On September 12, the Japan Weather Association released its first “Autumn Foliage Viewing Forecast.
This year, due to the prolonged lingering summer heat, the arrival of the fall foliage season is later than usual overall. Therefore, the coloring of the leaves will begin in late September at the earliest.
Autumn foliage in northern Japan (Hokkaido and Tohoku) is expected to be later than usual, with Kurodake in the Daisetsu Mountains in Hokkaido in the second half of September, Sounkyo in the first half of October, the Oirase mountain stream in Aomori Prefecture and Urabandai in Fukushima Prefecture in the second half of October, and Naruko Gorge in Miyagi Prefecture in the first half of November.
Autumn foliage in eastern Japan (Kanto Koshin, Hokuriku, and Tokai) is expected to be at its best in the first half of October at Tateyama Murododaira in Toyama Prefecture and Tanigawa-dake Ropeway in Gunma Prefecture, the second half of October at Kamikochi in Nagano Prefecture, the first half of November at Yahiko Park in Niigata Prefecture, and the second half of November at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Garden in Aichi Prefecture.
Autumn foliage in western Japan (Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu) is expected to be at its best in the second half of October at the Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden in Hyogo Prefecture and at Kenzan in Tokushima Prefecture, in the first half of November at Daisen in Tottori Prefecture and Gokase Gorge in Miyazaki Prefecture, and in the second half of November at Arashiyama in Kyoto Prefecture and Miyajima in Hiroshima Prefecture.
Forecasts of the best time to view autumn foliage around Japan are also available on the Japan Weather Association’s “tenki.jp” website. The site is also scheduled to release actual color change of autumn foliage from the end of September.
© Source travel watch