Autumn is one of the four seasons of Japan which in the Japanese language is called aki [秋]. The season starts on September 23 and goes until December 21. In this article, we will see a little about Autumn in Japan.
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How is autumn in Japan?
In the Japanese autumn, the leaves of the trees turn yellow and red, making the streets, gardens and Japanese landscapes more beautiful. In my opinion it is one of the best times to visit Japan, I always do my travels around October.
The autumn weather is comfortable and cool in most of Japan. The leaves start to turn red early in Hokkaido around September, making it a good time to visit the north of the country. Some holidays occur during this time such as Halloween.
The rice is golden, colorful fruits such as chestnuts, pears and grapes decorate the window. During autumn we have many fruits such as tangerine, yuzu, persimmon, apples, pears and strawberries. Small typhoons and rains can linger into early autumn.
The nights get longer and you can clearly see the moon and stars. As the morning chill and the evening chill gradually increase, the temperature difference between day and night becomes large.
Autumn facts in Japan
Autumn flowers in Japan – The famous autumn flowers are called the 7 herbs of autumn or Aki no nanakusa [秋の七草]. These are wild grasses and vegetables such as Chrysanthemum, Higanbana, Cosmos and Miscanthus.
Moon Festival in Autumn - In Japan there is the word Moon Viewing [月見] which literally means "moon watching", are Japanese festivals in honor of the autumn moon. During autumn we can still see remnants of the Tanabata, Obon and Nakamoto.
During autumn we have many athletic events such as the National Holiday Sports Day, festivals and athletic meetings are held in many schools like bunkasai are also usually held in autumn.
Cities to Enjoy Autumn in Japan
Autumn in Kyoto takes place around November to December. Many temples, castles and gardens often represent the largest collection of colorful flowers in Japan. Kyoto is full of places to enjoy the fall of the autumn leaves making it one of the most popular places to visit, in addition to its great culture, beauty and traditionalism.
The city of Tokyo offers large urban parks and gardens from the Edo era to enjoy the autumn leaves. Even the streets of Tokyo can have a good view, such as Icho Namiki Avenue and also the fields of the University of Tokyo.
A city of Nara it is also a great place, as it was the first capital of Japan. Like any ancient capital of Japan, it is filled with good places such as temples, shrines, parks, and gardens.
The city of Osaka is also a great tourist spot to enjoy the beauty of autumn. There is Osaka Castle, Minoo's Garden and many other attractions, not to mention some streets that are a delight to enjoy in autumn.
Nikko a city 2 hours from Tokyo in the mountains, creating a beautiful setting for autumn, not to mention the onsen, lakes, temples, and the mausoleum of shogun Tokugawa, a major tourist attraction.
One of the best gardens to see the autumn leaves is Kanazawa, which took more than 200 years to be built and is full of lakes. The 5 lakes around Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture is another great place to enjoy the scenery during autumn.
A small island near Hiroshima called Miyajima has beautiful forests, and trees with up to 700 years of life known as Momijidani. There are numerous other hiking trails and some temples.
We will leave some wonderful photos below, and then one of some cities and the season where you can enjoy the autumn leaves.
Autumn leaves season table
The list below shows the best time to visit a particular region to see the red of autumn and the fall of leaves in Japan. We have a list with the city, beginning of fall and end of fall. Each region starts on a different date.
Responsive Table: Scroll the table to the side with your finger >>
| City/Province | Start | End |
| Hokkaido | mid september | end of october |
| Tohoku | beginning of october | at the beginning of november |
| Nikko | beginning of october | mid November |
| Kyushu | mid october | end of november |
| Koyasan | end of october | mid November |
| Fuji five lakes | end of october | mid November |
| Hakone | at the beginning of november | end of november |
| Tokyo | at the beginning of november | mid december |
| Yoshino | at the beginning of november | end of november |
| Kanazawa | mid November | Beginning of December |
| Izu Peninsula | mid November | Beginning of December |
| Nara | mid November | Beginning of December |
| Kyoto | mid November | Beginning of December |
| Osaka | mid November | Beginning of December |
| Miyajima | mid November | end of november |
| Shikoku | mid November | end of november |
| Himeji | mid November | Beginning of December |
| Kamakura | end of november | Beginning of December |
Autumn Words in Japanese
Below are some words and vocabularies related to Autumn in the Japanese language:
Responsive Table: Scroll the table to the side with your finger >>
| romaji | Japanese | Portuguese |
| autumn | Autumn | Autumn |
| name of | 雨の | Rainy |
| gakkō ni iku | 学校に行く | Back to school |
| ha | leaf | Sheet |
| Harowīn | ハロウィーン | Halloween |
| kanshasai | 感謝祭 | Thanksgiving |
| wind | cold | Cold |
| kaze no tsuyoi | 風の強い | Windy |
| kisetsu no kawarime | 季節の変わり目 | change of season |
| kōyō | autumn leaves | autumn foliage |
| kuri | 栗 | Chestnut |
| nagasode no shatsu | 長袖のシャツ | long sleeve shirt |
| panpukin father | パンプキンパイ | Pumpkin pie |
| rakuyō | 落葉 | falling leaves |
| sētā | sweater | Sweater |
| shūbun | 秋分 | autumn equinox |
| cool | Cool | Nice |
