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When is the best time to visit Japan? Anytime of course! You might seek the flowers of spring and summer, the seasonal festivals, the autumn leaves or the snow monkeys of winter.
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When is the best time of the year to visit in Japan? It all revolves around what you want to see and experience on your dream trip. Every time of the year, the country is full of marvelous sights and experiences that visitors from all over the world enjoy, whether you go for the spring flowers, the summer fireworks, the fall colors, or the winter snow. Japan is incredible in any season, but the most important thing to consider is which of Japan's cultural treasures most interest you. When is the best time for you to visit Japan?
Many travelers wonder about similar things when planning the right time for a Japan trip. When is the best time to view changing autumn leaves at their peak? How about the perfect time of the year to see cherry blossoms in bloom? At what time of the year can admire another of Japan's beautiful flowers, like wisteria or baby blue eyes? The best time to experience a local festival? When is the least expensive time of the year? Browse the information below, and let AJT help you find the best time of the year to visit Japan.
When to travel to Japan? It is a question that is often asked and the answer is any time. The question you should be asking is what season do I enjoy the most? Many people base their answer on a flower they enjoy or saw a picture that looks amazing of the place. Some have an event they must attend no matter what and schedule their entire trip around it. Also some seasons brings out the best is certain regions that will be worth the time. Japan is a place that has something going on all year round that will attract visitors to various areas View more...
Spring is extremely popular as it is the time when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. In addition to the flowers that have been made famous worldwide there are festivals that feature the cherry blossoms. Let us not forget about the souvenirs and limited edition flavors released only around that time. Summer is a humid time to go, but there are so many festivals happening during the season that it would be a shame to not go. During the day it may be humid, but at night it is pleasant enough that it would not ruin the festivities. Each region has their unique major festival to attend. Autumn is when all the nature around the nation is covered in fall colors. The fall colored leaves add this extra beauty to the surrounding areas that it leaves a deep impression. Winter is one of coldest times to go, but all the snow related activities come to life. Not only is snowboarding and skiing must do activity there are tons of winter festivals. Then in areas where snow is not abundant there are illuminations that bring a world draped in lights.
There are popular seasons to go and Japan will be crowded with people from all over the world. Holidays flood the streets with not only visitors, but natives as well. During those times there usually is something special going on like an event. The key thing to remember when you are choosing a time to go is finding out what it is that you want to get out of your trip. Take into consideration the weather, climate and region to help you narrow down the season that best suits you or is tolerable enough to go. Regardless of the season there will be something happening in the country that will not disappoint any traveler. View less
Spring season in Japan lasts from March to May. It is a popular season to see the cherry blossom in bloom all over the country. There are the famous places to see them like Ueno Park in Tokyo or Kiyomizudera in Kyoto, but it is not the only plant blooming in the season. There is the wisteria, also known as fuji in Japanese, that blooms around the beginning of May. The Wisteria Tunnel at Kawachi Fuji Gardens is worth the trip to see the flower. It is a sight that will leave people breathless. Let us not forget the Fuji Shibazakura Festival by the Fuji Five Lakes. It is a festival where millions of bright colored moss phlox are in season and are arranged in a beautiful way. Imagine seeing this field with the majestic Mount Fuji in the background. It is also a time when azaleas are in season too and can be seen at the Mifuneyama Rakuen. There are also a few festivals that happen around this time that attract thousands of people. The Takayama Spring Festival has elegant and elaborate yatai (floats) parading around the town. It is a sight that makes you appreciate the hundreds of years of craftsmanship put into these floats. Another festival that keeps alive historical times is the Kyoto Aoi Festival. The festival has a procession where 500 people are dressed in clothes based on the Heian Period (794-1185). There are plenty of places to see and go around the season for people who like the spring season.
Summertime in Japan is humid and hot. Regardless of the climate it is the time when some of the greatest festivals happen. The Tohoku region has the Three Great Summer Festivals, which are located in Aomori, Akita and Sendai. Aomori Nebuta Festival has parades of large lanterns made out of paper. It takes a full year to create one of the floats and the designs are based on folklore or historical figures. During the procession you are allowed to join as a dancer as long as you have the proper outfit, which can be purchased. The Akita Kanto Festival is a spectacle to admire as groups of individuals balance long bamboo poles with lanterns on their head, hip, shoulder, and hand. These poles can weigh over 100 pounds and it will leave your heart racing as you watch them balance the props. The Sendai Tanabata Festival has giant streamers decorating the shopping arcades and festivities happening all over downtown. It is also known as the star festival and you can see many bamboo attached with the wishes of different individuals. In other areas of Japan there is the Gion Festival, which is a month long celebration in Kyoto. There are processions that happen on different dates and there are times when you can watch the people assemble the floats without the use of nails as it is tradition. Summer is the time when lavenders are in season. One of the best places to see them in mass is in Hokkaido. The weather will be nice and cool for those that travel there in the summer.
