四季 · Best Time to Visit

Best Time to Visit Tokyo: A Month-by-Month Guide for First-Time Visitors

Cherry blossoms vs summer humidity vs autumn foliage — pick the season that matches your trip

SeasonsCherry blossomsAutumn foliageWeather

Tokyo has four very different seasons, and the gap between them is wider than most first-time visitors expect. Late March can be 18°C and full of cherry blossoms; mid-August can be 36°C and so humid your shirt is wet by the time you reach the train station. Pick the wrong month and you spend the trip hiding from the weather — pick the right one and Tokyo feels like a different city than the photos suggested.

This guide walks through the year month by month, with weather, what is in bloom, festivals, crowd levels, and prices. By the end you should know which window of the year matches the trip you actually want to take.

Best overallLate October to mid-November

Cherry blossomsLate March to early April

Cheapest hotelsJanuary to early February

AvoidGolden Week, Obon, New Year

Spring (March to May)

Spring is the postcard season. Daytime highs climb from around 13°C in early March to a comfortable 23°C by mid-May. The big draw is cherry blossom season, which in central Tokyo usually peaks somewhere in the last few days of March or the first week of April. The window is short — full bloom lasts about a week, and a single rainy day can end the show. Forecasts from the Japan Meteorological Agency start in late February, so if you have flexible dates you can adjust.

Spring also brings Golden Week, a stretch of public holidays running roughly from April 29 to May 5. Domestic travel explodes, hotel prices jump 30 to 80 percent, and shinkansen seats sell out weeks in advance. Tokyo itself stays manageable because many residents leave the city, but day trips to Kyoto, Hakone, or Mount Fuji become difficult.

Spring at a glance

• March: Cool, clear, plum blossoms early in the month. Cherry buds open in the last week.
• April: Cherry blossoms peak in the first week, then fresh greenery takes over. Mild, occasional rain.
• May: The most pleasant weather of spring — warm, dry, long evenings. Avoid the Golden Week dates.

Summer (June to August)

Summer is hot, sticky, and surprisingly fun if you are mentally ready for it. June brings tsuyu, the rainy season — not constant rain, but enough that you should plan to get wet a few afternoons each week. Mid-July to late August is genuine extreme weather: highs of 32 to 36°C with humidity around 70 to 80 percent, and minimum overnight lows that often stay above 25°C. The trains and shops are aggressively air-conditioned; the streets are not.

The trade-off is the festival season. Tokyo's two biggest summer fireworks shows — Sumida River Hanabi in late July and Edogawa Hanabi in early August — draw close to a million viewers each. Bon Odori dance festivals run in nearly every neighbourhood through July and August, and the food stall culture (yakitori, kakigori shaved ice, frozen ramune) is at its peak. If you can handle the heat, the summer atmosphere is hard to match.

Summer at a glance

• June: Hydrangeas in bloom, rainy season starts mid-month, around 25°C average.
• July: Rainy season ends mid-month, then heat takes over. Sumida fireworks in the last week.
• August: The hottest weeks of the year. Obon week (around August 13 to 16) is a major travel period.

Heat reality check: if you are coming from a cooler climate, plan one indoor activity per afternoon in July and August — a museum, a department store basement, a long lunch. Sightseeing 9am to 9pm in a Tokyo summer is genuinely dangerous.

Autumn (September to November)

Autumn is many local people's favourite season, and once you experience it you understand why. September starts hot and is also peak typhoon season — Tokyo typically sees one to three named storms pass close enough to disrupt travel for a day or two. By early October the humidity collapses, the skies turn deep blue, and daytime highs settle into a near-perfect 18 to 24°C range that holds through most of November.

The autumn foliage season — koyo — runs later in Tokyo than most foreign visitors expect. While the mountains around Nikko and Hakone peak in late October to early November, central Tokyo's ginkgo and maple peak around late November to early December. Meiji Jingu Gaien, Rikugien Garden, and Showa Kinen Park are reliable spots. Crowds are noticeably lighter than the cherry blossom season because the foliage window is longer and more spread out.

Autumn at a glance

• September: Still warm and humid early in the month. Typhoons possible. Settles to around 25°C by month-end.
• October: Clear, mild, dry — arguably the best weather of the year. Highs around 22°C.
• November: Cool and crisp. Foliage peaks in central Tokyo in the final ten days. Lows around 8 to 10°C.

Winter (December to February)

Tokyo winters surprise people. The city sits at roughly the same latitude as Los Angeles, and although it gets cold — January overnight lows hover around 1 to 3°C — winter days are very often clear, sunny, and dry, with daytime highs of 8 to 12°C. Snow is rare in central Tokyo; the city averages only one or two days of accumulating snow per winter, usually in late January or February.

Winter is also the cheapest time to visit. Flights and hotels both drop after the December holidays end. Illumination displays light up Roppongi Keyakizaka, Marunouchi, Shibuya, and Tokyo Midtown from mid-November through February. New Year is a major festival on its own — millions of people visit shrines for hatsumode in the first three days of January, and Meiji Jingu alone draws around 3 million visitors over that period.

