Stop right there! I see you. I see your finger hovering over that “finalize reservation” button. The cat’s out of the bag. You’re thinking you’ll come to Japan sometime in March or April, maybe catch a cherry blossom or two.
But I’m here to tell you… By all means do that–it’ll be a lovely experience! Just know that you’re choosing a few well-placed cherries over some of the world’s most spectacular autumn foliage. I’m talking about river valleys brought to life with necklaces of vermillion maple; about volcanic lakes girded by cool, copper-like hues of orange; about seaside cities dotted by gingko gold mines.
All of this can be found just 1-2 hours from Tokyo, perfect for a day trip. So what’s it gonna be?
Nikko is an unmistakable–if not hidden–gem. It’s also as reliable as they come for autumn foliage. The mountainous region’s varied elevation results in leaves that change color early and stay that way for longer than most other places near Tokyo. Starting in late September and lasting until late November, Nikko’s autumn saves seats for early-birds and late-comers alike.
How to get to NIkko from central Tokyo
Toshogu Shrine
Most famous here is Toshogu Shrine, which memorializes the first Edo shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, with a level of extravagance befitting the founder of a nearly three-century dynasty. If you found the first shrine you visited in Tokyo to be a bit conservative, Toshogu Shrine’s kaleidoscopic offering of palpably non-traditional traditional architecture will comp your transportation costs by knocking you into the stratosphere. Now, imagine this scenery set against a blaze of autumn colors.
How to get to Toshogu Shrine from Tobu Nikko Station
Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls
For those looking for a pure foliage-viewing experience in Nikko, Lake Chuzenji is an absolute must. The highlight of the area is Kegon Falls, which is a looker regardless of season, but autumn is a particular delight. However, I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so, as the falls draw tourists in droves this time of the year. While I wouldn’t let that discourage you from experiencing one of Japan’s finest natural vistas, the area’s foliage can also be enjoyed by simply strolling around the scenic lakeside, hiking up nearby Mt. Nantai, or enjoying an hour-long cruise around the lake.
In the 19th century, Lake Chuzenji’s natural splendor unsurprisingly attracted money–both royal and international. The imperial family once owned 15 villas in the area, and one such villa, 1899’s Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa, has been preserved as an ode to the building’s fascinating architecture and the era writ large. Similarly, the embassies of several European powers built villas in the area for use in the summer months, with some remaining today as popular tourist destinations in their own regard, such as the Italian and British Embassy villas.
How to get to Lake Chuzenji from Tobu Nikko Station
Grubbing in Nikko
You’re going to be hungry after checking all of this stuff out, and you can’t go wrong with Nikko’s trademark delicacy, yuba. Yuba is a soft, airy dish that’s made by skimming the skin off the top of boiled soy milk. The simplicity of the dish means it can be used in just about everything, and you’re sure to bump into it somewhere in Nikko.
The other big name in Nikko cuisine is something most of you are familiar with: soba. Nikko soba sets itself apart thanks to the quality of the natural environment that supplies its ingredients and the centuries-old culinary techniques that harness the potential of those ingredients. The area’s soba also varies by season, with autumn’s Nikko kashuu-higan soba boasting a satisfying toughness you won’t find elsewhere.
Fall foliage descends upon Saitama from late October to late November–a tighter window than Nikko–but this is made up for by the prefecture’s abundance of transportation options from central Tokyo. One excellent, easily accessible location is the pleasant town of Nagatoro, perhaps best known for the river that shares its name.
How to get to Nagatoro from central Tokyo
Nagatoro Ishidatami and River Rafting
The Nagatoro River is hugged on one side by unique rock formations, known as ishidatami for their resemblance to tatami mats, and on the other by thick foliage that comes alive with color in autumn. The best way to enjoy these sights has got to be a rafting trip down the turbulent river. While fall foliage is often compared to fire, this is especially the case when viewed from a rocking boat.
(Night)fall Leaves at Moon Stone Maple Park
Moon Stone Maple Park is lined with Japanese maples that turn a handsome red come mid-November. You could stare for hours at the crisp rays of sunlight pouring through the thick tree cover, but after the sun sets, the park’s ground-lights flick on, offering a whole new angle on an already stunning scene.
