When is the best time to visit?

Personally, I recommend Mid/Late October - Mid/Late November. Avoid the summer heat and humidity at all costs. People underestimate how miserable it is here… there’s a reason you don’t see people taking “summer vacations” to Japan. Summer is long and absolutely brutal. It also gets so hot that there isn’t a lot to do (festivals), so keep that in mind. Please come in autumn! I’ve never seen fall leaves as vibrant as I have here. Chasing foliage is a really exciting weekend activity for the Japanese - they even have a word for this outing - “momijigari” 🍁 . In my experience, this is the BEST weather. It’s never too cold or too hot, which makes all the walking you’ll be doing more pleasant. My favorite places to see fall leaves are Kyoto and Miyajima. You can check the fall forecast here (when it gets closer).

Coming in the spring, specifically APRIL, would also be a unique opportunity to see the famous Sakura (cherry blossoms), but remember while planning your trip … it’s not promised. There are websites like this that forecast the bloom of the Sakura trees. Did you know that the blooming Sakura season only lasts 2 WEEKS??! Imagine planning your trip to see them and missing it by a few short days or weeks. I want you to be prepared. They bloom and fall quickly, so it would be hard to know if you would actually get to experience them while planning your trip.

How long should we visit Japan to experience what we want / make it worth it?

12 days is the perfect amount of time to hit major cities. If you can stay longer... I’m partial and would recommend staying as long as you can :) In this time frame you can easily fit Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, sprinkled with a few day trips in between. If you can extend your trip to visit places like Hiroshima and Miyajima, I highly recommend it!

What are your favorite cities?

KYOTO, TOKYO, OSAKA, MIYAJIMA, HIROSHIMA ... in that order :).. if you want to plan your visit chronologically, I would do Tokyo, Kyoto+Osaka, then Hiroshima + Miyajima with day trips planned in between (like Nara+ Kobe). Read this post for my ultimate guide to OSAKA + KYOTO.