Winter at a glance

• December: Crisp and clear. Illuminations everywhere. The week of December 28 to January 3 is the busiest of the year.
• January: Coldest month, but the cheapest. Hatsumode shrine visits in the first three days.
• February: Plum blossoms appear in mid-month. Setsubun on February 3 is a major event at Senso-ji.

Month by Month: The Quick Take

January

Cold, clear, and cheap once the first week passes. New Year crowds at major shrines January 1 to 3, then everything quiets down. Best for budget travellers who want minimal queues at popular sites. Pack a real winter coat.

February

Still cold, but plum blossom season starts around mid-month at gardens like Yushima Tenjin and Hanegi Park. Setsubun on February 3 brings bean-throwing celebrations at Senso-ji and other major temples. Hotel prices stay low except around Valentine's Day weekend.

March

Transition month. Early March is still chilly; the last week often brings the first cherry blossoms. Crowds and prices start climbing in the second half. A safer pick than April if you want spring weather without peak prices, though you risk missing peak bloom.

April

The most photogenic week of the year, usually somewhere in the first ten days, depending on the bloom forecast. Hotel rates can double. After the petals fall around mid-April, the city quiets briefly before Golden Week. Avoid April 29 to May 5 for any travel beyond Tokyo itself.

May

Once Golden Week ends on May 5, mid-to-late May becomes one of the most underrated windows of the year. Warm dry days, fresh greenery, fewer foreign tourists than April, and Sanja Matsuri — Asakusa's massive shrine festival — falls in the third weekend.

June

Rainy season starts around June 8 to 11 and lasts about a month. Hydrangeas bloom across temple gardens; Hakone's Hakone Tozan Railway between Odawara and Gora becomes the famous "hydrangea train" line. Crowds are light, prices are moderate. Pack a compact umbrella.

July

Rainy season ends mid-month and then heat takes over. The Sumida River Hanabi fireworks in the last weekend of July is the year's biggest fireworks event, with origins going back to 1733. Festival energy is at its peak. The downside is genuine heat — start early and rest in the afternoon.

August

The hottest, most humid weeks of the year, but also the most festival-rich. Obon week around August 13 to 16 is a major domestic travel period — shinkansen are crowded, but Tokyo itself empties slightly. Edogawa Hanabi typically falls in the first week.

September

The riskiest month for weather. Early September stays hot and humid; typhoons cluster between mid-September and early October. Crowds drop sharply once school resumes. If you get a clear week, late September is beautiful — but the forecast can swing.

October

The single best weather month of the year, for many travellers. Skies are clear, humidity is gone, days run around 22°C. Foliage starts appearing in the mountains by late October. Crowds are moderate. If you have full date flexibility, pick the second half of October.

November

Cool, crisp, and visually rich. Central Tokyo's ginkgo and maple peak in the last ten days of November — Meiji Jingu Gaien's ginkgo avenue and Rikugien Garden are the iconic spots. Hotel rates are still moderate. Pack layers; mornings are cold.

December

Crisp blue skies most days. Illumination displays light up the city from mid-November through February. The week of December 28 onwards becomes the busiest of the year for domestic travel; many small restaurants and shops close from December 30 to January 3.

Dates to Avoid (or Plan Around)

Three windows are genuinely disruptive. Hotel prices spike, trains beyond Tokyo sell out, and many restaurants close.

• Golden Week (April 29 to May 5): Rolling public holidays. Tokyo itself is fine; day trips and shinkansen are crowded.
• Obon (around August 13 to 16): Family-return travel period. Domestic flights and shinkansen book up; Tokyo itself empties.
• New Year (December 29 to January 3): Many small shops, restaurants, and even some museums close. Major sights and shrines remain open and very crowded.

If you must travel during these: book hotels three to six months out, lock in shinkansen seats the moment reservations open (one month before departure), and assume that anything family-run will be closed.

Best Month for Each Priority

There is no single answer to "when should I come to Tokyo." It depends on what you actually care about most.

• Cherry blossoms: Last week of March to first week of April. Aim for a flexible 10-day window.
• Best weather: Mid-October to mid-November.
• Autumn foliage: Last week of November to first week of December for central Tokyo.
• Cheapest hotels: January, especially the second half. February also good.
• Festivals and matsuri: Mid-May (Sanja), mid-July (Sumida fireworks), or any summer weekend.
• Lowest crowds: Mid-January, early February, or early December.
• Illuminations and Christmas atmosphere: Late November through late December.
• Skipping the rainy heat: Avoid mid-June through mid-September if you cannot tolerate humidity.

Practical Tips for Any Season

• Pack for the actual season, not the average. Summer needs cooling towels and breathable fabric; winter needs a real coat.
• Layers always work. Trains, restaurants, and museums are heavily climate-controlled year-round.
• Check forecasts close to the trip. Cherry blossom timing and typhoon paths can both shift dramatically inside a week.
• Book hotels early for peak windows. Cherry blossom week, summer fireworks weekends, and autumn foliage weekends fill up months ahead.
• Comfortable walking shoes matter year-round. Average daily steps in Tokyo for first-time visitors land around 18,000 to 22,000.

Plan Around the Right Season

Once you have your dates, plan the headline experiences with our Tokyo Cherry Blossom Guide and pick a base with the Best Areas to Stay in Tokyo guide. Combine with: any of our neighbourhood deep-dives to fill out your itinerary.