WHEN TO VISIT JAPAN (and when NOT to!) seasons, dates, advice | japan travel guide

I AM BACK!!!! 😤 Sorry I was busy playing Baldur's Gate 3 and getting sick :)
ADDITIONAL TIP! There are many types of cherry blossoms that bloom at different times in Spring!! Four main ones, in order of blooming, are: kawazu, shidare, somei yoshino, and yae ✍ Please look these up if you are concerned you will miss the blossoms in spring!!
ALSO, it is truly amazing I totally forgot to mention Obon even though I literally filmed this during Obon like omg HOW!!!!!!

does anyone know how the crowds will be mid march like march 10-20th? specifically at disneysea and Disneyland? i want to go so badly bc I'm on spring break but then also everyone else is on spring break :((

So we are actually going to be there in 2024 June 16-24th it’s like our only time to come. I’m so worried about being rained out of all our activities. Are there a lot of wash out days in June? Literally it’s when I read the rainy season starts lol wish I could change the dates but it’s literally the only time we can. Also it’s our first time coming ❤

Hi! Planning a trip this year end of May through first week of June. Do you think it will be LESS rainy, hot, humid? Thanks in advance!

I'm going Feb 8-23, my work gave me the extra few days outside the 2 weeks because I showed them the difference in air fare was like over 1,000 (my RT ticket is 1200)

Glad i found this! Thank you! 😊

Then I'll choose November - Mid Dec. I think it's the best. people are still working, the weather is chill, can see fall leaves + christmas decoration.

My friend & I are planning a 3 month trip to Japan in 2025 from January 31st and returning on April 30th seeing as much of the country as possible with our first week in Hokkaido & our last week in Tokyo. I think we’ll just about miss the golden week rush right? especially as we would be booking our flights & accommodation far in advance?

Summer in Japan is no joke.
I was there in mid-September of this year and it was still 35 degrees with 90% humidity.

Thanks for this! Great info.

Thank you for the tips. Recently, I learned there is an unofficial rainy season between mid June to mid July.
But I think I can overcome it.
I decided to the best time to visit Japan for is the summer and the worst is the winter.
I like when it's hot. +30-35°C is comfortable to be. I know that humidity makes it more intense, but for me, hot is better than cold. And in Japan, it can be warm outside, but cold inside. I mean that the temperature in the room is also important to me. I heard there is no central heating system, so I won't get 25-28°C inside during the winter. So, that can be really hard to sleep. And now you add humidity, which makes it unbearable.
So, if I come during the raining season that would still be better than it I come during the winter.

I can only visit Japan from all of June to July 20th due to my kids school schedule. Would you recommend going as late in July as possible? Or does it even matter since it’s the raining season regardless. Thank you

HAHAHAHA....freaking hilarious... Another white chick who is an expert on 'Japan because she has been here a whole big 5 years.
Get a clue c

What if it's already booked, then what can you do?

Family and I are planning on coming and spending Halloween in Toyko this year, this video was helpful in that I picked the "correct" time to visit.

I'm honestly going to risk late April - early May. I want to see the wisteria tunnel.

me going at the end of May/early June because teacher based vacation schedules; hoping to avoid the worst of the heat by not going in July!

I plan to go to Japan on June 6. What do you think?

May I know if end March a good time to visit bibi snow land?

I’m wanting to visit Japan with my husband and son. He’s 8 now. I’m thinking we may wait a year. Thanks to your very informative video I’m thinking we may shoot for november. It sounds just about perfect! ❤

I've just about always been self-employed, so it's become second nature to stay home when the slaves are let off the plantation (with respect). Now retired in a resort area in the Japan Alps this has become especially relevant. Golden Week and Obon are the most congested times, but you have to be aware of public holidays and even good weather weekends. If you need to go shopping the supermarkets open at 9.00 in the summer so you can be there and back by 10.00 when the roads start to become congested. I've been here 40 years so obviously managed to side-step most of the crowding issues.
Jack, the Japan Alps Brit

Do you meet people who watch your channel for tea/coffee or prefer to avoid it?

I got only 2 choice, either April or October. I guess i'll have to go with october.

