Automn 2024 Japan
Travel to Japan for fall colors 2024
Discover the Beauty of Japan in Autumn – Travel to Japan in October 2024
Come autumn, Japan brings out the beauty in all its colors, with red, orange and yellow replacing the green leaf. People make annual trips to the state and 2024 is not is an exception. Autumn records the most beautiful scenes and wonderful activities – indeed, this is not the time to miss out on Japan. If you are a nature lover and love photography or want a break from the hustle and bustle all day, Japan in autumn is for you.
What is interesting in Japan at this time of year?
Japan in autumn, or "koyo", is best described as looking at nature’s quarterly awards release — but instead of stars it is all about the show of red maple leaves. This season last longer than the cherry blossom season, which equals more time to enjoy the views and matcha in the pretense that you are an ancient samurai. There is autumn in Japan which means cooler weather and blazing foliage all of which are excuses to walk about, sightsee and pretend that you know the first thing about Japanese ceremonies.
Japan’s Best Spots to See Autumn Colors
1. Kyoto
Autumn in Kyoto is like an automobile that has misplaced its lover. It is as though one is in a highly saturated painting. Temples and shrines such as Kiyomizu-dera and Eikando are surely going to be the best Instagram post peaking places (But do not photobomb any of the monks). And once you are already here, don’t forget to visit Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, which is a beautiful place where red leaves and green bamboos make you feel like you are lost in different time zones, offering you the need to be at peace and yet in a state of chaos at the same time.
2. Nikko
Moving a bit north, Nikko serves autumn with a plate of spirituality. From the mid of October to the early days of November, such places as Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls are orange and yellow as if the outcasts have been poured out in pumpkin spice sauce. Almost uncontrollably you will want to just stand and yell, ‘Scream and jump! so many leaves! Look at all those leaves!’ Don’t get overboard. People will take you for koyo veteran and misapply on your account.
3. Hakone
For those who love onsen, and really who doesn’t, Hakone is paradise on earth. How about spending some time in an onsen admiring the fall foliage and occasionally sneaking a view of Mount Fuji? For that matter, Lake Ashi in autumn looks so picture perfect that one may think they are in an anime over romantic setting, and this time even the ‘camera’ rests.
4. Takayama
In Takayama, autumn shades blend perfectly with a quaint little town atmosphere, just like a Japanese Alps foliage festival, being hosted to welcome everyone in the world. Not forget to visit Shirakawa-go Village, where the traditional houses with the thatched roofs and wilding autumn leaves are killer cuts. Try to resist the desire to become a serious nature photographer.
5. Hokkaido
If you are of the instant kind and cannot wait for the real autumn to set in, proceed straight to Hokkaido, where one can find autumn hues from as early as September. Explore the scenic madness that is Daisetsuzan National Park and Furano and whose scenery makes one wonder if someone is stalking them with an impressive Instagram filter. The bright red leaves of the north are the real culprits of giving rise to these feelings that ‘autumn in Hokkaido is solely put there to be displayed’.
Fall Season Activities in Japan
Video-panning trees is not the only thing that people enjoy doing in Japan in autumn; there are so many other things that would make you feel as if you are in a perfectly scrutinized holiday video rather than the normal bore.
Take in a local’s many festivities: It seems like every small town or big city always has some form of festivities in the fall which goes along awesome traditional dances and great street food and so many lanterns as if you are in a Studio Ghibli center. If you happen to be around the city of Kyoto, never even entertain the idea of skipping the Jidai Matsuri, as the historical parades will indeed take you a few centuries back in time.
Savor Seasonal Food: If the beauty of the fall leaves wasn’t awe-inspiring enough, then, it is also the season for food in Japan. Prepare to indulge in matsutake mushrooms, sweet potato and some of America’s most delicious seafood. And if you want to be adventurous and don’t mind the wallet getting slimmer in the process, then go for a kaiseki meal, a series of many dishes that just shouts ‘these are the seasons, enjoy lavishly’.
Take a Soothing Hot Spring Bath: There is no greater brainteaser than dipping oneself in hot spring water with a view of red and gold leaves and woolgathering (or thinking about eating something else). There are many onsen towns like Hakone and Beppu that are hot spring resorts so do not forget your towel and let go.
Best Time of Day for Autumn Colors
Achieving the apex of the autumn foliage of Japan is about timing. Here is a general guide that is popular among people visiting:
Hokkaido: End of September to middle of October
Tohoku: Early October to end of October
Kanto (Tokyo area): Late October to middle of November
Kansai (Kyoto and Osaka): Early November to late November
Kyushu: End of November to early December
For the latest updates, check out the koyo forecast for nothing ever is more damaging to one’s plans to see the fall foliage and more than being a week too late or too early.
Advice For Autumn Travels 2024
Book Early: Consider autumn in Japan to be a well-kept secret because the last thing you want is to end up in one of the remote hostels at the very last minute. If you happen to be eyeing many of the popular places, such as Kyoto, then secure your hotel room as early as now
Use Public Transport: A car rental will not be necessary with this trip because all the trains in Japan are very fast, so take the waters with the JR Pass if you are heading from one area to another. And, peering through the window to see the autumn foliage is like watching an old romantic movie, except you are not using a TV.
Be Respectful: It can be rather exciting to gather a few of those decorative leaves but don’t do it. Do not straddle the boundaries and the area of the temples and the shrines unless you want to be put on some kind of spiritual watch list.
2024 Autumn in Japan is bound to be an amazing and memorable season. It does not matter whether it is leaf looking time in kyoto or onsen in Hakone or skying in beautiful Hokkaido, Japan will leave you speechless with its diverse fall color. So make sure to have all your cameras ready and the warmest scarf you can find and possibly snacks for a marvelous autumn outing.
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Image: Automn colors in Japan
