Best time to visit Japan

Our verdict

The best time to visit Japan is September-October

Japan is a place lots of people visit almost all year round, but if you’re looking for the best time to go, September-October is definitely the time you should visit. This is based on a number of factors such as the weather, cost of flights and accommodation, peak travel periods and more.

In summer, the average maximum temperature in Tokyo climbs to around 31℃ (87℉), but temperatures can sometimes reach as high as 33℃ (91℉) on the hottest days of the year. The coldest it usually gets in winter-time in Tokyo is around 1℃ (33℉). Temperatures can often differ in other locations in Japan, so be sure to continue reading if you plan on visiting elsewhere.

If you want to get the most out of your time visiting Japan, or you’re just afraid of the dark, the days in August are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset. You don’t want to get wet on your holiday, do you? Well if you’re trying to avoid the rain, then steer clear of Japan in October. Head there in December instead if you want to increase your chances of not being rained on.

Keep reading to read all the info you need (and none of the stuff you don’t) about the best times to go to Japan. By the time you get to the bottom, you’ll have found out all there is to know about when to go, and you’ll be ready to start booking your flights! Who knows, we might even have some surprises waiting for you when you get there!

Warmest month

August

Least rainfall

December

Most daylight

August

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Japan seasons

Before you plan your trip, it’s important to know when the seasons are as they may be different to yours depending on where you’re travelling from. Japan is in the Northern hemisphere, so the seasons fall on:

Season Months
Summer June to August
Autumn/fall September to November
Winter December to February
Spring March to May

Best time to visit the top destinations in Japan

We’ve put together a breakdown of the average minimum and maximum temperatures by month, as well as the best times to visit for each. To learn more about these destinations including detailed climate breakdowns and much more, click or tap the city/destination name below.

