The Perfect Time to Visit Japan in Autumn: A Cinematic Journey Through the Season of Colour
- Kylie Harber
- Oct 31
- 6 min read
For as long as I can remember, I felt a longing to visit Japan in Autumn, enamoured by photos and videos I'd seen from other travellers (and travel brochures) over many years.
I dreamt of the quiet before winter, the softer light that warms temple walls, and the breathtaking beauty of red maples fluttering in the breeze.
On my first ever visit to Japan I managed to time it perfectly to see the autumn leaves at their peak foliage. It was an indescribable joy to capture the colours through my camera, not to mention witness the leaves falling overhead and leaf confetti under my feet, and enjoy the small rituals that make autumn in Japan feel sacred.
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I created this short film as a cinematic love letter to my favourite season — an invitation to slow down and enjoy the natural beauty of Autumn.
When is the best time to visit Japan in autumn?
Japan’s autumn season stretches from late September to early December, moving gradually from north to south.
Hokkaido: late September to mid October
Tokyo & Kyoto: Mid November to late November
Kyushu & southern regions: late November to early December
I personally believe the most breathtaking time to visit Japan for autumn colour is mid-November to late November, when the maples (momiji) and ginkgo trees turn brilliant shades of red and gold. That is, if you're travelling to the central or lower parts of the country. Depending on your preferred location, season and weather, it can vary each year - best to check the map above!
For our first time to Japan, our itinerary covered the most popular locations - Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto. As first time travellers to Japan, we were lucky to enjoy peak colour and foliage at every stage of our trip, so below are the dates we travelled (in 2024) in case it helps.
Peak Autumn Leaves in Tokyo
We arrived in Tokyo on the 19th November and left 26th November.
The first thing we noticed about our trip to Japan was that each city had a predominant autumn 'colour' or tree type. Tokyo is in abundance of Ginkgo trees!
These are my very favourite trees. I was so excited to arrive to a sea of yellow in Tokyo. Many city streets are lined with Ginkgo trees as their primary street trees and also in beautiful groves within parks.
In retrospect, I discovered that Tokyo is often called "City of ginkgos" because they are the city's official symbol and are planted extensively throughout the city.
So if you're wanting peak colour in Tokyo - go for the Ginkgos!
Important note: When we returned for our final leg in Tokyo on the 6th December, the ginkgo leaves were faded or mostly fallen.
Peak Autumn Leaves in Hakone
We arrived in Hakone on the 26th November and left 28th November.
Hakone was much more diverse in its variety of autumn tree colour and more akin to what I expected to see before I left home - a vibrant mix of yellow, orange and red, and every shade inbetween.
You'll enjoy the autumn colours everywhere you go in this region, but they are spectacular as seen from above on the Hakone Ropeway!
Peak Autumn Leaves in Kyoto
We arrived in Kyoto on the 28th November and left 6th December.
You'll be so excited to discover that Kyoto is the "city of maples".
We couldn't get enough of the vibrant red and orange leaves hanging overhead and littering the footpath like nature's confetti.
It makes for a very special Kyoto experience to discover the trees are just as much an attraction as the city's ancient sacred sites and temples. Together they are magic!
🎨 Why Autumn Is Japan’s Most Cinematic Season
There’s something inherently cinematic about Japan in autumn. The quality of light softens, the air turns crisp, and the natural beauty of nature makes every frame feel easy to compose.
As an artist, I found the season intoxicating and addictive. The details of golden temple roofs against fiery leaves, temple reflections in still ponds, the quiet ritual of people pausing to photograph a single branch or leaf — it all spoke to the beauty of attention.
This is also a season that captures Japan’s reverence for impermanence, or wabi-sabi — the awareness that nothing lasts forever, and that the transience of beauty is what makes it so moving.
When filming autumn in Japan, I was enamoured by both special and everyday moments: the textures of plants as I touched them, a secret sunset spot to watch Tokyo turn gold and a newly married Japanese couple standing under a falling canopy of yellow gingko leaves.
Each moment became its own story.
Upon returning home, I am nostalgic for the beauty and reverence I felt for that country and that season. I can vividly recall the beauty and peace from my days there.
In Japanese culture they also have a word for seasonal awareness - kisetsu. I am inspired to create bespoke artworks, wallpapers and wallpaper murals from my trip that reflect the beauty of this season - the ideas are overflowing.
Slow Travel Tips for Experiencing Autumn in Japan
Your itinerary may take you to busy cities, but Autumn in Japan isn’t meant to be rushed. Even in busy Tokyo, you can find the most simple, peaceful moments.
The beauty lies in pausing to observe — in noticing how one tree turns before another, how the air shifts each morning. You'll notice how the trees change over the duration of your stay from beginning to end.
Here are a few ways to experience it slowly:
Stay longer in fewer places. Give yourself time to see how the light and colours evolve each day.
Visit smaller towns and neighbourhoods. Some of the most meaningful moments happen away from crowds — in a quiet alleyway or local garden. Head off the beaten path - there are many beautiful places that instagram hasn't discovered.
Wake early. The stillness of morning brings a quiet calm you can’t find later in the day. Many sacred sites are quietest in the early morning with fewer visitors so this is the best time for photographs too!
Embrace local rituals. Warm up in an onsen surrounded by autumn leaves, join a harvest festival, or savour seasonal dishes like roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes.
The slower you travel, the more deeply the season (and place) reveals itself.
A Reflection on Change and Creativity
Autumn in Japan was more than a holiday — it was a slow moving meditation through colour and culture.
I've travelled to many countries and left my heart all over the place, but Japan holds a very special place in my heart. A year on, I reminisce about this trip most days and am longing to go back. It's safe to say I left my heart in Japan.
Watching the leaves fall reminds me how creative seasons mirror natural ones: a time for colour and reflection, for shedding what is no longer needed and preparing for rest before renewal and growth.
As an artist and travel photographer, I’m constantly inspired by these cycles (and trying to honour them rather than rushing my way through life) — the way light fades and returns, how beauty is always in motion. This film was my attempt to capture some of those fleeting moments, even just for a few minutes.
Join my mailing list if you'd like my exact 3 week itinerary for your first time to Japan (coming November 2025):
If my film or these words spoke to you, you might also enjoy my story of one perfect morning in Kyoto - how I met a lady that changed my life (and you'll see plenty of Autumn colour in the photos).
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