Cost differences between spring and autumn visits to Japan?
 

Assuming we avoid Golden Week, is anyone able to tell me whether we can expect prices for accommodation / travel to be much different for a spring visit to an autumn one?

Our first trip was September into October and our second visit was October into November. The first one took in Kanto, Chubu, Kansai plus overnight to Hiroshima/ Miyajima. The second was mostly Kansai and Kyushu. Weather we perfect both trips, just as we like it -- sunny, reasonably warm but not too hot. Not much rain.

We'd like similar weather but thought it may be nice to enjoy a different season and spring is the obvious one given my dislike of heat and cold.

But I'm curious about whether pricing is generally higher in spring than autumn, less, or about the same.

I wouldn't nail down which week until we decided where we were visiting as am sure there will be quite some difference weatherwise between say Hokkaido and Kyushu!

Thanks,
Kavey

I can't say I've seen any difference between November and May/April.

I've never noticed any big differences in lodging or food by season. Airfares from Hawaii seem to drop in October and late March, but I can often find cheap last minute flights throughout much of the year.

I honestly have no idea and would hate to try to predict.

What I CAN say is that you will probably have more hours of daylight if you go in spring.

By MY book, extra time to see the things I want to see before sunset trumps whatever savings I might achieve (or lose!!!) by going during the fall. YMMV.

Oh, and if you'e been in Japan for autumn leaves, it seems time to visit it for spring flowers.

My one trip to Japan was in May. The gardens were magnificent. :-)

JMO.

Hope that helps, Kavey!

It does, thanks folks.
I'd say if none of you have noticed a marked/ obvious price difference, I can make the assumption it won't be a significant cost factor.

Crowds will be more a factor than anything else especially if you plan to go during the cherry blossom season. If your not planning for cherry blossoms you should :)

It will be cooler in the spring than the fall and expect a little more rain. But if you thought the fall colors are spectacular in Japan there is nothing I can compare to experiencing your first "hanami" in a park somewhere in Japan during the sakura season.....Kirei!

Aloha!

Looking at weather, I think we'd prefer late May to early April, though that will depend a lot on whether we head northwards to Hokkaido or southwards again. We're not sure on that yet.

Should we expect crowds throughout April/ May, significantly more so than autumn?

If so, makes me lean back towards autumn again.

#notafanofcrowds

I travelled in May. There were crowds at some places I visited (e.g., Kinkakuji); other places were nearly empty (e.g., Haein).

The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life.

I also. It happens to men who have seen what we have seen. But then I come to this place of my ancestors, and I remember. Like these blossoms, we are all dying. To know life in every breath, every cup of tea, every life we take. The way of the warrior....

Hi Kavey!

We loved the weather for our trip last year, which was two weeks starting about May 13, although the last 3 days in Kyoto at the end got a bit sticky and hot. I would say if you arrived right after Golden Week it would be perfect!

Regarding pricing, my only comparison would be the May trip we did vs. booking for our upcoming April 1 arrival during the peak of cherry blossoms. I noticed about a 33% increase in hotel costs when looking at the same hotel during both periods. Yet one more reason to shoot for early May! :-

Thank you so much everyone!

HT, that's beautiful.

Lol thanks but its a small scene from the Tom Cruise movie "Samurai". You really must experience the sakura if you are interested in Japan. You will only realize this when you see your first sighting....don't miss out lol

Aloha!

HT I would like to very much, just trying to balance that with potential increases in costs / crowds.

Keen, though.

Haaa, TC's Samurai. Bless. I remember the scene now.

I do not think that there is a large difference in price when traveling to Japan in the Spring or fall. Cherry blossom time though is a very popular time to visit Japan so seating on flights and hotel space tend to be more limited and it would not shock me to see prices for air and hotels to be somewhat higher during this period. I had to scramble last April for a decent hotel room and almost had to stay out near Disney for a day or two. I prefer going to Japan in late October to early November. In the spring I prefer late March which generally is right before cherry blossom time in Tokyo.

Thank you, MJS, that's very helpful.
We'd be looking at either this autumn or next spring so I'd be able to work out my itinerary and start booking hotels pretty far in advance, so hoping that aspect will be fine.

Thank you, Kavey – I’m very glad to know that you have found some of my comments helpful. And I agree that HT has provided helpful advice to many people as they plan their time in Japan. I enjoy participating in a forum where people with all sorts of different experiences and expertise can share their ideas.

I thought for sure the two lol, one before and one after my reply would assure people thinking the remark was tic(tongue in cheek) and not a rude comment as was the aforementioned. I certainly apologize Kavey if it was taken in any other way.

Aloha!

Looks like we've been cleaned up, so let's get back to the Japan chat. I have such respect for my fellow Japanophiles here, I check this board most days even when I've no trip in sight!

I'm in the process of booking a trip to Japan for April, and I'm finding the hotels to be a tad more expensive then than at other months we had looked at previously (but perhaps no more than 15%). However, availability (particularly in Kyoto) is scarce even now, which leads me to expect big crowds. I'll arrive in Kyoto from Tokyo on April 15, which seem to be the end of cherry blossom season. Early May seemed particularly busy with little availability; I think Golden week starts around April 29, which is when I'll be back home, so perhaps it will be better after May 8.

I didn't have any flexibility with dates, but since I found a $900 round-trip, I wasn't going to let anything stop me.

Doug, thank you so much for your input.
I'm really torn as I realise the blossoms are a major experience, and of course I'd love to see them, and experience the Japanese celebration of them.
But I don't like travelling at very busy times, and of course, budget is an issue, I'd rather stretch it to spend a few more nights in Japan.
So I'm still dithering.
No decision to be made anyway until I get/ start next contract and see where I'm at when.