When to go to Japan
The Japanese Archipelago covers 20 degrees of latitude, and so the climate varies greatly, ranging from temperate in the north island of Hokkaido to sub-tropical in Okinawa in the far south. Essentially Japan’s four seasons resemble our own, but conditions are more pronounced, with a significantly colder and snowier winter and a much hotter, stickier summer.
Spring and autumn are the best times to travel, with the delicate cherry blossom or turning leaves adding a gorgeous hue to the scenery. The cherry blossom begins its journey northward in mid-March, reaching Kyoto and Tokyo by early April, and finally arriving in Sapporo by early May. The autumn leaves reverse the pattern, touching the high peaks of Hokkaido in mid-October and marching steadily south to Kyoto by mid-November.
For hikers and lovers of the outdoors the summer months offer ideal conditions in the mountains of the Japanese Alps and Hokkaido’s wild national parks, or for a very different experience why not visit Japan in the winter, when the people of the snowy north brighten the dark days with a host of colourful festivals and events.
Okinawa can be visited all year round but for the best weather and least chance of typhoons, May and October are ideal. Summer is the peak season for domestic tourism and also sees the highest levels of rain and threat of high winds.