November is one of the easiest months to travel in Japan: the summer heat has gone, rainfall drops after October, and the days are still comfortable for walking. The catch is timing. The famous autumn colors arrive later in the big cities than many first-time visitors expect, and the light goes early.
Every number below comes from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) or the Cabinet Office, checked on October 3, 2026. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast for 2026; check the forecast in the week before you go.
November weather in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Sapporo
Expect mild, mostly dry days around 17°C and cool evenings around 8–10°C in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka; Sapporo is already close to winter. For a first trip, that means you can walk all day without summer heat or October’s heavy rain, but you need one warm layer for after dark, and a real coat if Hokkaido is on the route.
| City | Average high | Average low | Rainfall | Sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | 16.7°C | 8.8°C | 96.3 mm | 149.8 h |
| Kyoto | 17.3°C | 8.4°C | 73.9 mm | 140.7 h |
| Osaka | 17.8°C | 10.2°C | 72.5 mm | 152.6 h |
| Sapporo | 8.7°C | 1.6°C | 113.8 mm | 99.1 h |
Compared with October, Tokyo’s normal rainfall drops from 234.8 mm to 96.3 mm and Kyoto’s from 143.2 mm to 73.9 mm (JMA). Days are pleasant but evenings are cool, and the temperature falls steadily through the month: Tokyo’s normal December high is 12.0°C.
Plan around short days. In Tokyo the sun rises at 6:02 and sets at 16:46 on November 1, 2026, and by November 30 it is 6:31 and 16:28 (NAOJ). Gardens and temples that close around dusk effectively give you a shorter sightseeing day than in summer.
What to pack
- Layers: a light sweater or fleece and a jacket you can carry, since 17°C afternoons and 8°C evenings can fall on the same day.
- Comfortable shoes for gravel temple paths and long station walks.
- For Sapporo and Hokkaido, a proper winter coat: normal November lows there are just above freezing.
- A compact umbrella. November is drier than October, not dry.
When to see autumn leaves in November
Ginkgo trees turn yellow in late November, and city maples usually peak at the very end of November or in early December. The most common first-timer mistake is booking early November for “autumn leaves” in Tokyo or Kyoto and finding the maples still green; if leaves are the main reason for the trip, the last week of November is the safer choice.
JMA observes one ginkgo and one maple tree at each weather station. It records the maple reddening day as the first day the tree, seen as a whole, is mostly red with almost no green left; ginkgo is recorded the same way for yellow (JMA observation guideline, PDF). These dates give a consistent, official benchmark (ginkgo table, maple table):
- Tokyo: ginkgo yellow Nov 23, maple red Nov 28 (normal). In 2025 the maple turned on Nov 23.
- Kyoto: ginkgo Nov 24, maple Dec 5. In 2025 the maple turned on Dec 10.
- Osaka: ginkgo Nov 25, maple Dec 1. In 2025 the maple turned on Dec 4.
In practice, that means ginkgo avenues in Tokyo are usually at their yellowest in the second half of November, while Kyoto’s maples are often still turning into early December. One tree in a weather station garden is a guide, not a guarantee: individual temples, hillsides and northern regions can be earlier or later, and each year varies.
Holidays and busy dates in November 2026
The dates to plan around are Tuesday, November 3 and the Saturday–Monday long weekend of November 21–23. Domestic travellers fill hotels and famous leaf spots on those days, so the same week that is best for leaves is also the most crowded. Japan has two national holidays in November 2026 (Cabinet Office):
- Tuesday, November 3: Culture Day (文化の日).
- Monday, November 23: Labor Thanksgiving Day (勤労感謝の日). With the weekend before it, Saturday November 21 to Monday November 23 is a three-day weekend for many people in Japan.
That long weekend falls right in Tokyo’s normal ginkgo week. If your dates include it, book hotels and any timed-entry sights early, and aim for popular gardens and temples first thing in the morning.
New rules that start around November 2026
Two changes affect November visitors: tax-free shopping switches to a refund at departure, and the departure tax is now ¥3,000. The refund change matters more day to day: you pay the full price at the till, so budget for the tax up front and treat the refund as money you get back only after the customs check.
- Tax-free shopping becomes a refund. For purchases from November 1, 2026, you pay the full price including consumption tax and get it back after a customs check when you leave Japan within 90 days of purchase (National Tax Agency). See our tax-free refund guide.
- Departure tax is ¥3,000. Japan’s International Tourist Tax rose from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 per departure from July 1, 2026. It is normally added to your ticket price by the airline; tickets bought before July 1, 2026 with a fixed departure date keep the old ¥1,000 rate (Japan Customs). Details in our departure tax guide.
November trip checklist
- Pack layers for 17°C afternoons and 8°C evenings (much colder in Hokkaido).
- For city autumn leaves, aim for the last week of November or early December.
- Plan outdoor sights before about 16:00; it gets dark early.
- Booked over Nov 21–23? Reserve hotels and timed tickets early.
- Keep tax-free purchases where you can show them at the customs check when you leave (within 90 days of purchase).
- Check the JMA forecast and local leaf reports in the week before you go.
Frequently asked questions
Is November a good time to visit Japan?
For mild weather, yes. Normal November highs are about 17–18°C in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, rainfall is lower than in October, and it is autumn-leaf season. Days are short, with sunset around 16:30 in Tokyo.
When is the best time to see autumn leaves in Kyoto?
JMA’s normal date for Kyoto’s maple reddening is December 5, and ginkgo yellowing is November 24. The last week of November and the first days of December are the safest bet for city temples. In 2025 the maple turned on December 10.
How cold is Tokyo in November?
JMA’s normal high is 16.7°C and low is 8.8°C for November. It gets cooler as the month goes on.
What are the public holidays in Japan in November 2026?
Culture Day on Tuesday, November 3, and Labor Thanksgiving Day on Monday, November 23, which creates a three-day weekend from November 21.
Does it snow in November in Japan?
Not in Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka in a normal year: their normal November lows are 8–10°C. Hokkaido is much colder, with a normal low of 1.6°C in Sapporo, so be prepared for winter conditions there.
Official sources
- Japan Meteorological Agency: climate normals for Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Sapporo (Japanese)
- Japan Meteorological Agency: phenological observations, including the ginkgo yellowing and maple reddening tables (Japanese, PDF)
- Japan Meteorological Agency: phenological observation guideline (Japanese, PDF)
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan: Tokyo sunrise and sunset, November 2026 (Japanese)
- Cabinet Office: national holidays in 2026 (Japanese)
- National Tax Agency: switch to the refund system for tax-free shopping from November 1, 2026 (Japanese)
- Japan Customs: International Tourist Tax (Japanese)
Last checked against these sources on October 3, 2026 (JST). Normals describe a typical year; check the JMA forecast before you travel.
Editorial information
- Written by
- Japan Trip Kit Editorial Team
- Published
- Updated
- Last verified
Sources
- Climate normals: Tokyo — Japan Meteorological Agency
- Climate normals: Kyoto — Japan Meteorological Agency
- Climate normals: Osaka — Japan Meteorological Agency
- Climate normals: Sapporo — Japan Meteorological Agency
- Phenological observations: maple reddening — Japan Meteorological Agency
- Phenological observations: ginkgo yellowing — Japan Meteorological Agency
- Sunrise and sunset, Tokyo, November 2026 — National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
- National holidays 2026 — Cabinet Office