Four Seasons in Japan (Part 2)
Lai Hung Wei Updated in February 2023

Konnichiwa and salam sejahtera! We are back again with the introduction of activities to do during the four seasons in Japan (Part 2)! This time we will be looking at some of my favourite activities to do during autumn and winter.

Autumn in Japan starts around September and ends in November. This is the season for viewing koyo, red autumn leaves in Japan. One of the most iconic spots in Japan is Arashiyama in Kyoto, which has spectacular views of autumn scenery. Many photographers went to Arashiyama for photo-shooting during the autumn. You may see quite a number of newly married couples taking wedding pictures of themselves during the season.

Photo:フネカワフネオ photo53.com

Photo AC: cheetah

Another activity to do in autumn is the moon watching, known as otsukimi. This event takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month of the traditional Japanese calendar, which is known as the fifteenth night, jyuugoya (In other east Asian countries, it is also known as the mid-autumn festival). This day usually falls in September of the modern solar calendar. The moon is big and bright during that night and the Japanese usually enjoy traditional food such as tsukimi dango and tsukimi soba.

On the other hand, winter in Japan starts in December and ends in February. Colder places such as Nagano and Hokkaido have longer winter and usually accompanied by a lot of snowfall. Therefore, winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding are popular activities there. If you are the less adventurous type, you may also want to join the local festivals such as the Sapporo snow festival to get a grasp of how the locals enjoy winter.

Photo: City of Sapporo

Photo: City of Sapporo

Winter in Japan is also famous for its illumination festivals. Various spots such as malls and tourist areas will be decorated with various kinds of beautiful illuminations. Theme parks such as Disneyland also have breath-taking sceneries of winter in Japan. Ice skating parks will also set up all over Japan during winter for visitors as well. Last but not least, soaking and relaxing in hot spring is perhaps one of the most Japanese way of enjoying winter.

That’s all for activities to do during four seasons in Japan! I hope these suggestions help you in making your decision to visit and travel across Japan during your favourite season.

Photo AC: Mikkusu

Photo AC: Monozuki