Prepare for Our Fall Trip to Japan

We will be heading to Japan next month for fall foliage season, and just finalized our rough itinerary (though we planned for the trip several months ago). It will be our third trip to Japan, but our first time visiting in the fall. Once we return, we hope to compile and share some useful tips based on our experiences. In the meantime, here are the things we have noted during our planning process.

Our Itinerary

On the previous trips, we tried to spend at least 10 nights each visit. However, due to work constraints, we could only stay for a week this time. We chose to visit Kyoto and Nara again for several reasons:

• We enjoyed both cities greatly and still have a lot to see in each place.
• We have never seen them in the fall and both are famous for autumn foliage.
• Since this is a shorter trip, we wanted to keep things simple – no extensive research or planning, just a relaxing time focused on enjoying the weather and scenery. Having some familiarity with Kyoto and Nara makes them perfect for this purpose.

With global warming, peak foliage seems to be increasingly delayed. It is also difficult to have an exact prediction for peak colors. We have been using Autumn Foliage Forecast by JMC for reference. Additionally, sites like Japan-Guide and Kyoto City Official Travel Guide provide periodic updates on the foliage status, which is quite helpful. We also leave a free day in our itinerary so we can be flexible and go to places with better foliage if needed, like higher elevations or spots further north.

From our time living in the U.S., we noticed that a prolonged, overly hot summer can lead to less vibrant fall colors. If that is the case this year in Kyoto and Nara, I think we won’t be too disappointed as there are other things to enjoy, like the pleasant weather and seasonal food. I really miss the crisp air of autumn.

If possible, book your flight tickets and accommodations several months in advance for best availability and pricing as fall is a peak travel season. This time, we will split our nights among Nara, Arashiyama and Eastern Higashiyama. As an example, our stay at The Westin Miyako Kyoto (Agoda | Booking) was about 20-25% cheaper when we booked in July compared to now.

One of the things we love about dining in Japan is the emphasis on seasonality, and we’re excited to enjoy fall specialties like sweet potatoes, matsutake mushrooms, and chestnuts. As a result, we make sure to make some restaurant reservations in advance. We only reserve about 30-40% of our meals, leaving the rest open for flexibility like we explained in our guide on how to make restaurant reservations in Japan.

Activities and Attractions

It is a good idea to research specific fall activities before your trip. Night illuminations in the fall seem to be a big thing in Kyoto. To be honest, we have doubts as we always think foliage colors look best in natural daylight. We will go to a couple of illuminations to see it for ourselves.

Fall also seems like an ideal time for the Kyoto Zen Garden Walking Tour. We did it once in May when everything was lush and green and enjoyed it. Other activities that could be great during this season include taking a bicycling tour or hiking in Kurama mountain to enjoy the crisp air and colorful scenery.

Keep in mind that some attractions are beautiful but may not necessarily be great spots for fall foliage – consider this when planning places you want to visit. If you are worried about crowds, it may be worth researching less crowded places before leaving for Japan. Some foliage spots may require advance reservations.