Japan has no bad time to visit. It has perfect times for every kind of traveller. And an honest answer to «when should I travel to Japan?» begins by understanding what you are looking for — not what most people do.
We have spent years designing bespoke journeys to Japan from Seville, and the question that comes up most often before we start planning is always the same: when is the best moment to go? The short answer is that there are two exceptional windows — spring and autumn — but with important nuances that are rarely mentioned.
The blossoming of the cherry trees, the sakura, is probably the most recognisable image of Japan. It happens between late March and early April, depending on the latitude and the year, and lasts barely two weeks. That fleetingness is part of its beauty — the Japanese even have a word for contemplating it: hanami, literally «flower viewing».
What many guides do not tell you: the sakura is not uniform across the whole country. In Tokyo it usually blossoms around 25 March, while in Kyoto it does so a few days later, and in Hokkaido, to the north, it can take until May. This means that with a well-designed itinerary you can chase the sakura from south to north for almost a month.
What we recommend: If your goal is to see the sakura, book at least 5–6 months in advance. Hotels in Kyoto and Tokyo during those weeks sell out fast and prices soar. A ryokan in Hakone with views of a snow-capped Fuji and cherry blossoms in the foreground is not an accessible luxury in season unless you plan ahead.
May is, for us, the most balanced month of the year in Japan. The cherry blossoms have fallen, the tourists who came only for the sakura have gone, temperatures in Tokyo hover around 20–23°C and the country is in full green effervescence. There is a calm atmosphere that contrasts with the frenzy of April.
The Japanese summer is not for everyone. Humidity can exceed 80% and temperatures can top 35°C in the cities. June brings the rainy season — the tsuyu — which lasts several weeks.
And yet, July and August have something no other season has: the great summer festivals. The Gion Festival in Kyoto, held throughout July, is one of the oldest in the world: parades of floats (yamahoko), ancestral music, women in yukata strolling through the streets at night. The atmosphere is absolutely special.
In August, Obon is the Buddhist festival dedicated to ancestors. The Bon Odori dances, the floating lanterns on the rivers, the fireworks along the coast — if you are looking to connect with the more spiritual and less touristy Japan, summer has these unique windows.
Insider tip: If you travel in summer, start in the north (Hokkaido or Tohoku) where the climate is far more bearable, and save the central cities for the end, once you have acclimatised. A mountain ryokan in Nikko or Hakone will give you the relief of cool air between one stage and the next.
If spring is the pink of the sakura, autumn is the red and gold of the momiji — the leaves of the Japanese maple. The koyo, the contemplation of the autumn foliage, is for many travellers even more impressive than the sakura, because it lasts longer and the colours are more dramatic.
The koyo begins in Hokkaido in September and moves down towards the south until November. In Kyoto, the gardens of the Tofuku-ji temple or the bamboo of Arashiyama in ochre tones are hard to forget. In Tokyo, the parks of Shinjuku and Ueno transform into carpets of colour that the locals photograph for weeks.
Temperatures in October are perfect: between 14 and 22°C across most of the country. Neither the stifling heat of summer nor the dry cold of winter. For a first journey to Japan, October is our favourite month.
The sakura season. Ideal for those who want to experience the most photogenic Japan. Book well in advance. May is the less crowded version.
Hot and humid, but with the best festivals of the year. For travellers seeking the most authentic cultural experience, not the most comfortable one.
The koyo transforms the country. October is our favourite month: perfect climate, fewer crowds than in spring, extraordinary colours.
The cheapest and least crowded Japan. Skiing in Hokkaido, onsens in the snow, Christmas markets in Tokyo. A completely different experience.
The Japanese winter is the best-kept secret for the traveller who flees the crowds. The temples of Kyoto under light snow, the onsens of Hakone in the cold, the skiing on the slopes of Niseko in Hokkaido — all of it exists and is extraordinary, and most Western tourists do not consider it.
January and February are the cheapest months of the year to travel to Japan, with flights and hotels significantly more affordable than in spring or autumn. If your budget is a factor and you have the flexibility to travel in winter, it may be the best decision you make.
There are two periods we recommend avoiding unless you have no other option:
The honest answer: fewer than 10 days is not enough to do the country justice. The classic circuit Tokyo – Hakone – Kyoto – Osaka can be done in 10–12 days, but at a pace that leaves no room to breathe. We recommend 14–18 days for a first journey that also includes Hiroshima, Nara, and if possible, a getaway to the north or to the southern islands.
Japan is one of those destinations where the difference between a well-designed itinerary and an improvised one shows in an extraordinary way. Not only in terms of what you see, but in how you live it — the travel times, the choice of the right accommodation in the right neighbourhood, the reservations that must be made months in advance (the kaiseki restaurant that only accepts 8 diners a night, the temple that opens to the public just three days a year).
Tell us what you imagine and we will design it from scratch. No catalogue, no standard packages.
Design your journey to Japan →Article written by the Away Travel Designer team, a bespoke travel agency in Seville. We have spent years designing personalised itineraries across Japan for travellers who are looking for something more than what an organised tour offers.