Why You Will Love Autumn in Japan

When you think about the foliage in Japan, you’d be forgiven for immediately picturing the cherry blossoms in springtime. You’ve no doubt seen the delicate pink blooms dotted over postcards and your friends’ holiday snaps. While there are plenty of reasons to chase the cherry blossom season in Japan, there are just as many to visit in autumn.

Autumn in Japan runs from September to November, and contradictory to the cherry blossom season, the autumn leaves are set alight with red hues in the north first and spread southward as the temperature drops. The countryside becomes ablaze with yellows, oranges, reds and maroons – keep a look out for them framing the temples of Kyoto in an amber glow and adorning the gardens of Tokyo with a carpet of colour. You’ll see leaves from Japanese Maples and Ginkgo trees floating down the winding canals and reflected off the still lakes, and with such good weather, you’ll enjoy getting out and about to relish in the scenery.

Autumn in Japan offers up pleasant weather and milder temperatures than the seasons that bookend it. Summer can be quite warm and humid, and winter can be very cold depending on where you visit. Autumn is an enjoyable blend of warm days and cool nights, starting off a little balmy and getting colder toward the end of the season. This climate means it’s cool enough to enjoy a soak in an onsen and the slurp of a hot noodle soup (which is not considered rude at all in Japan!) without the bite of winter. What’s not to love?! Start planning your Autumn tour of Japan today.