Autumn in Japan
Travel to Japan in autumn to admire the colors of foliage, attend rice harvesting festivals and enjoy delicious seasonal dishes!
Autumn is Onigiro’s favorite Japanese season: thanks to the mild temperatures and clear sky, it is the perfect time for both travelers and photographers, always looking for breathtaking views.
Autumn leaves begin to color towards the end of September in Hokkaido and end in early December in Kyūshū. The peak of the colouration happens in early November giving way to the momiji-gari, the hunting of the leaves of the red maples that attracts Japanese and tourists inside parks and gardens.
In addition to admiring the autumn colors, this season you can participate in festivals dedicated to an abundant harvest of new rice, the shinmai, eat delicious street food at the stalls set up and admire the festive carts parading through the streets for the event.
Also in November, the cities are dressed in autumn decorations and the ginkgo centenarians are colored gold while the streets spread the scent of seasonal dishes such as mushroom tenpura or cakes filled with chestnut cream.
Autumn in Japan is so full of activities that it’s difficult to try them all!
Autumn festivals in Japan
When the colors light up with wonder, rice becomes the undisputed protagonist of autumn festivals. Since ancient times, an abundant rice harvest is the most important thing the Japanese can desire, and many matsuri are dedicated to this activity between mid-September and the end of October.
Sunny and mild days among the rice fields spread on the traditional rows of wood can leave room for cool evenings of street food at the stalls, parades of floats and mikoshi, dances, fireworks and other Shinto rites to demand the favor of the Kami, such as the dance of the lion to the deep rhythm of the taiko for example.
The festivals are held in one or more days, according to fixed or variable dates from year to year. One of the most famous is the Takayama Hachiman Matsuri, which has as protagonists a dozen festive carts that parade day and night, lit by hundreds of lanterns through the streets crowded with visitors.
Equally picturesque is the Niihama Taiko Matsuri, on the island of Shikoku, where every year parade and battle dozens of carts loaded with huge taiko drums played by teams of local percussionists, competing in front of hundreds of spectators from morning to night for several days.
Finally, how not to mention one of the 3 most beautiful lantern festivals in Japan, the Nihonmatsu Chōchin Matsuri, held in early October in Fukushima Prefecture, with over 300 lamps lit on seven wagons that move accompanied by the scent of incense, the sounds of the taiko and the mystical music of the flutes.
Although during the autumn festivals fireworks are not as frequent as during the summer ones, some are really not to be missed: one of the biggest of this season is definitely the Tsuchiura Hanabi, with over 20,000 launches to illuminate the night sky.
Below is an interactive map where you can see the main autumn festivals.
Autumn main events list
September
- Jinkoshiki Taisai Matsuri (神幸式大祭) parades and shinto rituals to pray for a good rice harvest, held every year between 20~25 of September;
- Ibusuki Onsen Matsuri (指宿温泉祭) events around the city with fireworks show on second day. Held on last weekend of September [past dates: 28~29/9/2019, 26~27/9/2020];
October
- Sapporo Autumn Fest (さっぽろオータムフェスト) hundreds of different food stands in Odori Park. The event is held for many weeks between mid September and late October, every year different period;
- Nihonmatsu Chochin Matsuri (二本松の提灯祭り) over 3.000 chochin red lanterns paint the night sky, hanging from 10 floats running around the city. Held on 3 days at the beginning of October [past dates: 4~6/10/2018, 5~7/10/2019];
- Shirakawa-go Doburoku Matsuri (白川郷どぶろく祭) a festival to pray for a good harvest, with unique Doburoku Sake offered to all participants. Held every year on 14~15 of October;
- Takayama Autumn Matsuri (秋の高山祭) lion dances and float parades during day and night, held every year on 9~10 of October;
- Niihama Taiko Matsuri (新居浜太鼓祭り) competition between massive 3 tons taiko drums carried by over 150 men, held every year between 16~18 of October;
- Hakata Tomyo Watching (博多灯明ウォッチング) over 40.000 handmade lanterns lighted around temples, parks and shrines of Fukuoka. Held on a Saturday around 20 of October [past dates: 20/10/2018, 19/10/2019];
- Nakasu Matsuri (中洲まつり) portable floats carried around the city only by women. Held over 3 days at the end of October [past dates: 25~27/10/2018, 24~26/10/2019].
November
- Tsuchiura Hanabi (土浦全国花火競技大会) 20.000 fireworks show held on 1st Saturday of November (from 2020);
- Karatsu Kunchi (唐津くんち) float parades around the city, held every year on 2~4 of November;
- Matsumoto Shimin Matsuri (松本市民祭) various parades, dances and events in the city center, held every year on November 3rd;
- Sukagawa Taimatsu Akashi (須賀川松明あかし) 30 massive torches (3 tons each) are lighted at 18:30 in honor of ancient feudal lord Masamune. The event is held every second saturday of November;
- Ohara Matsuri (おはら祭) taiko drum and dances on the streets performed by over 20.000 dancers, held every year on November 3rd;
- Hakushu Festival Water Parade (白秋祭水上パレード) boats with lanterns and participants float over Yanagawa river from 18:00 to 21:00, with fireworks display on last night. Held every year on 1~3 of November;
- Shiiba Heike Matsuri (椎葉平家まつり) a feudal style festival with processions, dances and other cultural exibitions on second weekend of November;
- Nagano Ebisuko Hanabi (長野えびす講 煙火大会) the biggest fireworks show of late Autumn, held every year on November 23.
December
- Tottori Sakyu Illusion (鳥取砂丘イリュージョン) colorful illuminations placed on sand dunes entrance, from early December to Christmas days [past dates: 8~24/12/2018, 7~22/12/2019];
- Kasuga Wakamiya Onmatsuri (春日若宮おん祭) parade in 12th century attire and many shinto rituals around the area. Held every year between 15~18 of December.
