Autumn Foliage in Japan Forecast to Set New Records for Late Arrival
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From late autumn to early winter, the leaves on Japan’s deciduous trees turn bright colors, delighting onlookers, before they fall to the ground. Unlike the cherry blossom front, which moves northward in spring, the transformation to autumn foliage gradually spreads southward from Hokkaidō, and from higher ground to the cities below.
According to the October 30 forecast by the Japan Meteorological Corporation, record temperatures in September and continued warm weather through October mean that red and yellow foliage is expected to peak even later than in its earlier forecasts.
Red foliage is forecast to arrive in Tokyo on December 5, matching the latest date ever recorded, and in Osaka on December 8. In Nagano and Utsunomiya, Tochigi, it is expected more than two weeks later than in an average year. Of the 51 cities across Japan where observations are made from sample trees, 11 are predicted to set new records for the latest ever change in color, and 5 to equal previous records.
Earlier in the year, yellow foliage is forecast to arrive later than average in most of the country.
Yellow Foliage Forecast Dates by City
| City | Date | Comparison with Typical Year (Number of Days Late) |
|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | November 6 | Around normal (2) |
| Aomori | November 9 | Late (7) |
| Sendai | December 3 | Late (10) |
| Tokyo | November 29 | Around normal (6) |
| Kanazawa | November 15 | Around normal (5) |
| Nagano | November 20 | Late (10) |
| Nagoya | November 22 | Around normal (4) |
| Kyoto | December 2 | Late (8) |
| Osaka | November 28 | Around normal (6) |
| Wakayama | November 30 | Late (7) |
| Hiroshima | November 24 | Late (9) |
| Kōchi | November 20 | Around normal (5) |
| Fukuoka | December 1 | Late (11) |
| Kagoshima | December 2 | Late (7) |
Red Foliage Forecast Dates by City
| City | Date | Comparison with Typical Year (Number of Days Late) |
|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | November 8 | Late (11) |
| Aomori | November 18 | Around normal (5) |
| Sendai | December 1 | Late (10) |
| Tokyo | December 5 | Late (7) |
| Kanazawa | December 4 | Late (10) |
| Nagano | November 28 | Very late (16) |
| Nagoya | December 8 | Late (10) |
| Kyoto | December 16 | Late (11) |
| Osaka | December 8 | Late (7) |
| Wakayama | December 16 | Late (10) |
| Hiroshima | December 3 | Late (11) |
| Kōchi | December 14 | Late (12) |
| Fukuoka | December 13 | Late (12) |
| Kagoshima | December 18 | Around normal (3) |
There are plenty of locations around Tokyo where it is possible to enjoy the autumn foliage, either for free or a small entrance fee. We introduce a few below.
Koishikawa Kōrakuen
5-minute walk from Suidōbashi Station on the JR Sōbu Line, 6-minute walk from Kōrakuen Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi and Namboku Lines
Tokyo Dome is visible in the background. (© Pixta)
Rikugien
7-minute walk from Komagome Station on the JR Yamanote Line and the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line
(© Pixta)
Meiji Jingū Gaien Ginkgo Avenue
5-minute walk from Aoyama-itchōme Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza and Hanzōmon Lines and the Toei Ōedo Line
(© Pixta)
University of Tokyo’s Hongō Campus
1-minute walk from Tōdaimae Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku Line, 6-minute walk from Hongō-sanchōme Station on the Toei Ōedo Line
(© Pixta)
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: Different color leaves show a vivid contrast around the Jigokunuma crater lake in Aomori, Aomori Prefecture. Photograph taken on October 16, 2024. © Jiji.)