Autumn Colors in Japan: 2018 Fall Foliage Forecast
The viewing of autumn leaves is called koyo or momiji-gari in Japanese, and is a popular pastime in autumn. The fall season is one of the most beautiful seasons in Japan with great weather that is perfect for traveling. The autumn foliage season in Japan typically starts in mid-September in the northern mountains of Hokkaido, and slowly makes it way down south reaching Tokyo and Kyoto in mid to late November. You can even enjoy the fall foliage into December in many parts of Japan. All this means a season lasting nearly three months!
The green leaves of summer change to spectacular fiery reds, apricot oranges and golden yellows of the season as the weather cools, and the koyo front makes it way south.
Autumn Colors Season 2018
The autumn colors forecast each year varies depending on temperatures leading up to the season. This means the timing of the viewing of the autumn leaves can vary by a few days to a few weeks from year to year.
The fall color season is coming to an end across Japan. You can still catch some peak colors in Tokyo, but the autumn leaves are now past their peak in Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and Fukuoka.
The table below outlines some of the popular destinations in Japan for viewing the autumn leaves with the average estimated viewing time.
More information can be found at the official Koyo Guide in Japan.
Autumn Colors Table (Updated 2 December 2018)