Mt. Hodo
Nagatoro welcomes hikers too with the beginner-friendly Mt. Hodo, which is a sight to behold throughout the season as reds, oranges, and yellows vie for control of the mountainside. If you’re not trying to work up a sweat, the ropeway is a leisurely alternative, taking about 5 minutes each way.
While Tokyo is often characterized as a concrete jungle without end, in reality, it’s a versatile shapeshifter that blends neon-caked skyscrapers with quiet residential areas, and bustling high-fashion districts with vibrant nature. The Tama district, which stretches out westward from Tokyo’s central 23 wards like a big green thumb, is the metropolis’ premier sanctuary of all things outdoors, including killer fall foliage from early October to late November. Particularly impressive is Okutama, which can be found in the western end of the region.
Mt. Mitake
Located in the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, Mt. Mitake has hiking options for just about every kind of foliage fan out there. Waterfalls, gorges, rock gardens, and old-growth forests–the area’s trails are gorgeously diverse, but whichever way you decide to go, your journey will begin with a scenic cable car ride up the mountain from JR Mitake Station, followed by a 30 minute trek to Musashi-Mitake Shrine at the summit.
Many of you might be groaning at the thought of another shrine visit, but the supposedly 2000-year old Musashi-Mitake Shrine has quite the impressive resume. As the focal point of a regional mountain faith, it has long drawn pilgrims onto Mt. Mitake’s trails, promoting economic growth with minshuku inns and little shops to service travelers. One of the deities it enshrines is the wolf Makami (lovingly referred to as Oinu-sama), whose popularity has led to guests bringing their dogs to the shrine. You can even ride the cable car with your dog, no cage required.
How to get to Mt. Mitake from central Tokyo
Lake Okutama
A few stations onward you’ll find Lake Okutama, a massive reservoir that supplies about 20% of Tokyo’s water. Weather permitting, its clear waters beautifully reflect the foliage of the surrounding mountains. You can even become one with this painterly scene by walking along the floating pedestrian bridge that stretches across the lake.
The best way to experience the lake’s natural beauty is by travelling for 4 hours or so along the beginner-friendly Mukashi Michi trail from Okutama Station. If “4 hours” has you spooked, you can also take a 10 minute bus from the station.
How to get to Lake Okutama from central Tokyo
Some of you aren’t going to want to travel too far out into the boonies, and who could blame you? There’s already so much to see in the Tokyo metropolitan area, including Japan’s second most populous city: Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. Many visit the city for its famous Chinatown and futuristic Minato Mirai area, but it’s also home to dozens of fall foliage-viewing spots in its many parks and gardens. Recent forecasts suggest its 2025 foliage season will be from mid-November to early December.
How to get to the heart of Yokohama from central Tokyo
Sankeien Garden
A visit to Sankeien might just scratch that nagging Kyoto itch of yours, and for about 20,000 yen less than the real deal. Built in the late 1800s, the garden was once the property of successful businessman, philanthropist, and patron of the arts, Hara Sankei, who massively transformed his property by not only constructing new buildings but also importing them from the former political centers of Kyoto and Kamakura. You’ll find seventeen historical structures here, including a pagoda, prayer hall, tea house, and several other masterpieces of traditional architecture. Add the lovingly manicured ponds and paths you’d expect of a Japanese garden, and the result is Japanese design sense in microcosm. All of this is made even better by the reliable hues of autumn.
How to get to Sankeien from Motomachi-Chūkagai Station
Walking Through Old Yokohama
A very different side to Yokohama can be found about thirty minutes away from Sankeien by bus. Starting from Harbor View Park, you’ll be treated to some of the best foliage in the city, as well as panoramic views of Yokohama Harbor, Minato Mirai, and Yokohama Bay Bridge. If the park is a bit too crowded for your taste, don’t fret! Motomachi Park and Yamate Park can also be found nearby, as part of the broader Yamate area.
Fascinatingly, Yamate served as the main residential district for Westerners following the opening of Japan to the world in the mid-19th century. Naturally, you’ll be treated to a very different flavor of architecture than that of Sankeien, with the nostalgic European-inspired designs of the Bluff houses, British House, and Ehrismann Residence, among others. The area is also home to the so-called Foreigners’ Cemetery, which provides further insight into the critical role Yokohama played in Japan’s internationalization.
If you’re not one one for history, you can always move on to the popular shopping and entertainment center Minato Mirai, cutting through the vibrant yellow rows of ginkgo trees in Yamashita Park along the way.
