In Japan, work, play, food, culture, and life operate in a seasonal cycle that gives a rhythm over the years. Understanding these times and seasons is important for planning your trip to Japan.
There is no right or wrong time to visit. Each season has its pros and cons. In this article, we will look a little at each of these times, seasons, and periods that occur during a time in Japan.
Table of Contents
1. The Four Seasons of Japan
Japan is one of the few countries that has the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter, in order and fully visible and perceptible to the population, correctly following what we see in movies and in school.
It is possible to see snow, flowers blooming, flowers falling, and scorching heat. These seasons in Japan are seen as a unique aspect of the country that helped define its culture.
These four seasons also greatly influence the other seasons and periods that we will see throughout the article. Pay attention to which time of year you plan to come. I recommend Spring or Autumn.
The table below specifies well which time of year each climatic season occurs in Japan. Most of the times I traveled to Japan was around the end of September, as I never managed to plan to visit in spring.
| Season | Period in Japan |
| Spring (Haru) | March 13 to June 21 |
| Summer (Natsu) | June 21 to September 23 |
| Autumn (Aki) | September 23 to December 21 |
| Winter (Fuyu) | December 21 to March 13 |
2. Food Seasons in Japan
Japan has hundreds of dishes for each time of year. In many cases, it is considered strange to prepare a dish out of season. Winter dishes are hearty and warm. Spring dishes include seasonal ingredients, such as sakura petals.
Summer dishes are light and cold. Autumn dishes reflect the colors of autumn and use ingredients from the autumn harvest. (Hiyashi chuka, a summer classic).
Besides that, there are also foods and industrial products that are launched in a certain season or location in Japan, as limited editions. Such as chocolates, snacks, cookies, and drinks. All have their season and exotic flavor.
3. Fruit Seasons in Japan
Japan has a specific fruit for each time of year (depending on the fruit). Japanese fruits are available in any supermarket in Japan at a reasonable price.
Fruit harvesting is a popular activity that is a good way to connect with Japan’s agricultural culture. There is always some special fruit in season:
| Fruits | Start | End |
| Satonishiki Cherries | May | July |
| Ume (Typically sour fruit) | June | July |
| Melons | June | August |
| Peaches | June | September |
| Kyoho Grapes | July | October |
| Blueberries | July | August |
| Fuji Apples | September | December |
| Nashi Pears | September | October |
| Sudachi (Typical fruit) | October | November |
| Mikan (Mandarin) | October | January |
| Yuzu (Typical fruit) | November | December |
| Persimmons | November | February |
| Japanese Strawberries | December | June |
4. Kafunsho Season in Japan
February to May – More than 25 million people in Japan have an allergy to cedar pollen. You will notice a lot of people wearing masks when the pollen is high (between March and April).
5. Sakura Season in Japan
February to May – When the sakura bloom in spring, everyone wants to be outside under the trees. The act of seeing the beauty of the sakura is called Hanami. Each region has sakura blooming at different times as shown in the table below:
| Okinawa | Early February |
| Kyushu | Late March |
| Shikoku | Late March or early April |
| Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe | Late March or early April |
| Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba | Late March or early April |
| Tohoku | Mid to late April |
| Hokkaido | Early May |
6. Rainy Season in Japan
May to July (depending on the region) – The Japanese language has 50 words to describe rain. The rainy season in Japan is a cloudy time of year that receives a reasonable amount of rain. See the table below to know the timing:
| City | Start | End |
| Okinawa | Early May | Late June |
| Kyushu | Late May | Mid-July |
| Shikoku | Early June | Mid-July |
| Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe | Early June | Mid-July |
| Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba | Early June | Late July |
| Tohoku | Mid-June | Late July |
| Hokkaido | No rainy season |
7. Typhoon Season in Japan
May to October – Typhoons are common in Japan during this time. However, the peak of the season is in August and September. Major typhoons can completely disrupt your travel plans.
Okinawa and other southern areas of Japan are more exposed to typhoons. However, Tokyo is also regularly thrown into chaos by a typhoon. Japan can be hit by up to a dozen or more typhoons in a year.
8. Beach Season in Japan
April to October (depends on the location) – Most of Japan’s main beaches have an official season. In some cases, there are times when it is warm enough to swim, but no one does (except surfers) because it is not the official season.
In many cases, the official beach season coincides with school holidays and considers factors such as jellyfish. Seasons vary greatly from city to city. Near Tokyo, most beaches are open in mid-July and August. In Okinawa, it is common for beaches to be open from April to October.
9. Obon Season in Japan
July 13-15 or August 13-15 (depending on the region) – Obon is a huge summer holiday season. It is believed that the dead return to the realm of the earth at this time. People return to their hometowns to greet their ancestors. It is the busiest travel time of the year. It is also a time of various festivals.
10. Bonenkai Season in Japan
December – Bonenkai are office parties held at the end of the year. Most office workers attend various Bonenkai from the company, department, and team level. As a result, December is a difficult month to get group reservations at popular restaurants and izakayas.
11. Snowboard Season
Mid-December to Early April – Japan is a mountainous country full of snow for much of the year. The snowboarding season is from January to March. However, it is possible to snowboard later in some regions of Japan. These were 11 things that have their marked season, now you can know the best time to make your trip.
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