Cherry blossoms get the international press, but autumn (koyo) is the season Japanese people quietly prefer. The colour lasts longer (six weeks vs two), the weather is more reliable (clear, crisp, low humidity), and the crowds are noticeably smaller. The Japanese maple (momiji) turns vermillion-red, the ginkgo (icho) turns saffron-yellow, and temple gardens hold both in the same view. The peak rolls south week by week — start by deciding which week you'll be in Japan, then pick the latitude that matches.
The peak by region
- Hokkaido (Daisetsuzan, Lake Akan) — late September to mid-October.
- Tohoku (Hachimantai, Naruko Gorge, Yamadera) — mid-to-late October.
- Tokyo / Kanto (Rikugien, Mt. Takao, Nikko) — mid-to-late November.
- Chubu (Kamikochi, Korankei valley) — early-to-mid November.
- Kansai (Kyoto Eikan-do, Tofuku-ji, Arashiyama) — mid-to-late November.
- Hiroshima (Shukkeien, Miyajima) — mid-November.
- Kyushu (Kuju, Aso, Yufuin) — late November to early December.
Where to actually go
- Kyoto temple gardens — Tofuku-ji's Tsutenkyo bridge over a sea of maples, Eikan-do's pond reflections, Genkoan's round-window view. Most overrun, most photographed for a reason.
- Nikko — UNESCO shrines under fiery maple, two hours from Tokyo by Tobu Limited Express.
- Korankei (Aichi) — 4,000 maples in a single valley, evening illumination through November.
- Mt. Takao — Tokyo's easiest koyo day trip, ¥440 round-trip from Shinjuku.
- Daisetsuzan — Hokkaido's first colour, often with first snow on the same day.
How to do it without crowds
- Temple gardens before 09:00 are silent; the JNTO night-illumination events are worth one evening.
- Mid-week beats weekend by an order of magnitude.
- The week before the official peak has 80% of the colour and 20% of the photography crowds.
- Smaller temples (Genkoan, Tenju-an) are within 10 minutes' walk of the famous ones — same maples, no queue.
The articles below cover specific koyo destinations and itineraries in depth.
