Japan in October
Settled weather just before the peak of the autumn colors: often the best trade-off between climate and crowds. Very good, if you book early. Autumn colors start in Hokkaido while the south stays mild. One of the two busiest months of the year.
Temperature
22°C (72°F) / 15°C (59°F)
in Tokyo, afternoon and night
Crowds
very busy
across the cities we track (checked Oct 16)
Ryokan booking
already open
traditional inns · don't wait for a discount
Japan weather in October, north to south
| City | Afternoon / night | Rain or snow |
|---|---|---|
| Sapporo north (Hokkaido) | 16°C (61°F) / 8°C (46°F) | about average 110 mm, one day in 3 |
| Tokyo central (Kanto) | 22°C (72°F) / 15°C (59°F) | very wet 235 mm, one day in 3 |
| Kyoto central (Kansai) | 23°C (73°F) / 14°C (57°F) | about average 143 mm, one day in 4 |
| Osaka central (Kansai) | 24°C (75°F) / 16°C (61°F) | about average 136 mm, one day in 4 |
| Naha far south (Okinawa) | 28°C (82°F) / 24°C (75°F) | very wet 179 mm, one day in 4 |
Typhoons thin out without disappearing, 1.7 typhoons approach Japan on average in October. See “Blossom and autumn colors, region by region” in the month-by-month overview
Thirty-year averages (1991-2020) recorded by the Japan Meteorological Agency, which tell you the month's usual climate and not the weather you will actually get on the dates you have chosen. Last checked August 8, 2026.
Roughly what it costs
Occupancy (official statistics, 2023-2025)
busy
65%
Price range per night
per night, two people
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The dates in October
October 2026 has one public holiday and 3 dates when something is happening, and the night before that holiday is the most expensive of the month: ryokan charge their Saturday rate for it.
Nagasaki Kunchi, Nagasaki
Traditional dances are performed on the forecourt of Suwa shrine. They differ each year, by district.
Nagasaki fills up
Takayama Matsuri (autumn), Takayama, Gifu
Decorated floats parade through the old town of Takayama under the lanterns, at nightfall.
Takayama, Gifu fills up
Day before a holiday
ryokan rates go up
Public holiday: Sports Day
Schools and sports clubs hold their own sports day, an undokai.
everything fills up
Jidai Matsuri, Kyoto
A parade crosses Kyoto in period costume, from the imperial palace to Heian shrine.
Kyoto fills up
quiet
nothing to plan around
If your dates can move: shift by a day to miss the nights before a holiday.
If they are fixed: book those nights first, they are the ones that go fastest. The rest of the month can wait.
Where to start
The order matters more than how early you get to it.
Kyoto and the small stops first
Kyoto, Kanazawa, Takayama, and any night in a ryokan: few rooms, and the whole of Japan is aiming at the same dates, so this is where rooms run out first, not in Tokyo.
Tokyo and Osaka can wait
Tens of thousands of rooms. These cities are never really full. The simplest approach is still to book it all in one go, on free cancellation rates for whatever might still move.
Three questions about October
What is the weather like in October?
In Tokyo, 22°C (72°F) in the afternoon and 15°C (59°F) at night on average, while at the same moment Sapporo sits at 16°C (61°F) and Naha at 28°C (82°F). Typhoons thin out without disappearing, 1.7 typhoons approach Japan on average in October.
Is October cheaper?
Across the cities we track, this is one of the four months when hotels are fullest. The price range for the month is in the budget block, city by city.
Is October the best month to visit Japan?
It is often the best trade-off between weather and crowds, right before the peak of the autumn colors. Book early: it is already one of the most in-demand months.
Going further
Calendar
How to book hotels in Japan: when sales open
The costly mistake is reading an empty calendar as a full one.
Calendar
Cherry blossom season in Japan, and fall foliage
Somebody counts the flowers by hand. First bloom is 5 or 6 flowers open on one marked tree, full bloom is 4 buds in 5, and they sit 5 to 10 days apart.
The next step
Which site to book on
Every site holds a different slice of Japan. See which site holds what.
Before you book: what a ryokan rate includes. It counts people rather than rooms, and dinner is nearly always part of it, served at a fixed time that you pick when you book rather than on the evening itself. Read the ryokan page.
Bookings for your dates open on a fixed date. We write that day.
Say you're after the cherry blossoms in April 2027: ryokan inns open around October. On the day, you get an email, you book, and it's done.
Temperature and rainfall: 1991-2020 normals from the Japan Meteorological Agency. Occupancy from Japan's official tourism statistics, public holidays from the official calendar. Tanuki Trip never books on your behalf. You book it yourself, wherever you want.