When to Go

In early spring it's pleasantly warm, and the greenery is at its best. May and June usher in heavy rains, and July and August are intensely muggy. September is summery, but watch for typhoons, which can blow in at any time until late October. Autumn colors appear in late October or early November, particularly in the north. In January and February the mountains of central Kyushu receive a little snowfall, and that's when the Siberian cranes show up for the gentle winter the region enjoys.