Planning a trip to Kyoto in mid November (9-15) and the autumn foliage predictions have them peaking a little more than a week after we leave the country around November 23rd to early December.
I come from a country that doesnt have seasons and was highly looking forward to seeing the leaves turn colors. My questions are :
1.) Will we still see some fall foliage on our projected dates?
2.) What places by Kyoto would have more color by the dates we arrive?
3.) We’re also planning a trip to Kinosaki during the forecasted dates, is it likely for Kinosaki to have more color than Kyoto?
4 comments
[https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0002628/](https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0002628/)
looks like perfect timing.
this might just be lack of knowledge coming from a country with no seasons, but leaves don’t change colour all at once or fall all at once. it’s gradual. a week or two in either direction makes very little difference. this map shows PEAK red leaves prediction.
Not sure about Japan, but here in Europe you can go up the mountain where foilage turns colorful more quickly than down in the plains. As it’s colder up there.
If you look at a map of peak color dates, you’ll likely notice that the further north, the sooner the peak color dates. Japan stretches further north-south than most people think. If you want to see a good variety of colors you may want to head north of Kyoto, and likely move through some mountainous regions.
I live with all four seasons, and can tell you that which colors (reds, yellows, orange, etc.) you see depend on the type of tree and the weather in the area over the last few weeks of summer. Wetter weather late summer can mean better colors in the fall. If it’s worth it to you, start tracking the weather in the areas you’re going to be and look at adjusting foilage viewing locations.
mid november will be prime fall colours time in kansai (where kyoto is)
of course its more complicated then that. a storm more and a drop in temperature may pull it forward, nice sunny weather may push it back. a few days can make a big difference when you have 6 days on location
that being said. its not like the trees will be summer green one day (which is btw also great), fall colours the next, and no leaves the next. no.
trees gradually change colour. some kind of tree sooner than the other kinds. the trees in the shadow may do so sooner, than the ones in the sun. therefore, fall is a multiple weeks long time with many trees in the forest gradually changing colour and losing leafs.
the are in which one is plays a role here as well and can make a few days difference. in the middle of the city its warmer, in the hills its colder and the higher you go, the more you progress into the progression of fall. if you happen to be “too early” by a few days, all you need to do is go up. if you are too late, going down is harder, then maybe going further west (and south) is the solution.
that all being said. unless something really astonishing strange is happening, you will see fall colours in kyoto in mid november.
another factor is (and not dependent on any weather or color) when the activities associated with fall will be practiced. like night time illuminations.
so if there will be any special events you can enjoy them, no matter the color of the trees.
and, on a more personal anecdote, it seems kyoto is usually going for a more end of november into december = full fall special events time, I personally find, while its colouful and nice, a lot of the trees have no leafes left and I wonder, if maybe beginning of november might look better yet…