Last Updated: Jun 1, 2023

’Tis the Season!

When is the Best Time to Visit Japan

Donny Kimball
16 min readApr 17, 2018

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A visitor to Japan purifies her hands before visiting a shrine

When is the best time to visit Japan?

Truth be told, I must get asked this question at least once a week. I still don’t have a good answer. You see, Japan is amazingly beautiful year-round; each of the four seasons celebrate its own unique charms, experiences, and cuisines. Though it may seem like no big deal to those traveling from distant shores, having multiple seasons is actually not the norm for greater Asia. Nevertheless, the Japanese take immense pride in their four distinct seasons as anyone who has been here for awhile will sarcastically tell you.

In addition, to these diverse seasons, Japan also boasts a very distinctive biome. While many may consider Japan a relatively small chain of islands, the country is roughly as long as the state of California. From snowy Hokkaido in the far north, to the subtropical Okinawa in the south, Japan has some phenomenal biodiversity for nature lovers to explore. All in all, there’s just so much to regard and experience in Japan, it’s really hard to go wrong. Should you favor a particular type of climate, simply plan your visit accordingly. With that said, what follows is a breakdown of some of my favorite seasonal activities and attractions to help you decide.

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Donny Kimball

I'm a travel writer and freelance digital marketer who blogs about the sides of Japan that you can't find in the mainstream media. https://donnykimball.com/