Autumn season in Japan is a time where everything you had seen before changes color. When traveling around the nation the famous sites are surrounded with colors of red, brown, yellow and green. It is the added autumn hues that make it more special than in other times in the year. The weather is cooler, but not too much that you are shivering. The Shrines and Temples of Nikko are majestic around this time. The UNESCO World Heritage Site would be surrounded by autumn leaves and a gentle gust would cause them to fall as you walk under pass the trees. It is like the world has returned to a peaceful serenity as you watch the bright maple leaves fall. The extra charm of the autumn season makes any destination in Japan more special than usual. In Takayama the autumn festival features a different set of yatai (floats) that is meant to compliment the season. The floats are elaborately decorated and showcase the famous craftsmanship of Takayama. Even visiting the various sites of Kyoto in the autumn season gives off a different feeling compared to other seasons.
Winter season in Japan has heavy snowfall in some areas. This means you can see some great natural sights around Japan. In Nagano you can see the snow monkeys relaxing in the onsens (hot springs) in the area. Zao in Yamagata Prefecture has the snow monsters all around the mountain. This refers to the trees that get encased in snow and ice creating these figures that look like some sort of monster. There is even a festival around this time centered on the Zao Snow Monsters. Further up north at the shores of Abashiri is the ryuhyo (drift ice). It is when big chunks of frozen water gather together making it look like it is frozen. There are ice breaking cruises that goes through the water and you can see the spectacle up close. You can even go Wakasagi Smelt Fishing in some areas in Hokkaido, which is the equivalent of ice fishing, but they fry the small fish onsite. Aside from the natural occurrences let us not forget the large winter festivals happening. The Sapporo Snow Festival is one of the largest in Japan. It is a full week of winter festivities ranging from ice sculpting to slides made out of snow. Even the stages used for performances are made out of snow and at night the snow sculptures are illuminated. There is also the Otaru Snow Light Path in the nearby city that has many snow lanterns scattered around the city of Otaru. It is a romantic type of celebration, but it does not stop you from enjoying the lights.
The best times to visit Japan for cherry blossoms for Central Japan is usually from late March through early April, though it might start a little earlier or end a little later, depending on weather and temperature. If you travel to cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, the cherry blossoms should be opening during this time. Cherry blossoms bloom all across Japan, beginning down in Okinawa in early February and reaching Kyushu and the main islands in late March. You see the small pink buds begin to open all across the main island of Honshu from late March to early April, with one notable exception: Kawazu. The city of Kawazu is home to a special kind of cherry blossom - the Kawazu cherry, which blooms earlier than usual. The best time to see these special blossoms is around mid February to early March, when the city hosts the annual Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival. Cherry blossoms finally reach full bloom in Hokkaido in early May.
November is the best time to catch autumn leaves in Japan. During this month, the leaves gradually reach peak colors throughout Japan, though many of the leaves begin to color as early as Late September, and fall to earth as late as December. Deciduous trees including the maple, zelkova, and rowan have bright orange-red or dark red leaves in autumn, while the ginkgo presents leaves in bright sunshine gold. This is one of the best times for a walk in a Japanese garden, since changing trees are such a huge part of Japanese landscape garden building. Especially some Buddhist temples stand near these magnificent autumn scenes, making this a good time to visit a temple in Kyoto. Although colorful autumn leaves can be seen anywhere in Japan at this time, some trees change earlier due to the elevation and the type of tree.
The best time to visit Japan for festivals depends on which festival you are interested in. Japan has exciting, unique festivals in every season. Summer is the season with the most matsuri festivals, and is considered the Japanese matsuri season. These summer festivals are held in cities across Japan, and usually feature a big fireworks display and a lot of festival food, like fried chicken, pork, and soba, and grilled octopus. The more famous summer festivals are held in July, like Kyoto's Gion Matsuri, or in August, like Tokushima's Awa Odori. The three Great Summer Festivals of Tohoku are also held in August, making it one of the best times to see a Japanese festival. Japan also has festivals celebrating the coming of spring, with cherry blossoms and other flowers, or other cultural festivals. Find the festival of your choice from the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival in February to the Kyoto Aoi Festival in May. The old city of Takayama has a gorgeous Spring Festival and colorful Autumn Festival, occurring in April and October respectively. February is the best time to see a winter festival in Hokkaido, and if you go to Sapporo, you'll enjoy the city's Snow Festival, which features massive snow buildings and other creations.
