Last checked: November 8, 2026 (JST).
Quick answer: In 2026, Japan’s autumn colors are running around average or a bit late. Mountain spots such as Nikko’s Irohazaka were forecast to peak from late October. Popular lowland windows are mid to late November for many East and West Japan spots (Arashiyama from about November 13 on the Japan Weather Association spot forecast). City maple “specimen tree” dates from Japan Meteorological Corporation put Tokyo around November 30 and Kyoto around December 14. Those two calendars measure different things, so use both.
Two forecasts, two meanings
Private weather firms publish foliage calendars every autumn. They are useful, but they are not the same product:
- Japan Weather Association (tenki.jp) publishes a spot forecast for tourist areas (3rd round: October 28, 2026). Dates are when that spot is expected to look good for visitors.
- Japan Meteorological Corporation (JMC) publishes city maple and ginkgo dates tied to the Japan Meteorological Agency specimen-tree idea: the first day most leaves on the sample tree have turned (3rd and final round: November 4, 2026).
A temple hillside can look great days or weeks before a city’s specimen maple hits its official date. Treat the tables below as planning windows, then re-check a live color map the day before you go.
National picture for 2026
According to the Japan Weather Association’s October 28 release (English summary on Weather X):
- Nationwide peaks are expected around the usual time or later.
- Cool spells in early September and early October pushed some northern and mountain areas ahead; warmer weather afterward slowed lowland coloring.
- On October 28 they counted 118 spots at peak, below roughly 180 at the same point in 2022 and 2023.
- Many eastern and western lowland spots were expected to peak in mid-November, with November temperatures running on the warm side so coloring may advance slowly.
JMC’s November 4 regional summary is similar: northern Japan maples near average; eastern and western Japan maples and ginkgos around average or later.
Tourist spots (Japan Weather Association / tenki.jp)
Selected maple-oriented spot starts from the October 28 3rd forecast. “From” means the forecast start of peak viewing, not a guarantee every day after is perfect.
| Spot | 2026 peak from | vs last year |
|---|---|---|
| Nikko (Irohazaka) | Oct 23 | Same |
| Kamikochi | Oct 16 | 2 days later |
| Shirakawa-go | Oct 25 | 5 days earlier |
| Mt. Takao | Nov 15 | 4 days later |
| Korankei | Nov 16 | 1 day earlier |
| Kyoto (Arashiyama) | Nov 13 | Same |
| Miyajima | Nov 18 | 3 days earlier |
| Takachiho Gorge | Nov 16 | 10 days earlier |
City maple and ginkgo dates (JMC)
These are specimen-tree style dates, not temple crowd calendars.
| City | Maple forecast | Maple average | Ginkgo forecast | Ginkgo average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | Nov 1 | Oct 28 | Nov 1 | Nov 4 |
| Sendai | Nov 26 | Nov 21 | Dec 1 | Nov 23 |
| Tokyo | Nov 30 | Nov 28 | Nov 29 | Nov 23 |
| Nagano | Nov 22 | Nov 12 | Nov 15 | Nov 10 |
| Nagoya | Dec 4 | Nov 28 | Nov 20 | Nov 18 |
| Kyoto | Dec 14 | Dec 5 | Nov 30 | Nov 24 |
| Osaka | Dec 6 | Dec 1 | Nov 27 | Nov 22 |
| Hiroshima | Nov 30 | Nov 22 | Nov 23 | Nov 15 |
| Fukuoka | Dec 10 | Dec 1 | Nov 30 | Nov 20 |
Read together: Kyoto’s tourist Arashiyama window opens mid-November on the JWA spot list, while the city maple specimen date sits in mid-December. Plan temple visits with spot forecasts and live reports; use city dates for “when will the urban trees look mostly turned.”
Where things stood on November 7
On tenki.jp’s Tokyo spot list (latest update dated November 7, 3 pm JST, rechecked November 8), several central parks such as Inokashira and Ueno were still listed as green, while places including Akigawa Valley, Otaguro Park, Lake Okutama, Showa Kinen Park, and Mt. Takao were listed as starting to change. That matches a late-November city peak more than an early-November one.
Mountain corridors that peaked from mid to late October (Nikko’s higher roads, Kamikochi) may already be past their best. Always refresh the live map before a weekend trip.
How to use this on a real trip
- Pick elevation first: higher and northern spots earlier; Kyoto/Tokyo basins later.
- Cross-check the spot start date (JWA) with the city maple/ginkgo date (JMC) so you know which calendar you are reading.
- On the travel day, open the tenki.jp foliage map or another live report. Forecasts move after warm spells.
- For Kyoto weekends, assume crowds near peak; early openings and transit beats driving.
FAQ
Is 2026 early or late? Broadly average to late for eastern and western lowlands, per both JWA and JMC. Some northern and mountain spots ran early after cool spells, then warmth slowed the rest.
When should I book Kyoto? Mid-November through early December is the practical visitor window. Arashiyama’s JWA start is November 13; the city maple specimen date is December 14. Exact temple peaks vary.
When is Tokyo best? Late November into early December for maples and ginkgos on the JMC city table (maple November 30, ginkgo November 29 versus slightly earlier averages).
Did Nikko already peak? The Irohazaka spot forecast started October 23. By early November many higher sections are often past peak; confirm live status before going.
Sources
- Japan Weather Association tenki.jp, 2026 autumn foliage forecast (3rd), released October 28, 2026: https://tenki.jp/kouyou/expectation.html
- Japan Weather Association Weather X English summary: https://weather-jwa.jp/en/news/announcements/post16208
- Japan Meteorological Corporation, 3rd 2026 forecast, released November 4, 2026: https://n-kishou.com/corp/news-contents/autumn/?lang=en
- tenki.jp Tokyo live spot list, checked November 7, 2026: https://tenki.jp/kouyou/3/16/
This article summarizes published forecasts. It is not a field survey, and peak color can shift after the forecast date.