At their best now: late October
In the mountains of Tohoku and Hokkaido, such as Bandai-Azuma and Asahidake, the colours have already passed. These places are at or just past their best.
| Place | Best viewing | Our tip |
|---|---|---|
| KamikochiNagano | Oct 13 | Larch trees turn gold along the Azusa River. The road closes for winter on November 15. |
| Nikko, Irohazaka roadTochigi | From Oct 23 | Colour moves down the mountain: Okunikko first, then Irohazaka, then the shrines in town in early November. |
| Onuma Park, near HakodateHokkaido | Oct 26 | Maples around the lake with Mount Komagatake behind. About 30 minutes from Hakodate by limited express. |
| Lake Towada and the Oirase StreamAomori | Oct 27 | Walk the stream path in the morning, before the tour buses arrive at the waterfalls. |
Coming up in November
| Place | Best viewing | Our tip |
|---|---|---|
| Mount DaisenTottori | Nov 2 | Beech forests on the highest peak in western Japan. |
| KirishimaKagoshima | Nov 11 | Pair the leaves with an outdoor hot spring bath. |
| Miyajima, Momijidani ParkHiroshima | From Nov 19 | Take an early ferry; day-trippers fill the island from about 10:00. |
| Kenrokuen, KanazawaIshikawa | From Nov 22 | From mid-October the garden opens at 8:00. The first hour is the calmest. |
| Korankei GorgeAichi | Nov 23 | Around 4,000 maples. Weekend traffic jams are long, so take the bus from Higashi-Okazaki or go on a weekday. |
| Arashiyama, KyotoKyoto | From Nov 24 | Before 8:30 the bamboo grove and riverside are almost empty, even in leaf season. |
| Akizuki, FukuokaFukuoka | From Nov 30 | A small castle town with a maple-lined stone stairway. Combine it with Dazaifu on a day trip. |
In the cities: ginkgo and maple
City trees turn last. Yellow ginkgo comes first, red maple one to two weeks later.
Three tips for leaf season
- Book rooms early for the Kyoto peak, from about November 20 to early December. Weekends fill first.
- Go early in the morning. Famous spots are calm before 8:30 and packed from 10:00.
- Check the forecast again a week before. A warm spell can push the dates back by several days.
Sources: Weathernews second autumn-leaf forecast (October 8, 2026), via Travel Voice; Japan Meteorological Corporation (September 2, 2026) for the city trees. Dates are approximate and depend on the weather.