This colorful display is absolutely jaw-dropping.
Travelers flock to Japan in droves from March to April to see pink cherry blossoms dot the trees. But for locals, the best and most underrated time of the year to explore Japan is autumn, when the leaves on the maples turn into a technicolor rainbow.
Leaf peeping, as it’s called in the States, is known as koyo or momiji-gari in Japan. Just like cherry blossom trees, the red maple and Japanese maple leaves start to change at different times depending on where you are in the country. The mountainous regions and northern areas like Hokkaido will see the leaves begin to turn in September. For other areas like Kyoto, Tokyo, and Osaka mid-October to early-December is a safe bet. Prime viewing areas last for about two weeks. See the chart for the 2018 fall foliage forecast.