#60 Visiting Japan in Autumn 2023
Tips on traveling in Japan in the first real autmn post-pandemic
Japan will soon be on school holidays, and the summer holidays are now in full swing. The peak season for families will be from the end of this month onwards, but if you are coming to Japan in autumn, now is perhaps exactly the time to gather information. I would like to share some tips in this week's post regarding visiting Japan in autumn, which will be the busiest season for Japanese as well as overseas visitors.
One thing that you have to put into real consideration is it is going to be the first autumn without restrictions after the pandemic in Japan.
Tourism market updates summer in 2023
According to a survey of the market in summer tourism by JTB, Japan's largest travel agency, the domestic market is rapidly recovering. The number of domestic travelers was 72.5 million, a year-on-year increase of 116.9%, recovering to the same level as before the Corona disaster. The number of overseas travellers was 1.2 million, up 214.3% from the previous year. More and more Japanese tourists are going overseas.
On the other hand, according to a summary by the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), the number of foreign visitors to Japan in May was less than 190,000, a decrease of about 500,000 compared to April. Overall, the number of foreign visitors to Japan is recovering towards pre-Corona levels, despite price hikes and other factors, although there are variations from country to country.
Peak tourist season in Japan
The peak season for locals and foreigners is the same, and everybody flocks to attraction sites for the autumn leaves from the end of October to the beginning of December. Japan's long north-south length allows for a large range in the autumn leaf colour season.
The autumn leaves front starts moving southwards from the north in Hokkaido in early October, with Kyoto, the biggest highlight of the autumn leaf, from mid-November to early December.
The autumn leaves also start earlier in the mountainous areas of the Tohoku region and in the high mountains of the central part of Japan, which are over 3,000 metres high, and only a handful of mountain lodges open during the winter, with most closing around the 3 November public holiday.
Notes on logistics
Air tickets: Airline tickets remain expensive for users due to high surcharges and tight post-Corona demand.
Hotels: Hotels in Japan continue to be expensive across the country due to a sharp recovery in demand post-pandemic. In Tokyo, prices have doubled or tripled compared to pre-Corona times.
Autumn leaves in November: Popular destinations for autumn leaves are expecting large crowds on two long weekends around public holidays on the 3rd and 23rd. People travelling by air or Shinkansen within Japan should be aware of it. Those planning to visit popular tourist destinations such as Kyoto should book in advance, along with hotels.
Japan Rail Pass: Those considering the Japan Rail Pass should be aware that a price increase is planned for autumn: the JR Group has announced that the price of the Japan Rail Pass, which has become a staple for overseas travellers, will be increased substantially around October this year, but the timing and detailed rules will be announced later. This issue has been widely discussed on social media, but with the autumn peak season approaching, it is necessary to keep an eye on future information to see if the old rates will still apply in November if purchased in advance. (For more information, see May #57)
Popular destinations in Japan
Tokyo: Autumn is the most popular season, along with spring, not only in Tokyo but throughout the country.
Mt Fuji: Fuji climbing season is marked on the official website as ending on 10 September. After 10 September, all mountain lodges will be closed, and there will be no safe way to climb the mountain. The official website also calls for attention to detail on its website, as it will be quite crowded during the season this year.
Kyoto: The autumn leaves season in Kyoto is said to be from mid-November to early December, but the best time to see the leaves could be a week to 10 days earlier. In some years, it may already be over in December, so it is advisable to book flights carefully with this in mind. in October, information on autumn leaves in various regions can be found on various travel-related websites, so it is possible to pinpoint more precisely when the best time to see the leaves is. Also, there is a handy Kyoto information site which predicts the situation of the congestion up to three months later. You must translate the website, but it may be useful.
Hiking: Compared to pre-pandemic times, the number of hikers seems to have increased in both high and low-mountain locations.
I live in the western suburbs of Tokyo, and there is a clear increase in the number of hikers heading out to walk in the Tama area of Tokyo every weekend. This may be related to the camping boom during the pandemic, but there is a clear increase in the number of people who want to spend weekends in the mountains.
Therefore, during the autumn tourist season, the area is expected to be crowded with Japanese tourists. In particular, in mountains that are easily accessible by car within a few hours from the Tokyo metropolitan area, the parking lots at the trailheads are likely to be full before sunrise.
Last autumn, when I went on a one-day hiking trip to Mt Mizugaki in Yamanashi Prefecture, the parking lot was full at 6 am.
I think it is time to decide on the locations and timing to visit Japan in autumn. Please keep in your mind that it is going to be the first autumn after the complete life of restrictions after the pandemic. If you have any questions, feel free to write in the comment, and I’ll do my best to answer those.