Destination: Japan
LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION
When To Go
Without a doubt, the best times to visit Japan are the climatically stable seasons of spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November).
Spring is the time when Japan's famous cherry trees (sakura) burst into bloom. Starting from Kyushu sometime in March, the sakura zensen (cherry tree blossom line) advances northward, usually passing the main cities of Honshu in early April. Once the sakura bloom, their glory is brief, usually lasting only a week.
Autumn is an equally good time to travel, with pleasant temperatures and soothing autumn colours; the autumn foliage pattern reverses that of the sakura, starting in the north sometime in October and peaking across most of Honshu around November.
Travelling during either winter or summer is a mixed bag - mid-winter (December to February) weather can be bitterly cold, particularly on the Sea of Japan coasts of Honshu and Hokkaido, while the sticky summer months (June to August) can turn even the briefest excursion out of an air-conditioned environment into a steam bath. June is also the month of Japan's brief rainy season, which in some years brings daily downpours and in other years is hardly a rainy season at all.
Also keep in mind that peak holiday seasons, particularly Golden Week (late April to early May) and the mid-August O-Bon (Festival of the Dead) are extremely popular for domestic travel and can be problematic in terms of reservations and crowds. Likewise, everything in Japan basically shuts down during Shogatsu (New Year period).
Lonely Planet recommends World Nomads Travel insurance
