Autumn in Japan: Why Fall Is My Favorite + What to Book Early

Fall is my favorite season in Japan. Some of my best memories from when we lived there are from autumn, when the heat finally dies down and the whole country seems to be outside enjoying it.

If we could only pick one time of year to go back, it’d be fall, and the weather is the biggest reason for us: comfortable weather where you can enjoy outings and some of the most beautiful foliage in the whole world.

Here’s what fall in Japan is actually like: the weather month by month, the crowd level, what things cost, and what you need to book for your trip during this time.

Autumn in Japan at a Glance

Should you go?	Yes! Aim for mid October or later, and book your hotel before prices go up (code DANAYAO gets you up to 10% off hotels).
Best time	October if you want the best weather, November if you’re coming for the leaves. September still feels like summer, and it’s peak typhoon season.
Book early	Kyoto hotels for mid to late November (they go months out), USJ Halloween tickets, and Sagano Romantic Train.
Watch out for	Crowds in Kyoto when the leaves peak, worst on weekends and the holiday weekend.
Weather	Tokyo goes from 70–90°F in September down to 53–67°F in November. You’ll want a real coat by late November.

Is Autumn the Best Time to Visit Japan? Why It’s My Favorite Season

To me, yes…the best time to go to Japan is fall, and it’s my favorite time to travel and be in Japan.

When I first moved to Japan, it was the end of summer, right as fall was beginning. Our first trips were to places like Karuizawa and Hakone, and we were traveling on a lot less back then.

What I remember most is how clear the skies were and how nice the days felt for just walking around. These are the memories that stay with me. These days we fly back and forth, and fall is always my first choice.

Most of it comes down to the weather. The days are mild and the nights are cool, and once typhoon season winds down in late September, the rain mostly stays away. Early fall is warm and still pretty quiet. Late fall is when the leaves take over. And the foliage window is much bigger than the cherry blossom one, so you can actually plan around it.

The tradeoffs are the crowds and prices at the foliage peak. Kyoto in mid to late November is just as crowded as cherry blossom season now, and hotel prices get jacked up, sometimes 2 to 4 times the September price on peak weekends. If your travel dates are locked in that window, book your hotel in these popular cities first.

And if your dream Japan photo has cherry blossoms in it, spring is the right season for you, crowds and all. We wrote it up in our spring in Japan guide. For everything else, fall is the one we keep choosing.

Things to Do in Japan in the Fall

Here are the things we think are definitely worth doing in Japan in the fall.

Onsen Season Starts in the Fall

The idea of an onsen sounds good all year, until you get to Japan in the hot and humid summer and you just don’t want to soak anymore. When the temperature drops a little, that’s when we enjoy onsen way more.

If you can, get the full 1-night, 2-meal onsen experience in the mountains somewhere with the fall views.

Those first Hakone trips are still the most memorable onsen stays we’ve had. Watching the leaves change across the valley from the bath is just unforgettable.

Onsen ryokan with the best fall views:

📍Hakone Retreat Villa 1/f ($$$$): one of the most beautiful and peaceful nature stays in Hakone. Front row view of the fall foliage, natural stone features, and a private outdoor onsen where you soak in both the bath and the nature.

📍Hoshino Resorts KAI Kinugawa ($$$): perfect for couples doing Nikko for the foliage and staying the night, with an outdoor bath plus a direct view of the fall colors.

📍Togetsutei Hotel ($$$-$$$$): Arashiyama is another great place for fall foliage in Kyoto, and this hotel is a perfect location for it, with stunning views of the nature all around.

Fall Foliage Tours Worth Booking

Fall is when a lot of places turn that beautiful mix of yellow and red, and this is the best time to visit them for the foliage.

Nikko autumn day tour from Tokyo: the Irohazaka switchbacks and Kegon Falls at peak color, with someone else doing the driving on those winding mountain roads. The tour covers the Lake Chuzenji area too, plus a ride on the little Watarase valley railway that runs straight through the maples.

Kifune + Arashiyama + Sanzen-in day tour: 3 of our favorite Kyoto foliage areas in one organized day! Kifune is the area we keep going back to ourselves, more on it below.