Different flowers bloom in Japan at various times of the year, so when to visit Japan for flowers will hinge on which ones you are most interested in seeing. Spring is, of course, one of the best and biggest seasons for flowers in Japan. Travelers visit the main island during this time for cherry blossoms - the most important flower of the season. One of the earliest cherry blossom flower-viewing festivals takes place in February in Kawazu city, where the locals gather to enjoy the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival and eat sakura cherry-flavored sweets. From late April to early May is great to stop in Tochigi for the Wisteria, draped elegantly over Ashikaga Flower Park. May is the perfect time to see millions of baby blue eyes at Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki, and the shibazakura phlox moss covers parts of the Fuji Five Lakes in a pretty festival of fuchsia, white, and purple. Summer is Hokkaido's best time for flowers - a look at the lavenders of Farm Tomita is especially prized by flower lovers. Japan has numerous popular flower gardens available at certain times throughout the year, including roses, chrysanthemums, tulips, and sunflowers.
The least expensive time to visit Japan will be any time outside the peak travel season - especially late January to February. During times when there are a lot of travelers, flights and prices of hotels increase because of the high demand. National holidays and celebrations see a lot of travel in Japan, which include the first week of May (called "Golden Week"), Japanese New Year (the first three days in January), and Silver Week (the second week in September). The national celebration of Obon in August is also a popular travel time. In addition, seasonal events, like cherry blossoms in March and April, and fall colors in November are also high travel periods. So, from after Japanese New Year in January to the start of the cherry blossom season in March is one of the least expensive times to tour Japan. The daytime weather is brisk, but usually clear, although the daylight hours are short.
Carefully consider not only when the least expensive time to travel to Japan is, but what experience you want to have and what you want to see when determining the best time for you to visit.
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Planned by experts, based on seasonal favorites and must-see sites.
Choose your style and split cost with other passengers
Chosen by our experienced staff
Guide is available to you 24/7 and sleeps in the same hotel
Learn to create your own Sushi, meet a geisha or maiko, and more
Meet locals and visit rural areas of Japan you might miss on other tours
4.9 stars based on 581 REVIEWS
My husband and I just got back from our tour of Japan and would like to give you some feedback. We had an incredible time! It was a trip of a lifetime. I liked it even better than Paris and that is saying something!
Read MoreThis was a outstanding tour with a lot of of sights packed into a short timeframe. Be prepared to walk, but the effort you put in pays off. Our guide and driver were fabulous getting us to places before huge crowds descended and our guide was tremendously knowledgable with both historical and current information regarding culture and lifestyles. The people everywhere we went were friendly and helpful and the food was fantastic. Accommodations were great and provided easy access to other local sights and resources. Couldn't be happier with our choice to use AJT.
Read MoreTour - Enjoyable life experience, with opportunities to learn Japanese culture and lifestyle. Visited a lot of important cultural and historical places within a short period of time. And foliage season makes this tour magical. The tour was great, and many thanks to tour guides, both Barbara and Miharu had a passion and high aspirations for their country and job!
Read MoreOur 15 day Autumn Leaves Tour exceeded our expectations beautiful hotels and locations with very knowledgeable guides. We really find it hard to pick our favorite stop we we're extremely happy with everything on Shikoku Pilgrimage and Kii peninsula. This tour is a walking paradise the cuisine and hot onsens our rewards. Thank you soo much a top cultural experience and adventure all the best from the Zukow
Read MoreWell Organized, Timely and Truly Memorable for me. Tour Director was Excellent! Had a wonderful time. Thank You.
