WHEN TO VISIT JAPAN

With sunny skies for the most part and comfortable temperatures across the country, late spring (March to May) is the best time to visit Japan, certainly for families, with the Easter Holidays usually coinciding with the arrival of the cherry blossoms in central Japan. Consequently, this is also the high season, so costs increase and sights can get crowded, particularly in Kyoto – April is especially busy, with schools breaking up for Easter and the annual Golden Week holidays – and you’ll need to book your accommodation well in advance. Thanks to its temperate climate, Tokyo is a year-round destination, though spring is generally one of the best times to visit the capital, too.

The shoulder season months of October and November are another great time to visit, with the country’s maple trees erupting in a riot of late-autumnal crimson. Temperatures are mild, rainfall is low and the skies are generally clear, making an extended break around the October half term the perfect occasion to be out exploring the countryside; Shikoku’s Iya Valley, for example, comes into its own at this time of year.

Summer and winter in Japan mark the country’s low seasons, when extreme temperatures and heavy snowfall can make travelling tricky. Summer (late June to the end of August) is hot and humid, with the rainy season (tsuyu) running from June to mid-July and temperatures nearly reaching 40 degrees Celsius around Tokyo in August, the hottest month. Thanks to the school summer holidays, August is also a busy time to travel, reaching a peak during the Obon festivals in the middle of the month. The heat and humidity extend into September, when typhoons bring strong winds and rain to wide parts of the country. Conversely, whilst winter (December to February) can be beautiful, particularly in the crisp, clear days of January, travelling can be difficult and the weather much more suited to skiing than to sightseeing.