Now that you've decided to visit Japan, you maybe wondering when you should visit Japan. Japan has four distinct seasons. Let's take a look at each season.
Spring (March-May)
Many flower related events are held around the country.
* Ume Plum Blossom Festivals
Plum blossoms can be viewed from late January to March in Honshu region.
* Cherry Blossom Viewing
Cherry blossoms flower in March and April on the mainland of Japan. Viewing pretty sakura flowers is a main reason for many travelers to visit Japan.
* Shibazakura (Moss Pink) Viewing Spots in Japan
March 3rd is Japanese Girl's Festival known as hina matsuri (hina doll festival). It's a day to pray for happiness and good health for girls.
Spring break for Japanese schools generally begins mid March and continues until the school year starts in the first week of April. Transportations and tourist attractions get crowded during this time, especially around the vernal equinox holiday (Shunbun-no-hi). (Japanese Holidays)
There is a popular Japanese vacation season called Golden Week from the end of April to around May 5. Since airports and train stations in Japan are overflowing with people, it's best to avoid traveling to Japan during Golden Week if possible.
Japanese Koinobori (carp streamers) Festivals - May 5th is Children's Day in Japan and is also Japanese Boy's Festival called tango-no-sekku. Many different designs and sizes of koinobori are displayed at Japanese koinobori festivals.
Summer (June-August)
Japanese rainy season starts early June and ends in mid July. If you don't like rain avoid this time of year. If you don't mind gloomy weather, it can be a cool and nice time to visit Japan.
Things to During the Rainy Season in Japan
Ajisai (hydrangea) light up Japan's gloomy rainy season.
Although July and August can be hot and humid in most parts of Japan, summer in Japan is a lively season with many events.
Hokkaido, the northernmost region of Japan, has no rainy season, and the summer weather is cool and dry. Summer is a good season to visit Hokkaido.
Obon (August 13-16) is another Japanese vacation season. If possible, avoid traveling during this time. However, Tokyo tends to be less crowded during obon since many people travel out of the city to their home towns.
Fall (September-November)
Leaves beautifully turn red, orange, and yellow in Japan, and they are so beautiful. Japan's fall foliage season begins in mid. October and extends through early December.
Japanese festivals are related to the agricultural calendar, and lots of Japanese festivals are held throughout the country to give thanks for the harvest during fall.
Japanese Fall Festivals
Tsukimi is a Japanese tradition originated from China, which is to appreciate the moon on the night of August 15th of the lunar calendar.
Halloween traditions, such as costume parties and trick-or-treat events, are seen in many Japanese cities, shopping malls, theme parks, and so on.
Winter (December - February)
Winter in Japan is cold, but it's not so bad. In Tokyo, the temperature hardly drops below 33F. January and February is a good time for snow sports. There are many good ski resorts in Hokkaido and the north region on Honshu island.
Colorful holiday illuminations and Christmas decorations can be seen around the country from November to December.
New Year's holidays are important for the Japanese. As many people are off work from the last weekend of December to the first weekend of January in Japan, it's Japan's busiest travel season. Japanese airports, highways, and train stations are crowded during the last week of December to the first week in January. Try to avoid traveling this period if possible.
