When should you travel to Japan with kids

The short answer? Any time.

The long answer? Well, that depends... Japanese festivals, seasons and your own personal preferences will all play a big part in when you decide to travel to Japan as a family — but if you’re restricted by school holidays, we can give you some pointers.

Japan has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. There are a gazillion blogs and web pages out there describing what each is like. In a nutshell: winter is cold, clear and snowy (especially in the north); summer is hazy, humid and very, very hot (especially in the south); spring and autumn are balmy and beautiful, but tend to be busy.

These characterisations vary greatly depending on where you are. Japan is very mountainous, and you’ll find cooler, crisper weather at higher altitudes, no matter where you are. Furthermore, northerly Hokkaido is very cold and very snowy in winter, but pleasantly warm and sunny in summer. Southerly Kyushu and the islands of Okinawa are sweltering in summer, and chilly but not freezing in winter. You get the idea.

If you’re wondering whether travelling during the school holidays is worth it, our answer is: yes, absolutely! It may be busier and a little more expensive (depending on which holiday you’re talking about), but Japan can be a delight to travel at any time of year.

Easter break�

For our home countries of the US, UK and Australia, Easter break is the most popular time to travel to Japan with family.

School holidays tend to fall roughly during or just after the cherry blossom season (late March to early April) and before the public holidays of Golden Week (late April to early May), which is peak season for domestic travel in Japan.

The weather is lovely, the cherry blossoms are out and there’s a festive atmosphere in the air — it’s just a beautiful time of year. The only downside is its popularity, as both domestic and foreign tourists book up good accommodation, and destinations get very busy.

Unlike some destinations in the world, Japan in high season is a huge mix of tourists from domestic to visitors from other Asian countries and tourists from the west, so it's a really fun and diverse mix.

Summer break

July is when US and UK schools have their summer break, and when the Aussies generally have part of their winter break. This is a popular time for US and UK families to travel to Japan, though not so much for Aussies.

Japan in summer tends to be muggy, overcast and extremely hot — unless you’re in rural destinations at higher altitudes, or further north in places like Tohoku and Hokkaido. Lowland cities like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka can be sweltering, but you’re never far from an air-conditioned convenience store if you need to cool down!

Summer activities are also wonderful in Japan, including lots of fantastic festivals and firework displays. It’s low season, so it’s far less busy than during spring or autumn. If your family can handle the heat, it can be a great time to be in Japan — and if you’re worried about hot weather in summer, just head to northern destinations and higher altitudes.

Autumn break

Late September to October coincides with spring break in Australia and autumn break in the US and the UK, and it’s the second most popular time for family travel to Japan.

Much like spring, autumn in Japan is a lovely time to travel. In September, the leaves begin to turn red in Hokkaido; by October they’ve reached the Japan Alps, and by November they’ll be turning in the rest of Japan. Temperatures are cool and pleasant, perfect for hiking and sightseeing. There won’t be as many crowds as in spring, but it’ll still be busier than summer and winter.

Christmas & New Year

Winter’s a funny one for family travel to Japan. Although Japan is beautiful in winter, and all three of our home countries have Christmas and New Year school holidays during this time, it’s not always the best choice for families.

This is because Christmas and New Year are a bit of a lull period in Japan. Trains are busy with people going home to visit relatives, accommodation costs are higher than at other times of year, and many businesses are closed for the first two to three days of January. Either side of the holidays it’s business as usual – except with snow festivals, Christmas trees and tons of amazing illuminations.

While some UK and US families choose not to travel during this period, we do see a spike in travel from our Australia, perhaps to make the most of the superb skiing and snowboarding opportunities — or just to enjoy a white Christmas.

Winter in Japan can be magical. If you like the idea of onsen-bathing in the snow and cosy meals in warm restaurants, it might be the perfect time for you and your family to travel to Japan.