When Is Autumn Leaf Season in Japan in 2026? Peak Dates for 9 Cities
The leaves change from north to south, so the right week depends on the city. Here are the forecast peak dates for nine cities, why this year runs slightly late, and how to build a trip around them.
Quick answer: In 2026 autumn leaves in Japan peak from early November in Sapporo to the last days of November in Tokyo and around December 11 for red maple in Kyoto, according to the Japan Meteorological Corporation's October 1 forecast. Mountain areas turn earlier, in October. For most travelers the best single window is the last week of November.
Japan's autumn color does not arrive on one date. It starts in the northern mountains in late September, moves south and downhill through October and November, and reaches the temples of Kyoto and the gardens of Kyushu in December. A trip planned for "peak foliage" without a city attached is a guess.
The dates below come from the Japan Meteorological Corporation, the private weather company whose forecast most travel coverage repeats. It issued a first forecast on September 2, 2026 and an update on October 1. Both said that high temperatures across the country would push color a little later than in a typical year.
Autumn Leaf Forecast by City, 2026
Two kinds of leaf are forecast. Ginkgo (icho) turns yellow first and is the main color of tree-lined avenues. Maple (momiji) turns red later and is the main color of temple gardens. Dates are the forecast peak, from the October 1 update.
| City | Yellow ginkgo peak | Red maple peak | What it means for a trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | November 3 | November 4 | Hokkaido is first. Plan for early November, not October. |
| Nagano | November 14 | November 21 | Nearby mountains turn earlier than the city. Go up in elevation for October color. |
| Kanazawa | November 10 | November 30 | Ginkgo first, maple three weeks later. Kenrokuen is best in late November. |
| Nagoya | November 17 | December 2 | A comfortable mid-route stop between Tokyo and Kyoto. |
| Tokyo | November 26 | November 28 | Late November into the first days of December. Ginkgo avenues lead. |
| Osaka | November 24 | December 4 | Ginkgo late November, maple first week of December. |
| Kyoto | November 27 | December 11 | The latest of the big cities. Mid-December for red maple. |
| Hiroshima | November 21 | November 28 | Miyajima maples fall in the last week of November. |
| Fukuoka | November 28 | December 7 | Kyushu is the last stop on the way south. |
Forecast dates move by a day or two with each update, and the peak is a window of about a week on either side, not a single day. Check the latest update shortly before you book anything non-refundable.
Which Week Should You Go?
- Best for Tokyo and one other city: November 22 to December 5. Tokyo's ginkgo and maple overlap, and Nagoya, Hiroshima and Osaka's ginkgo are at or near peak.
- Best for Kyoto temples: December 1 to December 14. Kyoto red maple is forecast for around December 11. Late November is pretty but earlier in the color.
- Best for the mountains and fewer crowds: mid to late October. Elevated areas and the north turn first. Pair a mountain stop with a lowland city a few weeks later.
- Best for Hokkaido: late October to early November. Sapporo's forecast is November 3 for ginkgo and November 4 for red maple, and snow can follow quickly, so pack for cold.
- Best for Kyushu: late November to early December. Fukuoka ginkgo is forecast around November 28 and red maple around December 7.
Koyo, Momiji and Momijigari: The Three Words
Koyo is the general word for autumn color. Momiji means the maple and, by extension, the red leaves themselves. Momijigari is the outing to see them, in the same way that hanami is the outing to see cherry blossoms. Knowing these three makes train station posters and forecast pages much easier to read.
Practical Tips for a Leaf-Season Trip
- Book Kyoto first. Hotels in Kyoto fill earliest in the last two weeks of November.
- Go early in the day. The famous temple gardens are quiet before nine in the morning and crowded by eleven.
- Bring cash for smaller temples and rural stops. Many accept only cash. Our guide to how much cash to bring to Japan covers the amount.
- Stay connected without roaming fees. Mountain valleys and temple towns can have patchy signal, so download maps in advance. Our guide to using your phone abroad without data shows how.
- Learn a few phrases. Our guide to traveling Japan without speaking Japanese works well for leaf-season trips too.
