While tourist hot spots like Tokyo and Kyoto don’t get much snow if any at all, there are also areas in Japan that get plenty of it during the winter. It gets cold in most parts of Japan during the winter, with only Okinawa being spared the sometimes freezing temperatures. The winter in Japan kicks off with a 1 or 2 week vacation around the New Year holidays, but not before Christmas is enjoyed Japanese-style. Especially fruits like grapes and kaki are delicious, and on some farms in Japan they allow you to pick them and eat all you can during picking. Just like in other places in the world with a temperate climate, autumn is the time of harvesting fruits and vegetables. Exclusive fall foliage light-ups also happen in some Japanese gardens like the Rikugien and Otaguro Park in Tokyo. Day trips to places like Nikko, Hakone, and Nara are also very popular in autumn.Īnd while most illumination events happen in winter, some of these light-up extravaganzas already start in November. Famous destinations such as the Silver Pavilion and nearby Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto or Mt Takao near Tokyo become even more photogenic in the fall, as well as Japanese landscape gardens. Areas that are beautiful throughout the year take on an extra level of splendor when the trees color deep red, orange, and bright yellow. Another big plus about the autumn in Japan are the famously beautiful fall foliage colors that spread over Japan between mid October and early December. As for our favorite Japanese summer snacks, you can’t miss out on kakigori, and other unique ice cream flavours in Japan, and summer wagashi like mizu-yokan.įrom mid-September, the temperatures slowly start dropping and apart from the occasional typhoon the weather is usually very comfortable. Hokkaido is an especially good prefecture to visit during the summer, as the temperatures are usually a bit more agreeable and the flower fields of Hirano and Biei ( Farm Tomita) are one of Japan’s most stunning sights. It is a great chance to enjoy typical festival foods like yakisoba and dango, traditional performances, and wearing a yukata with your family and friends. If you’re lucky, you may even see fairy-like fireflies outside of the city in the summer!Īnother highlight of the summer are the many festivals, some of which feature amazing firework shows. People in Japan enjoy the summer in various ways they go to the beach, climb Mt Fuji, go hiking in areas with a higher elevation to beat the heat, and go camping. To survive the humid summer heat there are many traditions in place. It can be rainy at times, but most of the season it will be warm, humid, and sunny. Summer in Japan means that the temperatures will reach highs of 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) or more most of the time. And are you a beach lover? From mid-March to early April, it is the official beach opening season in Okinawa, meaning that it is warm enough to swim if you don’t mind a bit cooler temperatures. Furthermore, May is one of the best months to go to the gorgeous Ashikaga Flower Park as you can see the blooming wisteria at this time. Keep an eye out for the doll displays of the Hina matsuri in the first week of March, the flying koi banners of kodomo-no-hi throughout April and the first week of May, the Takayama Festival in the middle of April, and the geisha dances of Miyako Odori that are held in April in Kyoto. There are also quite a few Japanese national holidays that happen in spring, during which there are a lot of festivals and other activities being held everywhere. Hanami picnics are held in parks throughout the country in this cheerful period, and there are many tasty seasonal treats available with a sakura theme. They herald the approach of the cherry blossoms that make their way through Japan from late February in Okinawa until late April in Hokkaido. Spring starts early in Japan with the plum blossoms that start blooming as early as mid-February. The cold winter weather and long dark evenings make way for more daylight and slightly warmer temperatures, and nature wakes up again. The season that is probably most highly anticipated in Japan is spring.
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