CityBest time to visitJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
AkitaMarch
2℃
-1℃
2℃
-2℃
6℃
1℃
11℃
6℃
17℃
11℃
21℃
15℃
25℃
20℃
27℃
22℃
23℃
18℃
17℃
12℃
11℃
7℃
5℃
2℃
AshikagaOctober
6℃
-1℃
7℃
-1℃
11℃
2℃
16℃
7℃
22℃
13℃
24℃
16℃
28℃
21℃
30℃
22℃
25℃
18℃
20℃
13℃
14℃
7℃
8℃
2℃
FukuokaSeptember
9℃
4℃
10℃
5℃
13℃
7℃
17℃
10℃
22℃
15℃
25℃
19℃
28℃
23℃
30℃
24℃
26℃
21℃
22℃
16℃
16℃
11℃
11℃
6℃
FuranoMarch-May
-5℃
-13℃
-5℃
-14℃
-0℃
-10℃
7℃
-2℃
15℃
5℃
20℃
9℃
24℃
14℃
24℃
14℃
19℃
10℃
12℃
3℃
4℃
-3℃
-3℃
-10℃
HakodateNovember
0℃
-3℃
0℃
-4℃
4℃
-0℃
8℃
4℃
14℃
9℃
17℃
13℃
21℃
18℃
23℃
20℃
21℃
17℃
15℃
11℃
9℃
5℃
3℃
-1℃
HakoneApril-May
8℃
1℃
8℃
2℃
11℃
5℃
15℃
9℃
21℃
14℃
23℃
17℃
27℃
21℃
28℃
22℃
25℃
19℃
20℃
14℃
15℃
9℃
10℃
4℃
HiroshimaMarch-May
6℃
0℃
8℃
1℃
12℃
3℃
16℃
7℃
22℃
12℃
25℃
16℃
28℃
21℃
30℃
22℃
26℃
18℃
20℃
13℃
14℃
7℃
8℃
3℃
IshigakiMarch
21℃
19℃
21℃
19℃
22℃
20℃
24℃
22℃
26℃
25℃
28℃
28℃
29℃
29℃
29℃
29℃
29℃
28℃
27℃
26℃
25℃
23℃
22℃
20℃
KagoshimaMarch
11℃
5℃
13℃
6℃
15℃
8℃
19℃
12℃
23℃
16℃
25℃
20℃
29℃
23℃
31℃
24℃
28℃
22℃
24℃
17℃
18℃
12℃
13℃
7℃
KanazawaOctober
4℃
0℃
5℃
0℃
9℃
3℃
13℃
7℃
18℃
13℃
21℃
16℃
25℃
21℃
27℃
22℃
24℃
19℃
18℃
14℃
13℃
8℃
8℃
3℃
KaruizawaSeptember
-0℃
-8℃
1℃
-8℃
6℃
-4℃
12℃
2℃
18℃
7℃
21℃
11℃
25℃
16℃
26℃
17℃
21℃
12℃
16℃
7℃
10℃
1℃
3℃
-4℃
KobeOctober-November
8℃
3℃
9℃
4℃
12℃
6℃
17℃
10℃
22℃
15℃
25℃
19℃
29℃
23℃
30℃
24℃
27℃
21℃
22℃
16℃
16℃
11℃
10℃
6℃
KochiMarch
7℃
1℃
9℃
1℃
12℃
4℃
16℃
8℃
21℃
12℃
24℃
17℃
28℃
21℃
29℃
22℃
25℃
19℃
20℃
13℃
15℃
8℃
9℃
3℃
KyotoMarch-May
6℃
-0℃
7℃
0℃
11℃
2℃
16℃
7℃
23℃
12℃
25℃
16℃
29℃
21℃
31℃
22℃
26℃
18℃
20℃
13℃
14℃
7℃
8℃
2℃
MiyajimaMarch-May
6℃
0℃
8℃
1℃
11℃
3℃
16℃
7℃
21℃
12℃
24℃
16℃
28℃
21℃
29℃
22℃
25℃
18℃
20℃
13℃
14℃
8℃
8℃
3℃
NaganoSeptember-November
1℃
-6℃
2℃
-6℃
6℃
-3℃
12℃
2℃
20℃
8℃
22℃
12℃
26℃
17℃
27℃
18℃
23℃
13℃
17℃
8℃
11℃
2℃
4℃
-3℃
NagasakiNovember
10℃
7℃
11℃
7℃
14℃
10℃
18℃
13℃
22℃
17℃
24℃
21℃
28℃
24℃
29℃
26℃
27℃
23℃
23℃
19℃
18℃
14℃
12℃
9℃
NagoyaApril-May
9℃
5℃
10℃
6℃
13℃
8℃
17℃
11℃
21℃
16℃
24℃
19℃
28℃
23℃
29℃
25℃
26℃
22℃
22℃
17℃
16℃
12℃
11℃
7℃
NahaMarch-May
19℃
17℃
20℃
18℃
21℃
18℃
22℃
20℃
25℃
23℃
27℃
26℃
29℃
28℃
29℃
28℃
29℃
28℃
26℃
25℃
24℃
22℃
21℃
19℃
NaraMarch-April
6℃
0℃
8℃
0℃
12℃
3℃
17℃
7℃
23℃
12℃
25℃
16℃
29℃
21℃
31℃
22℃
26℃
18℃
21℃
13℃
15℃
8℃
9℃
3℃
NikkoApril
3℃
-4℃
4℃
-4℃
8℃
-1℃
14℃
4℃
20℃
10℃
22℃
14℃
26℃
19℃
27℃
19℃
23℃
15℃
17℃
10℃
12℃
4℃
6℃
-1℃
NisekoApril-May
-4℃
-8℃
-3℃
-9℃
1℃
-6℃
7℃
1℃
15℃
6℃
18℃
10℃
22℃
15℃
23℃
16℃
20℃
12℃
13℃
6℃
5℃
-0℃
-2℃
-6℃
OsakaSeptember
0℃
-9℃
2℃
-9℃
7℃
-4℃
13℃
1℃
19℃
6℃
22℃
10℃
26℃
15℃
27℃
16℃
22℃
11℃
17℃
6℃
10℃
1℃
4℃
-5℃
SapporoApril-May
-4℃
-10℃
-3℃
-10℃
1℃
-6℃
8℃
1℃
16℃
7℃
19℃
11℃
24℃
15℃
24℃
16℃
20℃
12℃
13℃
6℃
6℃
-0℃
-1℃
-7℃
ShirakawagoNovember
4℃
-4℃
6℃
-2℃
13℃
3℃
19℃
8℃
24℃
13℃
30℃
19℃
32℃
20℃
31℃
19℃
27℃
15℃
19℃
9℃
12℃
3℃
6℃
-1℃
TakayamaSeptember-October
-2℃
-10℃
-0℃
-9℃
4℃
-5℃
11℃
0℃
17℃
6℃
20℃
10℃
24℃
15℃
25℃
16℃
21℃
12℃
15℃
6℃
8℃
0℃
1℃
-6℃
TokyoSeptember-October
9℃
3℃
10℃
4℃
13℃
6℃
18℃
11℃
23℃
16℃
25℃
19℃
29℃
23℃
31℃
25℃
27℃
21℃
22℃
16℃
17℃
11℃
11℃
6℃
ToyamaSeptember-October
3℃
-3℃
3℃
-3℃
7℃
1℃
13℃
6℃
19℃
11℃
22℃
14℃
26℃
20℃
27℃
21℃
23℃
17℃
18℃
12℃
12℃
7℃
6℃
1℃
WakayamaMarch-April
9℃
5℃
9℃
5℃
12℃
7℃
17℃
11℃
21℃
16℃
24℃
20℃
28℃
24℃
29℃
25℃
26℃
22℃
22℃
17℃
16℃
12℃
11℃
7℃
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Top FAQs

You can check out the full list of awesome destinations and hidden gems to explore in Japan here.
The warmest month of the year in Tokyo, one of the most popular places to visit in Japan, is August.
The driest month of the year in Tokyo, Japan, is usually around December each year.

Japan map