When is the best time to visit Tokyo?

Spring (late March to April) and autumn (late October to November) are the best times to visit Tokyo. Spring brings cherry blossoms and a festive mood but the biggest crowds and highest prices. Autumn offers the most comfortable weather, clear skies, and fall color with fewer people, which makes late October and November the all-round sweet spot.

When do cherry blossoms bloom in Tokyo?

Tokyo's cherry blossoms usually open in late March and reach peak bloom around the end of March or the first days of April. The exact timing shifts each year with the winter weather; in 2026 the trees opened around March 19 and peaked near March 28. Forecasts begin publishing in December, so check the latest once you have travel dates.

How long do cherry blossoms last in Tokyo?

Plan for a short window. The blossoms take about a week to go from first open to peak, then the petals usually fall within a week of full bloom, so the whole season lasts roughly two weeks with the best viewing in a 5-to-7-day stretch. Rain or strong wind can shorten it.

Is May too late for cherry blossoms in Tokyo?

Yes. By May Tokyo's blossoms are long gone, since the city peaks in late March or early April. If you can only travel in late April or May, you can still catch sakura by heading north, where the bloom arrives later in Tohoku and Hokkaido.

What is the cheapest time to visit Tokyo?

The cheapest time to visit Tokyo is winter, from mid-January through February, when both airfares and hotel rates fall. The June rainy season is also cheap for hotels and has thin crowds, though airfares are not always lower then. The most expensive periods are cherry blossom season (late March to early April), Golden Week (late April to early May), and the Obon holiday in mid-August.

When is the rainy season in Tokyo?

Tokyo's rainy season, called tsuyu, usually runs from around June 8 to July 20. In 2026 the rains arrived on their usual early-June schedule. It rarely rains all day; expect humid air with showers and the occasional downpour across roughly 10 to 14 wet days in the month.

When is the best weather in Tokyo?

The most comfortable weather is from mid-October through November, when the air is dry and clear and daytime highs sit in the pleasant 60s and low 70s Fahrenheit. April is the other strong window, mild and dry before the summer humidity arrives.

When can you see Mt. Fuji from Tokyo?

Winter, roughly December through February, gives the clearest views of Mt. Fuji. The cold, dry air cuts the summer haze, so the mountain is visible on far more days from Tokyo viewpoints like the government building observatories, Shibuya Sky, and the Skytree.

How many days do you need in Tokyo?

Most first-time visitors want three to five days in Tokyo to cover the main neighborhoods at a comfortable pace, with a day trip if you have five. Three days hits the highlights; five lets you slow down and add Kamakura or Hakone.

When is Tokyo most crowded and expensive?

Tokyo is busiest and priciest during cherry blossom season (late March to early April), Golden Week (late April to early May), the Obon holiday in mid-August, and the New Year period (late December to early January). Trains, hotels, and flights all fill up, so book well ahead or travel just outside those dates.

Tokyo city guide

Tokyo · when to go

Best Time to Visit Tokyo

Spring and autumn are the best overall, but the right month depends on what you want. Here is how Tokyo's seasons, crowds, and prices break down.

Tokyo in brief

When is the rainy season in Tokyo?: Tokyo's rainy season (tsuyu) runs from around June 8 to July 20. It rarely rains all day, and crowds and hotel rates stay low, but pack for humidity and the occasional downpour.
When do the cherry blossoms bloom?: Usually late March, peaking around the end of March or the first days of April. The window is short, roughly a week at full bloom.
What is the cheapest time to go?: Winter, from mid-January through February, brings the lowest airfares and hotel rates. The June rainy season is cheap for hotels and crowds too, though flights are not always lower then.

Tokyo through the year

When to visit, at a glance

Average daily high and low temperatures, how busy each month runs, and the moments worth timing a trip around.

Crowds: shorter & greener = quieterLowModerateHighPeak

Tokyo season by season

When to visit Tokyo, season by season

Each season is a different city. Jump to any season for its weather, its crowd and price level, and the best places to feel it.

The wide cherry-blossom avenue in Ueno Park lined with hanami crowds on a bright spring day.

SpringMarch to MayPeak season

The headline season: cherry blossoms and a city in bloom

Mild days, a festive mood, and sakura that draws the year's biggest crowds and highest prices. Book flights and hotels months ahead.

Temperature: 57-74°F
Crowds: Peak
Prices: Highest
Highlight: Cherry blossoms

Where to see spring in Tokyo

Ueno Park
A wide avenue of cherry trees over a lively, lantern-lit hanami crowd, plus swan boats on Shinobazu Pond.
Explore Ueno
Meguro River
A canal tunnelled in pale pink and strung with paper lanterns, the most photogenic hanami spot in the city.
Guide coming soon
Chidorigafuchi
Rent a rowboat under the blossoms on the Imperial Palace moat, with the city skyline behind.
Guide coming soon

Summer fireworks over Tokyo's Rainbow Bridge at night.

SummerJune to AugustHot & humid

Rainy season first, then heat, festivals, and fireworks

Early June brings the rainy season; July and August turn hot and sticky. The payoff is the year's best festivals and riverside fireworks.

Temperature: 79-89°F
Crowds: Moderate
Prices: Mixed
Rain: Wet to mid-July

Where to feel summer in Tokyo

Sumida River Fireworks
Tokyo's biggest fireworks show lights up the old-town sky in late July. Arrive early for a riverside spot.
Explore Asakusa
Summer festivals
Neighborhood shrine festivals fill the streets with lanterns, food stalls, and bon-odori dancing all season.
Guide coming soon

A stone bridge crossing the pond among vivid red and orange maples at Rikugien garden.

AutumnSeptember to NovemberSweet spot

The comfort sweet spot: clear skies and fall color

Skip early September's typhoons; from mid-October the air turns dry and clear, with golden ginkgo and red maples into early December and fewer crowds than spring.

Temperature: 63-82°F
Crowds: Moderate
Prices: Moderate
Highlight: Clear, mild days

Where to see autumn in Tokyo

Meiji Jingu Gaien
A 300-metre avenue of golden ginkgo trees that peaks in late November, lit up in the evenings.
Explore Harajuku
Rikugien garden
A classic strolling garden whose maples turn deep red into early December, with evening illuminations on the pond.
Guide coming soon

Snow-capped Mt. Fuji beyond the Tokyo cityscape on a clear winter day.

WinterDecember to FebruaryCheapest & clearest

Clear skies, the fewest crowds, and the lowest prices

Cold but dry and sunny, with little snow. The clearest views of Mt. Fuji all year, citywide illuminations, and the best deals, as long as you skip the New Year week.

Temperature: 50-55°F
Crowds: Low
Prices: Lowest
Highlight: Clearest Fuji

Where to feel winter in Tokyo

Roppongi illuminations
The Keyakizaka avenue glows with blue and gold lights and Tokyo Tower behind, from November through December.
Explore Roppongi
Mt. Fuji views
Winter's dry air makes Fuji visible from Tokyo's observation decks on most clear mornings.
Guide coming soon