Group Tour Style | Budget | Deluxe | Deluxe-Plus | Signature | Active |
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Feature | Our Budget Tours are designed for our guests who are on a limited budget. Explore the must-see sights and enjoy a hassle-free trip to Japan at an affordable price. | Sample all Japan has to offer, from unique locales to must see tourist attractions. Our Deluxe Tours are fully guided, and use our luxury coaches for your convenience and comfort. | Experience Japanese culture at a slower pace, and with a smaller group size than our deluxe tours. Stay in each city longer so you can soak in the culture and fully appreciate the destinations. | Enjoy upgraded hotels, a slower pace, and a smaller group size for a more intimate experience. Access to a wide range of unique activities that immerse you in authentic Japanese culture. | Explore Japan off the beaten path via Japanese public transportation, walking, hiking, cycling and more. Take more time to enjoy local experiences and picturesque landscape. |
Advantage | Our most cost-effective way to see the highlights of Japan while staying in budget-friendly accommodations. If you would like to have a set of quick stops to sample the must-see sights of Japan, or if you plan to explore Japan on your own but would like to take a short trip to learn about Japan before your self-guided journeys, these are the tours for you. | Our most popular tours for everyone. Fully-escorted - the most hassle-free way to visit Japan for the best value. From Hokkaido to Kyushu, the duration of our Deluxe Tours range from 5 to 27 days. Whether you want to see the best of Japan in a shorter time, or take your time in each city, you will find a tour package that suits your preferences. | Smaller group sizes enable our guests to access more of Japanese culture and traditions. Our Deluxe-Plus Tours are carefully balanced for you to discover the unique Japanese culture, history, arts, food and spectacular scenery Japan has. If you love Japan and want to appreciate the best of everything Japan can offer, these are the tours for you. | Dive into the cultural aspects of Japan at a more leisurely pace. Enjoy more than just sightseeing. All of our Signature Small Group Tours feature a wide range of cultural experiences through interaction with the people and places that represent all that is authentic about the destination. Get an alternative, more in-depth understanding of Japanese culture and art. | Our Active Small Group Tours combine the best cultural locations with off-the-beaten-path destinations via Japanese public transportation. Discover the country of Japan the way the locals do and see Japan from a different angle. A focus on getting away from the crowds and into the real Japan, see the diversity of Japan’s countryside unfold before your eyes. |
Group Size | 20 to 45 people | 10 to 35 people | 6 to 24 people | 4 to 16 people | 4 to 13 people |
Fully-escorted | Comprehensively escorted by AJT's professional English speaking tour guide | Your guides are local experts and residents of the city you are visiting, they do not always escort the group when traveling between cities | |||
Pace | Fast pace to see as much as possible while in Japan | Perfect pace to see as much as possible while in Japan | More leisurely pace to soak in and fully appreciate the destinations, plus free time to explore on your own | ||
Airport Transfers | Airport transfers are NOT included unless otherwise specified | Airport transfers are included* (If no options are taken: hotels are not requested to be changed and passengers use the correct airports) | Airport transfers are included if arriving on the first day of the tour and returning on the last day of the tour | Private airport transfers are included if arriving on the first day of the tour and returning on the last day of the tour | Airport transfers are NOT included unless otherwise specified |
Transfer between cities | Transfer between cities via private coach and Shinkansen (bullet train), depending on the itinerary | Transfer between cities via private coach and first class Shinkansen (bullet train), depending on the itinerary | Transfer between cities via Shinkansen (bullet train) or express train. Private minivans are also used occasionally where public transport is not available or practical | ||
Sightseeing | Sightseeing by private coach with an escorted guide | Sightseeing by private coach and public transportation with an escorted guide | Sightseeing via public transportation (local train, subway & local bus) with local guides | ||
Admission fees and activities | All entry fees to sites and activities listed in the itinerary are included | ||||
Luggage Transfers | Luggage transfers by private coach from hotel to hotel, plus separate luggage transfers are included on select tours | Separate luggage transfers are included | |||
Meals | Breakfast every morning, plus meals as indicated (vegetarian or special meals can be arranged) | ||||
Accommodation | Carefully-selected budget hotels and ryokans | Carefully-selected superior/deluxe hotels and ryokans | Carefully-selected deluxe/boutique hotels and ryokans | Carefully-selected deluxe/luxury hotels and ryokans | Accommodations range from local Japanese inns (minshuku) to budget hotels, to superior/deluxe hotels depending on the tour and destination |
Ages | 4 years old and above | 6 years old and above | |||
Health & Activity | In order to enjoy our tour, you should be able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing activities can only be accomplished on foot. Wheelchairs can be arranged upon request. However, we regret that we’re unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs. Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it. | These tours are tailored to the energetic traveler; guests should feel comfortable walking from 4 to 10 miles a day depending on the tour and destination. |