Mifuneyama Rakuen foliage day trip in Kyushu: Visiting Kyushu instead? This one is a garden with over 170 years of history, built for exactly this season. The maples get an evening light-up at peak color, the garden calls it the largest in Japan, and the pond reflections are the photo everyone comes for.

Houheikyou + Fukidashi Park maple tour in Sapporo: Hokkaido is the furthest north and gets cold first, so the leaves turn first too. Perfect for anyone chasing early color and wanting to see Sapporo before the snow.

USJ Halloween: The Best Time of Year for Universal Studios Japan

Universal Studios Japan: nobody likes standing in a ride line for hours in summer heat, and the Halloween version of the park only happens once a year, so we think this might be the coolest time of the year to visit.

Tickets for the Halloween weeks sell fast, so book your date as soon as you can if USJ is the reason you’re coming. If you’re a bit worried about not having enough time to hit everything you want, check out the USJ private 3-hour package or the USJ Express Pass.

If you are just in Tokyo area, Disneyland’s Halloween event runs through late October, and Sanrio Puroland has its Spooky Pumpkin night right around Halloween.

Places to Enjoy Fall Foliage in the Kansai (Kyoto, Osaka) Area

Kyoto is the first place a lot of people think of when it comes to fall colors in Japan, and our favorite ways to see them are the ones that move. We just loved that little train up to Kifune, it runs through a tunnel of maples the whole way up the mountain.

And if you’re already visiting Kyoto, you can’t skip Arashiyama during the fall, simply because it’s so pretty!

The Hozugawa river boat takes you down the river and through the mountains, and the Sagano Romantic Train zips along the same gorge up on the rails, giving you the view from above. We did both, and it’s hands down our favorite thing to do in Arashiyama.

Basing in Osaka? The Kyoto and Nara day tour covers the temples-and-deer day we’ve done ourselves several times, without having to do all the logistics planning.

A lot of these are definitely doable DIY, and we’ve always done it that way. But recently we took several well-organized tours, and just let me tell you, it’s so much easier. All you need to do is show up!

If you book any of them through Klook, my code DANAYAO takes up to 10% off.

Seeing Mt. Fuji: Visibility Starts to Come Back in Late Fall

Mt. Fuji is stunning all year round, but the problem is that in summer, between the rain and the haze, you can’t see the mountain most of the time.

Around mid October the first snowcap usually shows up, and from late October the clear days come back too. For us, this is the best time to travel because it’s not too cold yet and you get to see the iconic spots.

From Tokyo, the Mt. Fuji day tour handles the whole loop in one shot, or build your own with the Hakone Freepass, which covers the ropeway, the Lake Ashi pirate ship, and the trains between them.

The Big Fall Festivals

There are regional events all through the season.

If you’re willing to travel a bit far, Takayama Autumn Festival in early October gives thanks before winter with floats modeled on Nikko’s Yomeimon Gate, and Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri in late October is a big costume procession covering every era of the city’s history.

And from mid November, Tokyo’s Jingu Gaien ginkgo avenue turns gold and holds a festival under the trees.

Catch a Fireworks Festival in a Kimono

Fireworks are supposed to be a summer thing in Japan, that romantic anime scene you picture when you imagine what Japan’s summer feels like. But some festivals run into the fall, and those were always our favorites: cooler evenings, clearer skies, and it’s much more pleasant to stay outside for several hours.

Our first fireworks festival was in October 2018, and after seeing how often the summer ones got canceled due to bad weather, or just standing in the heat, we decided the fall ones are the ones we do instead.

If you want to level it up a little, wear a rented kimono or yukata to one of these. It’s the closest you’ll get to stepping into that scene yourself.

Tokyo Spots We Love to Visit in Fall

Fall is such a good time to be outside, no more summer heat and humidity. It matters so much for your planning if you’re limited on time, especially for places like Shibuya Sky, where the open-air deck can close on the spot when the weather turns.

It happened to us, we got turned away right at the door when the rain started. Fall has the steadiest weather of the year, so it gives you the best odds the deck is actually open.

If it rains, there are still plenty of cool things to do. teamLab Borderless does seasonal installations, worth checking out especially on a first trip to Japan. We compared it with the other Tokyo teamLab in our teamLab Planets review.

The Fall Food We Order Every Year

For us, must-eat fall food means hot pot and yakiniku.

