C) and the crowds, while significant, are manageable outside the peak koyo (autumn leaves) weekend. Summer (June–August) brings the rainy season (tsuyu) in June, followed by intense heat and humidity in July and August, offset by spectacular festivals including Gion Matsuri in Kyoto (July) and the Awa Odori dance festival in Tokushima (August). Winter (December–February) transforms Hokkaido and the Japanese Alps into world-class ski destinations while reducing crowds at Kyoto and Nara to their annual low.