Why This Year Runs a Little Late
Leaves change when nights turn consistently cold, around 8 degrees Celsius or lower. A warm autumn delays that threshold, which is why the forecasting company said that high temperatures across the country would push color later than in a typical year. The effect is uneven. Most large cities are within about a week of normal, while northern and mountain areas such as Sapporo and Nagano were forecast several days to over a week late for red maple in the earlier September forecast.
The practical lesson is to leave slack. If your dates are fixed, choose a base with a second option within a short train ride, such as Kyoto with Nara or Osaka, or Tokyo with Nikko or Hakone, so that one early or late bloom does not decide your trip.
If You Write Haiku, Bring a Notebook
Colored leaves are one of the most used autumn season words in haiku, and a leaf-season trip is a good reason to try the form. Our guides to writing an autumn haiku and to what a kigo is explain the method.
Write a Haiku Where You Stand
17on is the haiku journal we make. A dictionary of more than 126,000 words counts syllables on each line as you type, so you can keep your eyes on the leaves. An inspiration feed carries classic haiku, the journal is searchable by keyword, date or tag, and the on-device AI never uploads your writing. Free to start. A one-time $4.99 Premium unlock removes the cap on saved haiku.
More about 17on · iPhone and Android · The free journal has a save limit
To be straightforward about fit: 17on is a place to write and keep your own haiku, not a foliage guide. For leaf forecasts use the Japan Meteorological Corporation's own pages. A paper notebook works too.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to see autumn leaves in Japan in 2026?
It depends on the city, and the leaves move from north to south. Sapporo peaks in early November, Nagano and Kanazawa mid to late November, Tokyo in the last days of November, Osaka in early December and Kyoto around December 11, according to the Japan Meteorological Corporation's October 1 forecast. Mountain areas such as Nikko and the Japan Alps turn weeks earlier, in October.
When do the leaves change in Tokyo in 2026?
The Japan Meteorological Corporation forecasts yellow ginkgo to peak around November 26 and red maple around November 28, both within a few days of a normal year. In practice the best window in Tokyo is roughly November 22 to December 5. Ginkgo avenues usually peak a few days before maple parks.
When do the leaves change in Kyoto in 2026?
The October 1 forecast puts yellow ginkgo around November 27 and red maple around December 11. Kyoto is among the latest of the large cities, so a trip in the second week of December is a realistic way to catch the temple maples. Late November is still lovely, but more of the color will be yellow and orange than deep red.
Is 2026 an early or late year for autumn colors in Japan?
Slightly late in places. The forecasting company said that high temperatures across the country would push red and yellow foliage a little later than in a typical year, and Sapporo and Nagano red maple were forecast several days to over a week behind their averages in the earlier September forecast. Most big cities are within about a week of normal.
What is the difference between koyo and momiji?
Koyo is the general word for autumn color, the whole phenomenon of leaves changing. Momiji means the maple tree itself, and by extension red autumn leaves, and it is also a classic autumn season word in haiku. Ginkgo is called icho. People say momijigari for going out to view the red leaves, in the same way hanami means viewing cherry blossoms.
Where can I find the official autumn leaf forecast for Japan?
The Japan Meteorological Corporation, a private weather company, publishes the forecast most travel sites repeat. It issued the first edition on September 2, 2026 and an update on October 1, with more updates expected through the autumn. It gives peak dates for specific cities. Check it again a week or two before you fly, because the dates shift by a day or two with each update.
Is November or December better for autumn leaves in Japan?
Mid to late November is the best single window for most of the country, because Nagano, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Hiroshima and Tokyo all peak or approach it, and the weather is dry and mild. December is better only if Kyoto, Osaka or Kyushu is the priority. If you can only pick one trip, aim for the last week of November and base yourself in Kyoto or Tokyo.
Is there a haiku app for writing about autumn leaves?
Yes. 17on, which we make, is a haiku journal for iPhone and Android with a syllable counter backed by a dictionary of more than 126,000 words. It is free to start with a one-time $4.99 Premium unlock. Momiji, colored leaves, is one of the most used autumn season words in haiku, and a trip is a good moment to try writing one. A paper notebook works too.
Forecast dates are from the Japan Meteorological Corporation's September 2 and October 1, 2026 releases as reported by Japanese and travel media, and were last checked on October 7, 2026. They are forecasts and will change. Our cash, phone and haiku guides are linked above. 17on is made by IROIRO, LLC, which publishes this blog.
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