Written by Carey Finn
Researched by Hitomi Kuroda
The Japan Meteorological Corporation released the second edition of its 2026 fall-foliage forecast on October 1, and the picture has settled: peak autumn leaves, or kōyō, are now expected close to their average dates across most of Japan, with ginkgo (yellow) leaves in the north and east running average or slightly late.
In Tokyo, the best viewing is forecast for around November 26 for yellow foliage and November 28 for red foliage — with the red date now matching the long-term average exactly. Kyoto is the outlier: red leaves there aren’t expected to peak until December 11, 6 days behind the average. If a Kyoto trip is on your list, that’s an argument for booking early December rather than late November.
Best dates for red leaves in 2026
- Tokyo: November 28
- Kyoto: December 11
- Nagoya: December 2
- Osaka: December 4
- Fukuoka: December 7
- Sapporo: November 4
- Sendai: November 24
Best dates for yellow leaves in 2026
- Tokyo: November 26
- Kyoto: November 27
- Nagoya: November 17
- Osaka: November 24
- Fukuoka: November 28
- Sapporo: November 3
- Sendai: November 29
The Japan Meteorological Corporation releases forecasts for autumn leaves (and spring cherry blossoms) every year, updating them regularly as the season approaches. Each edition covers approximately 700 kōyō spots and 3,000 mountains around the country, with the next update due in early November — we’ll refresh the dates here when it lands.
Top fall reads
Get ready for autumn with our guides:
- Kōyō: 19 Places To See Autumn Leaves Around Tokyo
- 12 Autumn Day Trips From Tokyo
- 8 Most Amazing Autumn Trees Around Tokyo
Source: Japan Meteorological Corporation
While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change. Post last updated on October 5, 2026, by the editorial team.
