The classic first trip to Japan: Tokyo's neighbourhoods, then the Shinkansen to Kyoto's temples, geisha districts and Nara's deer, and a short hop to Osaka for street food and the castle. Spring blossom (late March to early April) and autumn leaves (November) are the peak seasons.
Month by month
Best: March, April, May, October, November
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Avoid Poor OK Good Excellent Peak
Weather and crowds
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Wet days | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9°C / 49°F | 0°C / 32°F | 4 | Quiet |
| February | 11°C / 52°F | 1°C / 34°F | 6 | Moderate |
| March | 15°C / 60°F | 6°C / 42°F | 13 | Moderate |
| April | 20°C / 67°F | 11°C / 51°F | 12 | Moderate |
| May | 23°C / 74°F | 15°C / 59°F | 15 | Moderate |
| June | 27°C / 81°F | 20°C / 67°F | 15 | Quiet |
| July | 32°C / 90°F | 24°C / 75°F | 15 | Moderate |
| August | 33°C / 91°F | 25°C / 77°F | 15 | Moderate |
| September | 29°C / 84°F | 22°C / 71°F | 14 | Moderate |
| October | 22°C / 72°F | 14°C / 58°F | 12 | Moderate |
| November | 17°C / 63°F | 9°C / 47°F | 8 | Moderate |
| December | 12°C / 53°F | 2°C / 36°F | 7 | Moderate |
Weather: averages of recent years from Open-Meteo historical data (CC BY 4.0). Crowds: estimated from the seasons and holiday periods, not measured.
How long to stay
6–11 days is the sweet spot.
Flight time
About 13h from the US East Coast, 11.5h from Europe, 9h from South Asia.
Good to know
- Send big bags ahead with a luggage-forwarding service (takkyubin) and ride the Shinkansen light.
- A Japan Rail Pass only pays off with more long trips; for this route, single tickets are often cheaper.
- Fly into Tokyo and home from Osaka's Kansai airport.
Plan a trip to Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka
Pick your dates and Offdays builds a day-by-day itinerary from Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka's best places.
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