Autumn in Japan: when to go and what to expect

Autumn is Japan’s other great travel season, alongside cherry blossom spring. The difference is that autumn lasts longer, spreading across an arc from late September in the north to late November in the south, and attracts somewhat less media attention than sakura, though the gap is closing.

The colours of Japanese autumn are different from those in Europe or North America. There is more red, more lacquer, more contrast between maple and pine. The combination of a well-kept garden, a centuries-old temple and the trees at exactly the right moment is one of the hardest things to forget about Japan.

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Koyo and momiji: the terms

In Japanese, koyo (紅葉) is the general term for autumn colours: the full range of leaves changing. Momiji (紅葉, same kanji, different reading) is used specifically for the Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), which produces the most intense reds. In everyday speech, the two terms are often used interchangeably.

The period of greatest tourist interest is when the maples are at 見頃 (migoro): at their best, neither too green nor past their peak. This is what the autumn foliage calculator tracks.

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When autumn foliage peaks by region

The colours advance from north to south and from the mountains toward the coast. Dates are approximate and vary each year depending on summer and autumn temperatures.

Hokkaido (late September to mid-October): the first colours in Japan. Daisetsuzan National Park sees them earliest, sometimes in early September on the higher peaks. Sapporo and surroundings peak in the first half of October.

Tohoku and the central mountains (mid-October to early November): Nikko, in Tochigi Prefecture, is one of the most spectacular autumn destinations in the country. The temples and Lake Chūzenji, surrounded by maples, typically peak between 20 and 31 October in average years.

Tokyo and surroundings (mid to late November): Shinjuku Gyoen, Rikugien park and the Koishikawa Korakuen garden peak around the second or third week of November. Hakone, in the mountains near Tokyo, tends to run a little earlier.

Kyoto (mid to late November): the most photographed city in autumn. Eikan-do, Tofuku-ji and the Arashiyama forest are the most well-known sites. Peak is usually between 18 and 28 November, with variation of up to two weeks between warm and cold years.

Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima (late November to early December): colours arrive later here. The advantage is fewer tourists than in Kyoto.

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The best destinations for momiji

Kyoto

Kyoto has the highest concentration of gardens and temples with maple trees in Japan. The most spectacular are:

Eikan-do (永観堂): the most visited temple in Kyoto during autumn. It has more than 3,000 maple trees and opens at night during the season with special illumination. Tickets for the evening visits sell out weeks in advance.

Tofuku-ji (東福寺): famous for the Tsūten-kyo bridge from which you look down into a valley filled with maples. Very crowded, but worth it. Go early in the morning.

Arashiyama: bamboo and maples in the same area. The lesser-known Jojakko-ji temple has excellent views from its stone stairways.

Nikko

The waterfalls, the Toshogu temples and Lake Chūzenji in full colour are hard to beat. The challenge is that Nikko is heavily visited in autumn: trains and buses are packed on weekends. Weekdays are very different.

Hakone

The advantage of Hakone is that Mt. Fuji appears in the background when the sky clears. Lake Ashinoko surrounded by autumn maples with snow-capped Fuji behind it is one of the best images Japan can offer in October.

Sendai and Matsushima

Less well-known for autumn but excellent. Matsushima, with its 260 islands in the bay, has a character unlike any other destination in Japan.

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How to plan the season

Book early. Ryokanes and hotels in momiji areas such as Nikko, Hakone, Kyoto and Arashiyama fill up 2 to 4 months in advance for November weekends. If you want to sleep close to the best spots, book as soon as your dates are confirmed.

Weekdays are very different. A weekend at Tofuku-ji or Eikan-do can be overwhelming. The following Monday or Tuesday has the same view with half the people.

Getting there early helps. The most visited gardens and temples open before 9:00. Arriving at 8:30 makes a real difference.

Exact dates cannot be predicted months in advance. Japanese koyo forecast services (such as the Japan Meteorological Corporation’s) publish predictions from September onward. The autumn foliage calculator shows historical peak ranges by city to help with initial planning.

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What else to know

Japanese autumn is not only maples. There are ginkgos (銀杏) that turn a deep yellow, particularly in Tokyo (the avenue near Meiji Jingū Gaien) and in certain Kyoto gardens. There are also ripe persimmons (柿) on the trees in rural areas, a distinctly Japanese image of the season.

On weather: October is usually dry and pleasant across most of Japan. November is colder, especially evenings. In Kyoto by late November, nights can be quite cold.

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Momiji dates vary each year. The ranges in this article are historical averages; check current forecasts in September or October of your travel year.