There are plenty of these spots all around Japan, and our most memorable one was up in Kifune: we booked a traditional room where the steam from the hot pot rose in front of a window full of leaves in all sorts of colors. Checked off my must-eat-in-the-fall list that day!

What to Book Early for Fall in Japan (and When)

Late fall is one of Japan’s busiest seasons, and the stuff everyone wants goes away first. Here’s what you’d want to book ASAP if your trip lands in that window.

Hotels in Kyoto and the other popular bases: The peak foliage pricing is about 2 to 4 times the September rates in popular areas. So the minute your dates are set, book your hotel room. Kyoto for mid to late November sells out months ahead, and whatever’s left gets expensive fast. This is the booking we make before anything else.

USJ Halloween tickets: If you know USJ is going to be a must-do on your list, mark your calendar: USJ tickets and the Express Passes open about 60 days before your park date, one day at a time at midnight Japan time, and the Halloween dates can sell out within hours of dropping. There are no gate sales anymore either, it’s online only now.

An onsen ryokan with the fall views: The good ryokan only have a handful of rooms, and the view rooms go first. If the 1-night, 2-meal stay is on your list, book it months ahead, especially for November. Places like Ubuya and Fufu with Mt. Fuji views get booked out 4 to 6 months in advance.

Kimono rental slots: The kimono rental shops in Kyoto take reservations, and the peak foliage weekends fill up. Book your slot once your Kyoto days are set.

The fall-only tours: The foliage tours only run for a few weeks a year, and seats are capped. If one made your list, book it at the same time as the hotel. The Nikko day tours are the popular pick.

Sagano train tickets: The Sagano Romantic Train is all reserved seating, and online sales open 1 month before your date, and in November the popular trains can be gone within minutes of opening.

Reservation-only temples: Same story with Rurikoin, the famous maple reflection temple in Kyoto. At peak color it’s reserved timed slots only, and they go fast.

And if your trip crosses the holiday weekend in November, reserve your shinkansen seats ahead too. Normally they don’t sell out, but on a national holiday weekend the trains fill up like everything else.

If you book any of them through Klook, my code DANAYAO takes up to 10% off.

What Autumn Weather in Japan Actually Feels Like

Autumn moves fast in Japan. September and late November to me are 2 completely different seasons, so here’s the month by month.

September: Still Feels Like Summer, With Typhoons

Don’t pack for fall if you’re coming in September, the month is closer to summer in Japan than the fall everyone pictures.

Tokyo runs 70 to 90°F, Kyoto is about the same, and the humidity is still hanging around. Plus this is the peak month for typhoons, with an average of 12 rainy days in Tokyo.

Just keep your plans loose and save an indoor backup for whichever day turns wet.

October: The Sweet Spot

October is the month we recommend to almost everyone, and it’s the window we usually aim for ourselves. Tokyo cools down to 64 to 78°F, the humidity finally lets go, and typhoon season is on its way out. The days are still warm but the evenings finally turn crisp, and it barely rains compared to summer.

Just know the famous city foliage hasn’t arrived yet. Tokyo and Kyoto stay mostly green until November, and in late October the early color is still up in the mountains.

November: Peak Fall Colors and Cold Mornings

November is the colorful month. Tokyo runs 53 to 67°F with only about 6 rainy days, so it’s real jacket weather with cold mornings, and the skies stay blue for days at a time. This is when the city foliage peaks, usually mid to late November in both Tokyo and Kyoto.

Even mid November can be a little early depending on the spot though. We went to Arashiyama one mid November and we were still about a week ahead of the color there.

And one late November we took a trip to Kawaguchiko and Oshino Hakkai. Mt. Fuji already had its snow cap and the trails were full of color. The mountain air was cold but so fresh, and that combination of snow on the mountain and leaves on the trails only exists in November. If that sounds like your kind of trip, our where to stay near Mt. Fuji guide covers the view hotels.

Early December: Fall Is Not Over Yet

December is giving winter and holiday…but Tokyo and Kyoto often hold their leaves into the first week of December. It’s coat weather by then, 43 to 58°F in Tokyo, but the crowds thin out fast once November ends. If your dates land in early December, you didn’t miss fall.

What We Wear in the Fall

Layers, layers, layers.

