Japan – Ling’s favourite country for holiday
There are many reasons why Japan is my favourite country where I love to holiday. This love is shared by many I know who have holidayed in Japan for years as well. I have friends who after visiting Japan for the first time, got hooked and couldn’t wait to go back to their favourite country for holidays again.
Weather
I’ve always had good weather during my holidays in Japan. The worse I’ve experienced so far were temperature of 35°C and some rainy freezing days. Most of my friends also loved the weather in Japan during their holidays.
Now I know you might say this is subjective as Japan does experience heatwave and typhoons. But for most of us who holiday there, wouldn’t you choose the best seasons to travel and avoid the bad season?
I’ve been to Japan so many times but I’ve not yet holiday there in the months of July to September. These months are the main typhoon period and temperature in Japan could get very high and very humid. The only reason I might consider travelling during this period is to experience the many Summer festivals held across Japan and eat summer fruits.
But if you could only holiday during those months, what could you do if you dislike the heat? Go up north! Hokkaido’s temperature in Summer is not as high as the rest of the Japan, with temperature in the mid-20s range. Flowers are in full bloom during that period and many delicious fruits available for tasting.
Japan is a “long” country; there is always a location where the temperature is suitable. If you’re afraid of the cold but could only travel in December, consider visiting Okinawa or Kyushu where the temperature is milder during winter.
Here’s a good guide to check for a suitable travel period to Japan.
Which Seasons do I like?
I don’t like the heat; thus, I tend to visit Japan in the cooler months. Even my 3 months trip across Japan was done in Spring. However, nature can be fickle, and you’ll never have control over it.
Spring
I like Spring for the cool weather and the blooming of flowers when nature starts coming to life. End March to mid-April are good months to visit especially if you’re planning to catch some Hanami – Sakura or Cherry Blossom viewing. Japan-guide.com has a page that tracks the Cherry Blossom blooms across Japan every year. I would check this page to plan my trip to coincide with the blooming period, though with nature, timing could shift. Spring is also when the daylight hours get longer as it approaches Summer.
Autumn
Autumn is the time for Koyo – changing colours of Autumn leaves, where you’ll get hues of red, orange and yellow, making a pretty picture. Weather also starts to get cooler but not too cold till you need thick clothes. Again, Japan-guide.com has a page that tracks Koyo across Japan. Daylight hours gets shorter as it moves towards winter.
Winter
I like winter for the cold, the snow and all the great seafood that are in season during this period. Fishes tend to be fatty and crabs are in season too. It’s also a good time to eat piping hot Nabes (Hot Pots), Ramen and Shabu Shabu. Only thing I don’t like about winter are the thick clothes that take up too much space in the luggage, the time spent dressing up before one can get outside and having to remove layers indoors when it got too warm. One other thing about winter season is the daylight hours are short; you’d want to start the day early to make use of the limited daylight hours.
