Japan fall foliage 2026: where the autumn leaves are now, and when to go

Japan's autumn leaves season

Japan's autumn leaves (fall foliage, or koyo and momiji in Japanese) move across the country over three months. They start in Hokkaido's mountains in September, work their way south and downhill, and end in the temple gardens of Kyoto and Tokyo in December. Each place has its own few weeks.

So the question to ask is where the colour will be on your dates. This guide answers it three ways: what's at peak right now, when each region usually turns, and whether 2026 is running early or late. The numbers come from PeakYet's live data and update every day.

Season

September (Hokkaido's mountains) to December (Kyoto and Tokyo gardens)

At peak now

88 of 770 spots with a report from the last 3 days

This year

Running late: 42 of 50 city trees are behind their normal date

Where the leaves are at peak right now

As of 21 Oct 2026, 88 of the 770 spots with a recent report are at peak. The most are in Nagano (18), Tochigi (11) and Akita (10).

Each spot links to the report it's based on. A peak report describes that one spot; the town around it can be at a different stage.

• Lake Matsubara

  At peak colour

  Nagano

  JR System via tenki.jp · 20 Oct 2026 · Reported

• Lake Chuzenji & Kegon Falls

  At peak colour

  Nikko, Tochigi

  Nikko Tourism Association · 20 Oct 2026 · Confirmed

• Yashio Ikoi Forest

  At peak colour

  Akita

  JR System via tenki.jp · 20 Oct 2026 · Reported

• Lake Shikotsu Onsen

  At peak colour

  Hokkaido

  JR System via tenki.jp · 20 Oct 2026 · Reported

• Isawa River Gorge

  At peak colour

  Iwate

  JR System via tenki.jp · 20 Oct 2026 · Reported

Reports come from tenki.jp (which carries the JR System feed) and the official Nikko and Kyoto tourism sites.

See every spot on the map ›

When to go: autumn month by month

In short: September in Hokkaido, October in northern Honshu and Nikko, and mid-November to mid-December in Kyoto, Tokyo and the west. Below are one or two well-known spots for each month, with the dates they're normally at their best. Those dates come from past years (tenki.jp) and describe a normal year; 2026 can run earlier or later.

September: Hokkaido's mountains

Colour starts high up in Hokkaido. Ginsendai, in the Daisetsuzan mountains, is usually at its best mid to late Sep. By October it's normally over.

October: northern gorges and Nikko

In October the colour reaches the gorges of northern Honshu and the hills above Nikko. Oirase Gorge in Aomori is usually best mid-Oct to early Nov, and Ryuzu Falls in Nikko late Sep to mid-Oct. Nikko is a day trip from Tokyo, but it turns weeks before Tokyo's own gardens.

November: Kyoto, Tokyo and central Japan

November is the classic month, and the busiest. Korankei Gorge in Aichi is usually best mid to late Nov. In Kyoto, Tofukuji Temple usually peaks mid-Nov to early Dec. In Tokyo, Rikugien Garden runs later: late Nov to mid-Dec.

December: the last of the colour

A few places hold on into December. Kyoto's Shimogamo Shrine is usually best early to mid-Dec, and Rikugien in Tokyo runs into December too. If you're travelling late, plan around places like these.

See every place in the season calendar ›

Fall foliage in Kyoto, Tokyo, Nikko and Hokkaido

Is 2026 early or late?

Late, in most places. 42 of 50 city trees are running behind their normal date, typically by 5 days.

How we know: Japan's weather agency (JMA) watches one maple tree in each city and records the day it turns. Each autumn the Japan Meteorological Corporation (JMC), a private forecaster, predicts that day; its latest forecast, round 2, came out on 1 Oct 2026. We compare each tree with its own normal date (the 1991–2020 average). Once JMA records the real date, we use that instead.

Keep in mind that it's one tree in a city park. Temples, gardens and mountains nearby keep their own timing. In Kyoto, the famous temples are usually at their best weeks before the city tree turns.

Best chance, next 7 days: the day this week when the city tree is most likely to be at peak, by our score. "Not this week" means every day is Unlikely.

Planning your trip with PeakYet

Going in the next few days

Open the PeakYet map and choose the exact lake, garden or temple you'll visit. Look for a recent peak report there, open the source to check its date and comments, and keep a nearby backup in mind. Colour changes within days, so check again on the morning you go.

Going in November or December

Use PeakYet's season calendar to find places whose usual best weeks overlap your trip. The city forecasts above tell you whether the year is running early or late; each spot still keeps its own timing. Keep bookings flexible if you can, and check the latest reports on the map a few days before you go.

Common questions

When is autumn leaves season in Japan?

From mid-September to mid-December. It starts in Hokkaido's mountains, reaches northern Honshu and Nikko in October, and ends in Kyoto, Tokyo and western Japan from mid-November to mid-December.

What's the best month to see autumn leaves in Japan?

November, for most trips. That's when Kyoto, Tokyo, central Japan and the west are usually at their best. October suits the north and the mountains, and September suits Hokkaido's high ground.

When do the autumn leaves peak in Osaka and Nara?

Usually mid-Nov to early Dec in Osaka and early to late Nov in Nara, going by past years. Check the map for the latest reports before you go.

How accurate are the forecasts?

To within about four days, on average. That's how far JMC's date for a city tree has been off across 546 past forecasts. We tested our own city score on 1,001 forecasts from 2018–2025, and it did slightly better. Neither tells you how a particular temple or park will look.

Where does the information come from?

Spot reports come from tenki.jp, which carries the JR System feed, and from the official Nikko and Kyoto tourism sites. City tree dates come from JMA, and forecasts from JMC. Every report shows its source and date, exactly as the source gave it.

How PeakYet works

PeakYet keeps three kinds of information apart. A report is what a source saw at a spot on a given day, and every spot shows who saw it and when. A usual window is when a spot is normally at its best, from past years. A forecast covers one tree per city; spots nearby keep their own timing.

Sources and forecast method

This page updates itself whenever our data does. The photo is an example from a past season.