Japan’s Autumn Foliage Forecast 2026: Peak Times for Red and Yellow Leaves
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North to South, High to Low
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 September 2 forecast by the Japan Meteorological Corporation, due to high temperatures across the country, red and yellow foliage will peak somewhat later in 2026 than in a typical year.
Yellow Foliage
Many ginkgo trees, with their brilliant fall yellows, grow along avenues and in parks, presenting a symbol of an urban autumn. In northern Sapporo and Aomori, yellow foliage will peak around November 6, but in much of Japan, south of Tōhoku, it will arrive from mid- to late November.
Yellow Foliage Forecast Dates by City
| City: date | Timing (days late) |
|---|---|
| Sapporo: November 6 | Around normal (2) |
| Aomori: November 6 | Around normal (4) |
| Sendai: November 29 | Around normal (6) |
| Tokyo: November 26 | Around normal (3) |
| Kanazawa: November 10 | Around normal (0) |
| Nagano: November 14 | Around normal (4) |
| Nagoya: November 17 | Around normal (–1) |
| Kyoto: November 27 | Around normal (3) |
| Osaka: November 24 | Around normal (2) |
| Wakayama: November 26 | Around normal (3) |
| Hiroshima: November 20 | Around normal (5) |
| Kōchi: November 16 | Around normal (1) |
| Fukuoka: November 27 | Late (7) |
| Kagoshima: November 27 | Around normal (2) |
Red Foliage
Red leaves tend to appear a little later than yellow foliage. Due to the lingering summer heat, they are expected to be late by 10 days in Sapporo and 9 in Nagano. Red foliage will peak around November 29 in Tokyo and December 4 in Osaka.
Red Foliage Forecast Dates by City
| City: date | Timing (days late) |
|---|---|
| Sapporo: November 7 | Late (10) |
| Aomori: November 13 | Around normal (0) |
| Sendai: November 25 | Around normal (4) |
| Tokyo: November 29 | Around normal (1) |
| Kanazawa: November 30 | Around normal (6) |
| Nagano: November 21 | Late (9) |
| Nagoya: December 2 | Around normal (4) |
| Kyoto: December 11 | Around normal (6) |
| Osaka: December 4 | Around normal (3) |
| Wakayama: December 11 | Around normal (5) |
| Hiroshima: November 28 | Around normal (6) |
| Kōchi: December 9 | Late (7) |
| Fukuoka: December 7 | Around normal (6) |
| Kagoshima: December 10 | Around normal (–5) |
Autumn foliage begins much earlier in high mountain areas than in lowland cities. On Hokkaido’s Mount Asahidake in Daisetsuzan National Park, renowned for Japan’s earliest fall colors, the foliage reaches its prime at elevations above 1,500 meters around September 21 to October 5. Meanwhile, at the summit of Tokyo’s Mount Takao (599 meters) the leaves reach their best around November 6–20.
The Japan Meteorological Corporation provides forecasts for 3,000 mountains around the country (Japanese only).
Data Sources
- Autumn foliage forecast and Navi site, showing the best time to view seasonal leaves in 700 locations across Japan (Japanese), from Japan Meteorological Corporation
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: A sightseeing train passes through spectacular fall foliage at Naruko Gorge in Ōsaki, Miyagi Prefecture. © Pixta.)