I'm visiting Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto for the first time at the end of June to early July 2024. Due to the children's school schedule, the summer is the only time we can go. No way around it. (Sigh, I've always had to pay a higher price for peak season and summer travel.) I've heard about the rain and hopefully being from Seattle will prepare me. We don't do well in the heat and humidity so we booked as soon as school lets out.

Thank you for sharing those tips, I'm planning our first trip from Vancouver to Japan, during my son's summer break. Our travel months could be July to Sept. I know summer will be hot, if we have to pick a month, could you pls recommend either Mid-July ( July 12-18) or Aug 12-18 or Sept 7-15 , which time frame would you recommend? Thank you Fan

I’m planning to go in March, do you think I should land in Tokyo and flight back home from Osaka? Or should return from Tokyo as well? Im so stuck in this cause I know they are far away from each other and not sure if it worth financially to go back to Tokyo and flight back hom

I wanted to visit and be there to celebrate my sons 1st birthday on April 30th, so much for that plan 😅

I visited in November 2000, and Tokyo and Saijo,Ehime. It was lovely in both places. :)

Hello, im trying to go to tokyo 1/5/24 to 1/10/24, would places be open? Thank you in adavance

I would love to check out your cherry blossom

Hi love your videos very informative. Any advice for people travelling from the end of February till the end of March of 2024 ?

this was very helpful

I'm heading to Japan as part of an organized group tour from March 15 (Arriving on the 16th) untill March 29. Starting in Osaka and visiting Koyasan, Kyoto (With an excursion to Nara), Takayama (With an excursion to Shirakawago), Matsumoto, Kawaguchiko to view Mount Fuji before ending in Tokyo (Including an excursion to Kamakura)

I really hope to see some cherry blossoms there when I visit Japan.

Hello! Thanks for sharing this information my family and I are planning on going in June would it make a difference on going the begging of June or ending of June? I have little ones and would love to be able to explore Tokyo

I echo your sentiments about summer. We are from tropical Queensland, Australia and we thought we were going to melt in August. We also found spring/cherry blossoms in March/April very cold. Planning next trip for late October 😊.

Hello! We are planing on visiting Japan but want to avoid the crowds. Do you suggest May second half as a good time for that?

Planning to travel to Tokyo in March? Is it more expensive during this month

went to osaka during the last wk of august. I enjoyed it actually, I'm from the Philippines so the heat was not a stranger. However, unlike PH there was no traffic, smog, and pollution. What a win. Will be going back, Tokyo this time, end of Feb 2024 for the Miura sakura.

I’m planning to visit Nagoya, Japan in October 2024.

I have my trip to Japan the first two weeks of March, I already gave up the idea of seeing the cherry blossoms but now I am worried about the weather. Is it still cold? What do you recommend for clothes?

My first trip to Japan was in early January and was AMAZING!! Fewer tourists, weather perfect, just simply amazing. Honestly, the “closed” days the first days in January are not so common any more, I was the first week in Kyoto and (except for January 1) all was open, including temples and cute local cafes.

What month is the golden week? It wasnt mentioned

I came during Golden week this year and I felt like a lost a week, you can't do anything because everything is sold out or has hours and hours of queues. You cant sightsee, shop or eat anywhere nice and everything is packed. Its a nightmare.

I've been on Japan for Golden Week twice and it wasn't that terrible, yes there are more people in a lot of places, but still you can do everything without a problem.
The only place that was more crowded was Odaiba in the weekend, still you could do everything without issues.
Also took the Shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo during Golden week without issues, just reserve the seats a couple days before.

Thinking about March. Good or bad?

How about last week of May? Is it rainy already?

Do u like May after the golden week? How is the weather?

I have my trip on December 7th through the 14th. Amy recommendations in regards to the weather? You said tokyo and below doesn't get as cold on the north. I have checked the temperature but I don't know if i should dress in layers or have my heavy down feather jacket! Any input is much appreciated!

We were in Japan earlier this year and, yes, we hit Golden Week. But it wasn’t terrible. Trains were a little busier than usual, but that was about it. We saw the places we wanted to see and the crowds, while definitely larger, were not overwhelming. It also helped that we booked our flights and hotels before Japan officially reopened, so we got great fares on ANA Premium Economy and great rates, using points, at IHG hotels. Using the points meant we could cancel with no fees, and the fare with ANA had no change fees either. But all went well. We did, unfortunately, miss out on Cherry Blossoms, but that was the only negative.