Hi everyone–I'm looking for help deciding on when to go to Japan. After doing my research, it sounds like late December isn't ideal for travel in Japan due to the new-year holiday and relative inaccessibility of stores, restaurants, etc. I've been seeing some mixed takes on this, but I have a little dilemma because so much extra time I could spend in Japan in December vs. November. My choices are:
- November 21 — December 1 (3 days travel, 7-8 days of stay)
- December 20 — January 5 (3 days travel, two weeks of stay)
Going in November offers the better temperatures and foliage, but realistically 7-8 of stay (minus travel from San Diego).
Going in December offers many more days to travel (14 days), but the potential pitfalls of worse weather and the New Year issues.
Is new year really that prohibitive for new travelers? Any advice would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!
by BailYourself