September is t-shirt weather with something light for the indoor air conditioning. October adds a sweater or a light jacket at night. By late November, we’re in heavy coats in the morning and carrying them by lunch.

We always keep a pocket travel umbrella in the day bag for surprise showers, and set up an eSIM before landing to check the rain radar on the go. You can see the full list on the Japan packing guide.

Fall Crowds in Japan: What to Expect

Most of the fall season is comfortable, and October crowds are noticeably lighter than spring.

There’s one exception: Kyoto, Tokyo, and Osaka (the popular touristy destinations) in mid to late November, when the leaves peak. Hotel prices rise and attractions are packed at these places.

One November we went to Kiyomizu-dera at sunset during peak koyo (foliage), and it was packed, so many people you could barely pick your own pace on the walk up. The photos from that evening are beautiful though.

This mostly applies to the popular touristy cities these days, and there are ways around it, more in the tips below.

Our Tips for Beating the Fall Crowds

Weekends are crowded: it’s not only international tourists, locals also travel on weekends when they’re off. So if you have that flexibility in your itinerary, go on a weekday for the most crowded places.

Go super early in the morning: my advice before would have been to go early-ish. Not anymore. Just seeing how much the crowd levels have changed since my first trip back in 2013, now I’d say get there as early as you can. For nature spots that means sunrise, and for attractions, lining up a bit before the doors open.

Go outside of Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima: I know these are probably the musts for any first time traveler, and that’s totally fine, it’s part of the experience.

But if you’re returning and want to see more of Japan, I’d recommend going beyond the Golden Route to places such as Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyushu, and Shikoku. Some places are underserved and could use that tourism to support the local economy.

Or if you’re based in the big cities, take some day trips to feel the fall without being in the crowds.

Book your hotel room as soon as your dates are set: this is especially true for Kyoto in the past couple of years. If you’re set on mid to late November, our Kyoto stay guide breaks down the areas we’d pick.

When Do the Leaves Turn in Japan?

Fall colors turn from north to south in Japan. They start in Hokkaido and the high mountains in late September because the temperature drops there first, then the color slides south through October and reaches the big cities last, with Tokyo and Kyoto peaking mid to late November and often holding into early December.

So the real answer to “when do the leaves turn” depends on where you’ll be going. And the timing shifts a little every year, even inside the same region.

That mid November Arashiyama trip we mentioned? It was the boatmen on our river ride who told us we were 1 week too early, while everywhere else around Kyoto was already peaking.

A week either way changes what you see, so build the trip around places you want to visit and have some flexibility for things like this.

If the leaves are your main reason for this trip and you want the popular destinations, aim for the mid November to late November stretch and keep a flexible day or 2 in the schedule.

Autumn in Japan FAQ

Is autumn better than spring in Japan?

For us, yes. The weather is more stable, and the fall colors stick around for weeks instead of days, so you don’t have to time everything perfectly the way you do for cherry blossoms.

But again, if you really want to see the cherry blossoms and are ready to deal with the crowds and the short window, spring is our second favorite season.

Do typhoons ruin fall trips?

September is the riskier month. October is the tail end of it, and by November it’s mostly gone.

We got stuck indoors one time because of a typhoon in late September and it wasn’t fun, but it’s usually a day or 2 of rearranging, not bad enough to ruin the whole trip.

How crowded is Kyoto in November, really?

The famous spots are packed mid to late November, weekends especially, about the same as cherry blossom season. Weekdays and really early mornings can make a huge difference.

Is autumn an expensive time to visit Japan?

Flights and hotels are more expensive than usual, and the foliage peak is the spike: the same hotel room we checked was under $100 in September and near $300 on the peak November weekend. Book early and the season is very doable, and mid October is the value window.

Can I see Mt. Fuji in autumn?

Yes, fall is when your odds go way up, this is the season the haze finally lifts and the snowcap comes back. Here are our favorite spots to see Mt. Fuji.

Conclusion: What’s Fall in Japan Like?

Fall is the season we’d tell anyone to book, and it’s the time we love being in Japan most. It’s the prettiest time of the year, and there are so many cool activities, especially the nature stuff you don’t really get to do in other seasons because of the weather.

Book your hotels early, plan your spots around when the leaves turn, and have fun!