鯉つどいおり
秋しずかに
むきむきにおり
koi gathering
autumn takes shape
peacefully
Autumn activities in Japan
Japanese maples are the undisputed protagonists of this season. From November their leaves begin to turn red, starting momiji-gari, the “maple leaf hunt”. In the windows and streets decorated with autumn, children and adults are tempted to go to gardens and parks to photograph the wonderful scenery.
The progression of autumn colors in the country, or kōyō-zensen, is carried out every year by the meteorological agencies of the country, trying to predict the best times to admire the autumn colors of all hardwoods and not only maples. The forecast of this foliage allows a planning of your trip in the autumn colors.
Between mid-October and the end of November, the woods between the valleys begin to colour in many different shades, offering breathtaking views from the bridges suspended over the crystalline rivers.
In contrast, ginkgos are very common along the avenues of the city streets and at shrines and temples, and their bright yellow starts to be noticed in the second half of October.
Below are 2 interactive maps for this wonderful tree, the first containing the most impressive centuries-old trees of Japan, while the second the most evocative ginkgo avenues.
In addition to the trees, in autumn there are flowers and herbs that announce the arrival of this season. Among these are the red spider lilies, higanbana in Japanese, whose flowering is an expression of melancholy: since they are sown mainly at temples and cemeteries, they are associated with the afterlife.
The cosmos are probably the most appreciated flower by the Japanese during the autumn period, with a lasting flowering and ease of sowing. For these reasons, it is easy to come across expanses of pink, fuchsia and white throughout the country.
The pampa grass appears in the Japanese countryside and hills and, because of its very high silvery inflorescence, recalls the autumn moon so much celebrated in autumn. This is why many love to appreciate it in parks and use it as a decoration during events dedicated to the contemplation of the moon.
Turning to the small shrubs, how not to mention the Bassia Scoparia, or kokia in Japanese, an annual plant that grows during the humid summer and then stop growing in September and start changing color to the red it takes in late October, coloring the parks of Japan.
In October, even plums and sakura begin to color their salmon-colored leaves, followed by persimmon trees that swell in these months their orange fruits on bare branches.
Finally, the clover with its pink flowers appears in many flower beds and walks while the anemones invade the wild meadows along with the chrysanthemums, making each glimpse a unique spectacle.
Other autumn activities
In smaller towns and in the countryside, one of the most important activities that takes place between late September and mid-October is the rice harvest that is put to dry on the typical bamboo rows. If you are guests of Japanese who have their own rice field, we recommend that you participate in this activity with the locals.
In addition to hiking and trekking through the autumn woods and the temples hidden in them, from October you can dedicate yourself to the harvest of fruits such as persimmons, pears and apples and grapes at dedicated farms, or go to the woods in search of chestnuts and mushrooms.
The tsukimi, literally “looking at the moon”, is another of the Japanese favorite autumn activities between late September and the first half of October due to the great autumn moon, and in this period there are decorations and lunar-themed foods.
The autumn decorations begin to adorn streets and avenues of the city, flanked by pumpkins and sweets themed Halloween, a festivity imported but much loved by the Japanese who use it to escape from serious everyday life by dressing up and letting go.
In November, the opening hours of many parks and gardens are extended until late evening to allow locals and tourists to admire the colors of the foliage illuminated.
Remaining theme lights, in mid-November begin to be installed gigantic lighting of tens of thousands of LEDs to compose the most varied depictions. Among the most famous are the ones at Nabana-no-Sato flower park, near the city of Nagoya.
里ふりて
柿の木もたぬ
家もなし
old village
not a single house
without a persimmon tree
Foods of the Japanese autumn
In Japan, even the ingredients and typical dishes follow the cycle of nature. For example, in honor of the autumn moon, the Japanese love to create foods that are inspired by its shape and color, such as tsukimi udon, hot soup of udon with egg in the center, or dango, small pale balls of mochi paste stacked on skewers.
Among the most popular street foods are roasted sweet potatoes, yaki-imo, a simple autumn delicacy loved by everyone and omnipresent at every festival this season!
Matsutake mushrooms and kabocha pumpkins are other seasonal delicacies served as ingredients in soups or fried in tenpura. The same pumpkin becomes a popular filling in Korokke served by stalls during festivals.
Another food of the season is the kuri chestnut, which becomes a delicious cream for the filling of sweets such as kuri-manjū, small sponge shaped maple leaf. And yet the shinmai, the freshly picked rice with a strong flavor, traditionally cooked with chestnuts in the autumn dish of kuri-gohan.
Finally, as temperatures drop, hot foods become extremely popular in homes and restaurants. These dishes, in which everything is a floating and cooking of ingredients in delicious hot broths, are called nabemono and in some cases are cooked in front of the customer, such as sukiyaki and shabu-shabu.
秋の雲
ちぎれちぎれて
なくなりぬ
autumn clouds
broken into pieces
and disappeared
The Japanese autumn climate
Autumn in Japan is one of the most appreciated seasons in terms of climate: the strong humidity of summer gradually gives way to a pleasant coolness that in some areas makes the climate mild and drier.
These beautiful days and clear skies give perfect days to landscape photographers and lovers of outdoor activities such as cycling and hiking.
In southern Japan, the heat lasts until mid-November. In these areas it is possible to travel comfortably in T-shirts, with temperatures that can still be around 25 º C. .
Temperatures drop as they rise northward, with central Japan between 15~25 ºC in October and 7~17 ºC in November. In the north, in Tōhoku and Hokkaidō, temperatures are considerably colder, so much so that the first snowfalls in the mountains arrive in late autumn.
月天心
貧しき町を
通けり
full moon
passing through
the poor town