Maybe you’ve been looking for some free time to take a holiday lately. Perhaps, you’ve been thinking of going to Tokyo, and enjoy a different scenery and culture.
Look:
Before you plan anything, you should first know the best time to go to Tokyo.
In this article, I would tell you about when you should visit Tokyo, along with other recommendations. Hop on!
About Tokyo
Why Tokyo, you ask?
...well, why not?
Tokyo is the capital city of Japan. If you take a trip around Tokyo, you could get a taste of Japan as a whole country. Furthermore, you can start from Tokyo and start meandering your way out to other destinations in Japan such as Kyoto and Osaka.
Arguably, you can visit Tokyo at any time of the year and still get the best experience out of it. Each season (and even sub season!) has its charm. However, there are several times of the year where it would be too crowded, or the weather too warm, for you to truly enjoy your type. For that reason, I will discuss when is the best time to visit Tokyo below.
Best time to visit Tokyo
Of course, everyone’s definition of “best” is different. It’s all according to each person’s preferences! However, I’ve narrowed it down to a few categories to help you decide when to go to Tokyo.
Best time for Good Weather
Tokyo’s weather in March, April, October, and November is the best all year round. It is relatively warm and dry, and a few occasional showers of rain here and there. It is also the best time for those of you who like to visit parks since March and April are when Sakura blooms while October and November is the perfect time for you to see the Autumn leaves.
Best time for Fun-Seeker
...By which I meant, the perfect time for you to hit the theme parks. The best timing for this is in the winter times (December - February), where there would usually be lesser queues except for Christmas and New Year times.
Spring is also a good season for you to visit theme parks, just don’t do it during the Golden Week holidays (Early May) and Obon holidays (Late July - Early August). If you want to take it a little bit further, you should definitely visit during weekdays to get most of the rides!
Best time for Shopaholics
Here’s something fun for you;
There’s a unique shopping tradition in Japan called fuku-bukuro ever New Year's season!
The best timing for you who needs some retail therapy is during the New Year’s and at the end of summer. Some would say you get the best deals during the winter shopping season though since most shops would have the extreme price down and other discounts.
Fuku-bukuro is basically a lucky bag. You bought a bag filled with random items (usually, you’d have a list of things that could end up inside the bag randomly) for a fixed price, and could receive items that are way more than the price you paid! If you don’t like the item, don’t worry!
You can always exchange with fellow fuku-bukuro hunters or sell it again!
Best time for Adventure Seekers
For those of you who want to climb Mt. Fuji, you need to know that the only time you can do that is during July and August, every year.
There’s a bus that caters to would-be hikers during the climbing season from Shinjuku to Fuji 5th Station. The mountain itself goes as far as the 10th Station. Climbing at a regular pace will take you around 6-8 hours to the top, and climbing down will take you around 3-4 hours.
Cheapest time to Visit Tokyo
The cheapest time to visit Tokyo is during winter, excluding Christmas and New Year seasons. Tourists would be considerably less, but you could still find them crowding popular areas like Sensoji Temple.
However, since Tokyo is a big metropolitan city, prices wouldn’t usually be affected by the slight decline of tourists. Instead, during the high-seasons accommodation prices might double or even triple.
Worst Time to Visit Tokyo
Rainy season
Here’s another tip for you;
If you don’t feel like getting wet to the bone, do not visit Tokyo during June or September.
The weather during those particular months is filled with rain clouds. Although, if you don’t mind the rain this is also the best time to visit theme parks since queues would be considerably less crowded.
For those of you who want to avoid the crowds (and high transportation prices!), I recommend you not to visit during the New Year seasons. If you are planning to ride the Shinkansen during these times, there’s a high possibility that all of the reserved seats would be sold out.
Summer
Although some would say that summer is the best season, if you’re like me and can’t really stand the heat, then summer might not be the best time for you to travel to Tokyo.
Summer heat in Tokyo could be quite vicious. Even the government gave out reminders each year to stay in the shades and be careful of heat stroke. If you are still planning to visit during summer, you would need to make sure that you’re well hydrated during your travels!
Tokyo in Months
As I told you before, Tokyo has its own charm for every season. If you have already booked your ticket and is now is planning your travel itinerary, why not spice some things up by joining the special and unique events that are available each month? Below here is a list of articles that will discuss the events that are available in each month of the year in Tokyo.
Things to do in Tokyo in January - Events and Festivals
Things to do in Tokyo in February - Events and Festivals
Things to do in Tokyo in March - Events, and Festivals
Things to do in Tokyo in May - Events and Festivals
Things to do in Tokyo in June - Events and Festivals
Things to do in Tokyo in July - Events, and Festivals
Things to do in Tokyo in August - Events, and Festivals
Things to do in Tokyo in September - Events and Festivals
Things to do in Tokyo in October - Events and Festivals
Things to do in Tokyo in November - Events and Festivals
Things to do in Tokyo in December - Events and Festivals
More tips
Look,
Traveling through Tokyo’s public transport system could be quite challenging. No matter the seasons, the stations would always be crowded. And, navigating through Tokyo’s public transport system is quite troublesome.
Fear not!
To avoid getting lost and wasting your time, I recommend you to book a private guide. A local guide will definitely help you spend your time more effectively. Moreover, you could still make your own travel itinerary without the hassle of navigating through Tokyo alone!
If you are planning to book one, then I recommend getting your private guide from GoWithGuide. They have a list of professional guides that would cater your every need during your trip! Moreover, they also have excellent customer service that would make sure you get the best guide that fit your preferences.
In this article, I have given you several recommendations on when is the best time to visit Tokyo, based on your preferences. I hope that this article would help you make your decisions, and wish you all the best for your Tokyo trip!