How to get to Harbor View Park from Motomachi-Chūkagai Station
How to get to Sankeien from Sankeien Garden
Grubbing in Yokohama
Yokohama’s Chinatown, the largest in Japan, requires no introduction, and as it’s walking distance from Yamate, you’d be remiss not to stop in for a hot meat bun or a hearty bowl of tantanmen. With its elaborate gate, rows of suspended red lanterns, and colorful storefronts, Chinatown can cause a bit of whiplash after Sankeien and Yamate, but hey, that’s what Yokohama is all about.
My strongest recommendation, however, must go to Yokohama iekei ramen. With thick noodles, spinach, and seaweed stewed in a mixed tonkotsu-shoyu base, this Yokohama classic straddles a few ramen genres, resulting in a flavor as diverse as its hometown. Be warned though, this is a rich, heavy bowl of noodles and easily gives some of the thickest miso ramen a run for its money. Iekei is best enjoyed on an empty stomach—and with a total disregard for one’s health.
Apart from urban Yokohama, we’ve given you a good mix of inland mountain retreats thus far, as the climates of these areas tend to allow for a bit more flexibility in foliage viewing. Likewise, all of these locations can easily be incorporated into a day-trip itinerary, sparing you the burden of heavy luggage and yet another hotel booking. For our final location, however, we’d like to change things up a little bit.
Sitting at the mouth of the Izu Peninsula, Atami could be called a mountain retreat, but it’s most certainly not an inland one. The onsen town’s big blue coastline is perhaps its defining feature. And while it’s also day-trip doable, the abundance of onsen resorts in the area present a temptation that we couldn’t blame you for indulging in. Oh and did I mention it has great–and comparatively late–foliage too (late November to mid-December, 2025)?
How to get to Atami from central Tokyo
Atami Plum Garden
Don’t let its name fool you. Atami Plum Garden, home to over 300 maple trees, is the best spot to get your fill of Autumn colors in Atami. While you’re not going to see anything that you can’t find at, say, Sankeien or Mt. Mitake, the garden and Atami in general make up for this with a versatility all their own. Remember, Atami is an onsen town, and so naturally, the garden has an ashi-yu foot bath to keep you warm in case things get chilly. And things will get chilly, as you’ll be leaf watching well into the evening during the Atami Plum Garden Momiji Matsuri (Nov. 14-Dec. 7, 2025), which excites the garden with nighttime illumination from 4:30 to 9 p.m., food stalls, and performances.
How to get to Atami Plum Garden from Atami Station
Kinomiya Shrine
Whether you take the 15 minute walk from Atami Plum Garden or stop off here just after your arrival at Kinomiya Station, you’ll want to put Kinomiya Shrine somewhere on your autumn Atami itinerary. The shrine building and the surrounding nature are nice and all, but the real standout here is the giant 2000-year-old camphor tree, hence the shrine’s name (Kinomiya can be rendered as “tree palace”). You can even enjoy the scenery–along with some coffee and traditional sweets of course–from Open Cafe Saryo Hoko, located within the shrine grounds. Again, Atami is versatile.
MOA Museum of Art
While a bit out of the way, this art museum is not only a strong runner up for best foliage spot in Atami, but also offers picturesque views of the Atami coastline and the islands beyond. Outside, you’ll find a lovely garden with all the foliage you could ever want, and inside the large museum lie countless works of mainly Japanese and Chinese traditional art, including national treasures and important cultural properties.
How to get to MOA Museum of Art from Atami Station
Tokyo proper also has several exciting foliage spots, including Ueno, Yoyogi, and Inokashira Park, as well as the famous Shinjuku Gyoen and Rikugien Garden. Still, I highly recommend taking a break from the city and really sinking your teeth into the countryside. You’re all the more likely to experience something uniquely your own there–and with significantly fewer swarms of people trying their hardest to spoil it all for you.
While quite removed from Tokyo, my colleague Jolene Qiu recently wrote about her autumn experience in Kyushu, providing a more intimate look at a foliage-friendly itinerary.
You Cannot Miss the Kuju Region in Autumn!
If you’re interested in a tailor-made tour that incorporates locations like those discussed in our articles, please send us an inquiry from the link below.
Photos not belonging to WaWo were retrieved from the following sites:
Center for Environmental Studies
<Author>
Joseph Bayliss
Travel Consultant at WaWo Japan Travel