Best season for visiting Japan and why?

I would like to plan a trip to Japan and am wondering what the best time to go is. Detailed answers will be very helpful but any reply is greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

Cherry blossom time (late March to early April) is the classic season for visiting Japan, but autumn is just as good if not an even better time to go. Check out these pages:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2014.html

I agree with yllwsmrf's comment above - either spring or autumn would be great for a first-time visitor. The weather is cool but not too cold, the foliage (whether blossoms or colourful leaves) is spectacular if your timing's right, and there isn't too much in the way of foul weather to put a damper on things.

Needless to say, those seasons also tend to be the most packed for certain places - unless you time your visit to just outside the cherry blossom or autumn leaf peak periods - so you'll want to sort out accommodations as far in advance as possible.

That said, every season in Japan has its attractions, and which of them is the "best" depends on what you'd like to see/do. Summer - though hot and humid - is a great time to watch local festivals. And whilst winter can be viciously cold up north, that's also when Sapporo and other cities put on their grandest snow festivals.

Cheers, and all the best for your trip - whichever season you plan to travel.

Cherry blossom season is awesome but swarming with tourists and it can be hard getting accommodation. It can be hard to get accommodation in autumn too. Rule out mid June through to late September unless you can tolerate the heat.

I've really enjoyed trips in October (cool), Late November into mid December (pretty cold), late Feb into March (very cold), May (cool, getting hot at end May). Travel over Christmas/New year is good too, save for some inconveniences with shutdowns for the Japanese holidays. But very pretty with the snow etc. This year we are going in mid April, which will be after the cherry blossoms peak. It should be cool but not yet rainy.

All of that said, my best trip was in early June, not long after the earthquake, though by the third week of June Kyoto was tremendously hot.

IMHO best months : May(after the 10th to avoid golden week) or September is when you get the nice warm weather to move around japan and enjoy holidays/sightseeing.

In the other hand :
- August is quite hot and therefore hard to move around, but you get hanabi/matsuri/beach/the real japanese summer spirit.
- Winter you have snowy stuff, ski, onsen etc...
- Sakura season sucks, it's quite chilly still and crowded/crazy expesnive everywhere. If you really want to see sakura, come in May and travel in the north

For Japan, it really depends on where you are and what you want to see.

For example, I find Tohoku and Hokkaido in July/August glorious with nice warm (but not sticky) weather and it has heaps of festivals.

For many other places, mid spring and late autumn to correspond with Koyo or Hanami.

Some places are also fantastic in Summer for Hydrangeas or other types of flowers.

If your after nice weather, then late April/early May and mid October is probably the best.

Do note that the Rainy season June/August (depending on where you are) can either be a big hinderance or a blessing...

Dear all,

I followed the post from the beginning. May I ask you an innocent question. Is it possible to see colourful leaves and snow if I visit Japan from mid Nov or early Dec?

I do not mean snow in the city but snow in mountains where are far away the central and the winter come early to these high level areas.

Thanks in advance for your help
Phuong

There is really no answer to this. There is no season in which all experiences are available, so it depends on your interests.

Spring is the most typical answer because of the cherry blossoms, but other nature is often still dead and the crowds in certain places can be annoying.

Fall is also popular. It can carry with it the same crowds as the cherry blossom season in popular spots. Gardens and nature are all still enjoyable in the fall.

Summer is the only time of the year you can climb Mount Fuji (July and August) and visit Kamikochi. Transportation and bus schedules are typically at their most convenient in the summer, as well. It's also when many of the nation's festivals are held from large and famous ones to small, local ones. Nature and gardens are pristine. Downsides are that rainy season does happen in parts of the summer, and although I don't find the heat and humidity of the summer to be as bad as many people claim, it is a drawback nonetheless.

Winter is the least popular season, but it can be a great time to visit, as well. Aside from cheaper off-season flights, there are generally less crowds everywhere. Major festivals are not as common, but Hokkaido and the Tohoku region have a lot of nice snow festivals and Okayama's Naked Man Festival is held in February. The opportunity to see temples, shrines, castles, and gardens in the snow is excellent, but you have to know where the snow will be (or hope you're lucky enough to catch places on rare snowy days).
It's also the time for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports.
Although hot springs feel great anytime, they feel extra great in winter, and once again, if it's an outdoor hotspring, the snow can really enhance the beauty and atmosphere.
The negatives of winter are that places where there is not snow, everything is dead. Some places or experiences are not available in the winter and daylight hours are much shorter.

I've had amazing experiences in each of the seasons. It's all up to the individual, and I would suggest having realistic expectations (ex: If you visit gardens in winter, be aware that they will not be lush and blooming and you can still enjoy them).

@Phuong....

To answer you question - yes!

Change of seasons tend to occur in mid/late November in the Tokyo/Kyoto area.

It's possible to see show up in the mountains at this time (Tohoku & Hokkaido), but you will not be able to ski yet.