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.
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). Across the cities we track, this is one of the four months when hotels are fullest.
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 on the pillar page
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
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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.
Traditional dances are performed on the forecourt of Suwa shrine. They differ each year, by district.
Decorated floats parade through the old town of Takayama under the lanterns, at nightfall.
Schools and sports clubs hold their own sports day, an undokai.
A parade crosses Kyoto in period costume, from the imperial palace to Heian shrine.
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 it is decided 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
When is cherry blossom season in Japan?
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.
CalendarHow to book hotels in Japan: when sales open
The costly mistake is reading an empty calendar as a full one. Inns open about 6 months out, train seats 1 month out, and nothing exists before that.
Which site to book on
Every site holds a different slice of Japan. We tell you which one holds what.
See who gives access to what →What a ryokan rate includes
It counts people rather than rooms, and dinner is nearly always inside 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.