One of the most common and important questions about travelling to Japan is about the best time of year to plan a trip. The second not insignificant question is which online casino to choose? We can recommend Casitabi online casino. The simple answer is that any opportunity to visit this amazing country is a good one, as each season in Japan delights in its own way.
Japan – when to visit the cherry blossom country
– Summer is the time for colourful festivals, mountain hikes in the Japanese Alps and wonderful relaxation on the picturesque coast;
– Autumn is famous for koyo, or ‘autumn leaf time’, when the trees slowly change colour and gradually turn from luscious green to saturated red, creating a breathtaking spectacle;
– Winter is a great time to go skiing or snowboarding, or relax in the onsen (hot springs);
– Spring is a unique opportunity to participate in hanami, the Japanese cherry blossom festival, when large swathes of the country are covered in trees in full bloom.
Japan is a destination worth choosing for your next trip, no matter what time of year you plan your holiday. The country’s culture blends in remarkably with the rhythm of the changing seasons, appreciating the natural order of things. During your stay, you will find that each season is celebrated in its own way, for example through occasional festivals and seasonal dishes.
If you haven’t yet decided on a date for your holiday, perhaps our tips will help you choose the best time – for you of course – to go on a Japanese trip. In fact, any time is good as long as you know what to expect. Some tourists go to Japan to escape the cold, others don’t like high temperatures and high humidity. Some people don’t mind the crowds, while others prefer to choose a quiet date for their holiday, when the tourist traffic in the region has died down a bit.
Seasons in Japan
Although Japan is not a very large country – especially when compared to neighbouring giant China – it is surprisingly vast and diverse. The seasons, and therefore the weather, change at different times on the northernmost cold island of Hokkaido and at different times on the idyllic islands of the subtropical Okinawa archipelago. Winters on Hokkaido tend to be longer and harsher than in the rest of the country, while Okinawa tempts with long summers and relatively high temperatures all year round. In between these extremes are cities such as Tokyo and Kyoto, located on Japan’s largest island, Honsiu.
Generally speaking, the best time to go to Japan is late spring (March to May) and late autumn (September to November), when rainfall is scarce, the sky cloudless and temperatures pleasantly warm. Moreover, it is then that one has the unique opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms in spring and the rich colours of the autumn trees. As a rule, the colder period between December and February is not very popular with tourists. However, this means that it can be a good time to travel due to lower prices. Japanese summers, on the other hand, are generally warm and humid, creating great conditions for sightseeing tours and hiking.
Hanami – Japan’s cherry blossom festival
Tourists are most likely to visit Japan in the springtime to admire the magical sight of a sea of cherry blossom trees flooding the country. The spectacle is a work of nature, not man, so it’s hard to predict its exact date as it all depends on the weather conditions of the year. The first trees blossom in the warmer southern regions at the end of February/beginning of March, reaching full bloom in a week or so. In less than two weeks, the show is over and the delicate flowers begin to fall from the trees. The whole process is similar, albeit slightly later in colder regions, and in northern Sapporo it doesn’t begin until May. If you would like to admire the cherry blossoms in Tokyo or Kyoto, it is best to plan your holiday for the last week of March or the first week of April. Keep in mind that a whole lot of tourists from all over the world are planning to go to Japan for the same reason as you, so don’t put off booking until the last minute.
Golden week – Japanese May Day
The end of April and the beginning of May in Japan is the so-called Golden Week. Several local holidays fall during this period and the Japanese like to take this opportunity to get away on holiday. For foreign tourists, this means one thing: more crowds and higher prices. Therefore, if possible, it is better to avoid planning a holiday for this particular week. However, this is not such a big obstacle to give up the trip altogether. If for various reasons you can only use your holiday around May Day, it would be a pity to give up your Japanese adventure because of the crowds. We all know that the May Day period means increased tourist traffic in virtually every part of the world. A colourful autumn spectacle
Autumn in Japan, depending on location, lasts roughly from mid-September to early December. It is widely regarded as the best time for a trip in terms of weather. The pleasant temperatures and occasional rainfall are definitely conducive to sightseeing and relaxation. However, autumn is most enticing for the amazing spectacle involving the colour-changing trees. The whole country literally sparkles with a thousand colours, from yellow, through orange and red, to brown and every shade of these colours imaginable. The peak of the autumn tourist season, however, is in November, when the “time of autumn leaves”, or koyo, reaches its maximum.
When is the best time to go to Tokyo and Kyoto?
The country’s capital is worth a visit regardless of the season, although winters can be cold there. Winter temperatures hover around 6oC and rarely drop below freezing. In June, September and October, rainfall can be expected, but it certainly won’t spoil your enjoyment of this amazing city. In summer, temperatures are 20-27oC, but the rather high humidity can give the illusion that it is much warmer. The best time to go to Tokyo is said to be in late spring (March to May) and late autumn (October to November). But in fact, you will have a great time in Tokyo regardless of the season and temperature.
Kyoto – Japan’s former capital and seat of the emperor – looks at its most beautiful during koyo and hanami, that is in late autumn and spring, when you can enjoy two of nature’s greatest spectacles and temperatures reach pleasant heights. However, this magical city is worth visiting regardless of the weather conditions. Perhaps the above tips will be useful to you in determining the best date for your trip. One thing is for sure, no matter what month you choose, Japan offers a wealth of attractions and beautiful places to visit all year round.
