Autumn Leaves & Illuminations Guide

Autumn: the maples turn

Japanese autumn (koyo) peaks in Kyoto from mid to late November, a touch earlier in the north and at higher elevations. Kyoto is unmatched for the season: Eikando Temple holds a spellbinding evening light-up with red leaves mirrored in its still pond, while Arashiyama glows crimson around its temples and scenic railway. In Kanazawa, the Kenrokuen Garden light-up sets autumn color (and later, winter snow held up by elegant yukitsuri ropes) against one of Japan's three great gardens. The beauty of autumn is that the color front moves south and downhill over several weeks, so even a flexible trip can usually catch peak foliage somewhere.

Winter: the lights come on

As the leaves fall, the illuminations begin — roughly November through February. Tokyo's Roppongi and Marunouchi avenues sparkle with millions of bulbs lining the streets, Nabana no Sato near Nagoya runs one of the country's largest light shows with its famous golden tunnel and water-mirror displays, and Kobe Luminarie glows each December as a moving tribute to the victims of the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake. Unlike fickle foliage, illuminations run on fixed dates, making them easy to build a plan around.

How to plan

• Foliage timing is weather-dependent — check the koyo forecasts published each autumn and keep plans flexible.
• Go at dusk for both autumn night light-ups and winter illuminations; arriving as the sky darkens gives you both the last light and the glow.
• Many temple light-ups and illumination events need advance, timed tickets — book the popular ones early.
• Bring a warm layer; standing outside on a November or December evening gets cold fast.

String a few of these together and you'll have an unforgettable late-autumn-into-winter trip across Japan.