I originally had my vacation time slot reserved starting late Nov for about 2 weeks (leaving around US’ Thanksgiving) in 2020. But of course, that didn’t happen. So pushed back that vacation slot to 2021 and looks like that won’t happen yet again. If 2022 looks promising for Japan to open up I’d like to request my Fall vacation early to “reserve” my spot at work.
There are at least 3 of us in the office vying for a vacation request already and all 3 of us wants to go to Japan. One is wanting mid-March. But the other also wants November and he has priority over me. But he wants to go to Fukuoka for the Sumo tournament and that usually starts mid-Nov. He plans only for a 6 or 7-night trip. He only wants to see one day of the sumo tournament and mentioned the first or 2nd day. He also plans on splitting nights between Hakata, Hiroshima and Kyoto (arriving FUK, departing KIX). Looking at the sumo schedule, it says 1st day is on Nov 13, 2022. So if he arrives on either the 12 or 13th and attends on either the 13th or 14th. He then should be returning to the states at the latest 20th. The earliest I can depart home would be the 19th to arrive on the 20th unless the boss tells us that we need 1 day together at work to make sure “changeover” goes well. We are each other back up at work. If that’s the case, then depart on the 22nd. I’d like to start off best place to see the most Autumn Leaves/Nighttime Illumination as possible. Will that be in Kyoto/Osaka area or the Tokyo area? Is it possible to catch both Autumn and Winter Illuminations?
FYI, this will be my 6th solo trip to Japan. I’m also a planner…I love to plan out my vacations to maximize my days and make sure I don’t “miss” a site or waste time jumping around. And yes, I know s\*\*t happens and everything can go awry. That happened to me before but I usually have backup plans or something. The main point for this trip would be Autumn leaves viewing. I’ve looked up the history of Autumn and Winter Illuminations days/times and looks like most will end at the end of Nov and Winter Illuminations in most places start a week later. This is for major Parks, Gardens, Shrines, Temples. I’m not counting City Illuminations. I’m thinking to start off in Kyoto then on to Kanazawa for a couple of nights then the remaining nights in Tokyo with some day trips out. In KIX, out HND/NRT if I can find an airline from my home airport that I can do open jaw. Which Illumination(s) is a must-see while in Kyoto? Which one Autumn site(s) is better to see during the day?
I’m hoping he can’t wait to go back to Japan and decide to see the Sumo tournament in September 2022 in Tokyo instead and that leaves me all of November days to choose from.
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Peak autumn foliage: mid to late November for Kansai, late November to early December for 23 special wards of Tokyo.
Winter illuminations: most of the illuminations in Tokyo are up by mid-November, however, in Osaka some are going up later than that (Kaiyukan usually third Friday of November; Osaka Castle – Friday before Osaka Marathon, usually last Friday of November of first Friday of December). And note that winter illuminations are reather more concentrated in Osaka, because autumn foliage illuminations are still up in Kyoto.
As far as your possible route goes: try not to schedule a November weekend visit to Kanazawa (unless you plan to drop in with Thunderbird in the morning and leave by shinkansen in the evening) as accommodation is usually extremely scarce.
We went the last week of November into the first few days of December and saw many illuminations in Kyoto – and more we didn’t have time to see. The fall leaves were a bit past their peak, but still gorgeous both in the day and at night. Not all places have autumn illuminations, so we did the shrines/temples that did not during the day as they usually close about 5 pm and then one of the illumination locations either before or after dinner. It’s a great way to squeeze in another site that’s normally closed or give yourself a more relaxed morning as you don’t have to feel obligated to get up at the crack of dawn every day of your trip as the illuminations are open til 8 or 9 pm.
– [My Trip Report: Kyoto – Autumn Leaves Illuminations (mid-Nov to early Dec) ](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/mjt5yf/kyoto_autumn_night_illuminations_at_temples_and/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
– [My Trip Report: Kyoto Day Trip – Arashiyama Scenic Railway and Riverboat Ride ](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/comments/mibm8t/kyoto_sagano_scenic_train_hozugawa_riverboat/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
There’s also a Japanese National holiday, Labor Day, that falls on Nov 23rd so people in Japan may take extra time off to make a long holiday weekend and visit Kyoto to see the fall leaves. So, if you can time it like we did, visit Kyoto just before or after whichever weekend Nov 23rd aligns most closely with as there may be fewer domestic tourists. However, fall leaves season is very busy/popular in Kyoto so don’t wait til the last minute to book lodging before your trip in 2023 (as 2022 is unfortunately looking unlikely…)
You can look at past years to have an idea, but every year is different. I went in late October and left I think November 10 in 2019 and the color was just starting to change. From report I can see, it was at pear around Nov. 20 to the end of the month.
But other years, it’s pretty late, like in 2011, I went to the last day of the fall color illumination at Rikugien and it was probably the first weekend the color really changed. And yes, it might be possible to have both fall color and winter illumination. On that trip I went to Koishikawa korakuen for fall color in late November and winter illuination at LaQua at the end of the day.
So yeah, it really depend on place to place, it is possible, as you said, that end of fall color and start of winter illumination would be a week apart, like Arashiyama Hanatoro would be early december (I do not really know about other Kyoto illumination)é
I was in Kyoto from November 25 last year. I was about 5-7 days late I would estimate. Saw autumn colors, but many of the leaves had already fallen to the ground