Hi there!
What is the best month to visit Japan?!
It depends!
Lame…
But it really depends on what you’re looking for!
You can find a reason to visit every month in Japan!
And, for the same reason one person may find it to be the BEST time to visit Japan, another person may think it’s a TERRIBLE time to visit Japan!
That said, if you had to choose…
What is the nicest month in Japan?
Many people will say that the nicest months in Japan are March and April. This is because these months are the prettiest months in Japan when you can see cherry blossoms in the most popular cities in Japan! These are the spring months in Japan, which also means that it’s not too hot! On the flip side, you can expect crowds because cherry blossom season is high tourist season.
The exact dates of cherry blossom season will vary depending on how soon (or not) it warms up. But in general, you can expect cherry blossom season to be in March and April.
The other nicest months in Japan are October, November, and December, because these months are the prettiest months in Japan when it comes to fall colors!
Is January, February, or March a good time to visit Japan?
Yes, January, February, or March is a good time to visit Japan… if you are looking for a winter destination!
Winter means SNOW! (In some places.)
If you are into winter sports, winter could be a prime time for your trip to Japan!
Nagano was home to the 1998 winter Olympics – have a look at Hakuba for a ski destination in Nagano.
Hokkaido is the furthest north main island of Japan, another ski destination. Have a look at ski resorts in Niseko, Rusutsu, and Furano.
It’s possible that these places can be worth visiting even through March. (Meaning they could still have snow then.)
Even if you’re not into skiing or snowboarding, Nagano and Hokkaido could still be worth visiting for the winter wonderland and snow landscape.
There’s also the snow festival, igloo village, snow monkeys (where you can find them in onsen hot springs), and ice breaker cruise (where you might have a chance to spot seals).
See a sample 10 day winter itinerary with the Japan Alps, and also see a sample 7 day winter itinerary in Hokkaido.
Is March or April a good time to visit Japan?
Yes, March or April is a good time to visit Japan… if you are looking for cherry blossom season!
Spring means PINK!
Well, if you’re a fan of cherry blossoms, this might be the ONLY time you’ll want to go on your first trip to Japan!
Each year, the earliest cherry blossom predictions come in January, and you really have only a narrow amount of time to see them in each city, maybe a couple of weeks.
See the 2019 predictions for the blooming of cherry blossoms with first bloom and full bloom.
Also have a look at cherry blossom spots in Tokyo, in Kyoto, and in Osaka.
Is June, July, or August a good time to visit Japan?
Yes, June, July, or August is a good time to visit Japan… if you are looking for greenery in mountain destinations!
Summer means GREEN!
With all the mountains around, Japan can be a prime hiking destination in the summer, and there are many places you can go that will have hiking trails suitable as day hikes.
You can also find day hikes with nice views when you’re staying in Tokyo and Kyoto too. Japan is made up of mountains so you won’t be too far from a hiking trail!
There are many hikes in Japan that you could call somewhat of a “culture hike” too, as there are trails that you can visit temples or shrines along the way, and/or there are traditional Japanese-style structures along the way. One such trail in Kyoto is the Kurama to Kibune hike where you can hike from temple to shrine.
For more such culture hikes, have a look at the Nakasendo trail or Kumano kodo trail.
And if you don’t consider yourself to be much of a hiker, Japan is also full of ropeways or cable cars.
This means that you’ll often find a lift to that stunning scenery.
You may be able to find trails and ropeways year-round in some places, but summer can mean a prettier landscape, at least compared to leafless trees… if you’re superficial like that. 😉
And if you go to more of a mountain destination, you won’t even really need to make an effort for that nice landscape – you’ll be surrounded by it!
Summer also means that you can climb Mount Fuji and stand on the top of Japan!
There’s a climbing season for Mt Fuji, and that also changes each year, but typically it will be from early July to early September.
Even climbing Mt Fuji in summer means that you need to pack for cold weather though – it gets colder the higher you go!
Is November or December a good time to visit Japan?
Yes, November or December is a good time to visit Japan… if you are looking for fall colors in Japan!
Fall means RED!
Just like there is a cherry blossom season in spring that’s a big deal, there’s also an autumn changing of leaves season that’s a big deal in Japan!
And just like with cherry blossom season, the dates of the fall colors will vary each year based on weather, and they will be different across the country. And yes, this can include December!
To get an idea of possible dates for the changing of leaves, here’s a fall foliage map from a past year.
See what fall colors in Japan can look like too.
HAPPY CHOOSING THE BEST TIME TO VISIT JAPAN!