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Different seasons have their cons and pros. Spring is beautiful due to all the blossoms and spring has herbs and vegetables but anymore too crowded with too many tourists. Fall has the foliage and again, great food items. But, fall also brings some nasty typhoons. Summer has many festivals but very hot and crowded esp during obon season. I think I like Oct through early March now. Nov through Dec is nice.
Assuming you are able to stay a maximum of 90 days without a visa, at least with US, EU, and UK passports as that seems to be the standard for most citizens, if you could choose any three months of the year to living Japan each year and you can only pick those months, which ones would they be?
For me it would be February through May. February might be cold but it feels very dry and crisp, and gets the most snowfall. Then late March/early April is the cherry blossoms season, and May is when it starts warming up and has a lush green color, and just before the rainy season starts. This is in the Tokyo/Kanto region and pretty much most of Honshu as the weather may differ in other parts of the country.
I agree with February through May. I see the cherry blossoms in DC almost every year. I want to see them in Japan as well.
Was your work with the military/DOD by chance? Since you mentioned Sasebo and Yokosuka I'm familiar with them as having the Naval bases.
Yeah, I wasn't a fan of the hotter months and typhoon season. It really doesn't start looking/feeling like fall until November. In the Tokyo area the leaves actually peak around late November or even early December.
Yes, military here, so I had the opportunity (and will have other opportunities) to make that trek going forward over the next year or so as well.
The season when you find all the Aussies up there is winter. The skiing is apparently so much better and much cheaper than here. One of my kids and family will be going for the third time in a row next January. They both went two years ago very soon after Japan finally opened up again for tourism.
Otherwise non-skiers are quite keen on going in autumn, as we did in 2019. We do not get to see many autumn leaves here (Canberra being the exception) and the leaves last longer than the spring flowers.
But of course most cannot stay for three months, though the daughter of a friend does, in a ski area, as they own an apartment there.
Yes, military here, so I had the opportunity (and will have other opportunities) to make that trek going forward over the next year or so as well.
I was in Atsugi myself. Have you been to that base?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarisaAnna
The season when you find all the Aussies up there is winter. The skiing is apparently so much better and much cheaper than here. One of my kids and family will be going for the third time in a row next January. They both went two years ago very soon after Japan finally opened up again for tourism.
Otherwise non-skiers are quite keen on going in autumn, as we did in 2019. We do not get to see many autumn leaves here (Canberra being the exception) and the leaves last longer than the spring flowers.
But of course most cannot stay for three months, though the daughter of a friend does, in a ski area, as they own an apartment there.
That's actually where I learned to snowboard (if you call it "learning" it, lol), about an hour by bullet train from Tokyo in Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture at the Naeba Ski Resort.
I lived in the Tokyo area for 2 years. I was in the Air Force at the time, and lived off base part of that time. I was shocked how inadequate the heating was in the Apts. There was none. I had to buy an electric heater and electric blankets. Winter was cold and several smaller snow storms. I had enough of the Apt after the first winter and moved on base.
I would say the best months would be Apr thru Jun. Those were the most comfortable months. Summer was hot and humid and like the lack of heat, I had no AC in that apt either. Maybe things are better now but I have a feeling not all that much.
I agree. I lived in a Japanese house (not an apartment) off base, 2 minutes walking distance to Akigawa Station, about 30 minute drive to Yokota. It was really cold in the winter. The home heat wasn’t all that.
I was in Atsugi myself. Have you been to that base?
I have not, but we have a friend who is stationed in Atsugi now.
The only bases I've been to in Japan are the naval base in Yokosuka, the Air Force base in Kadena, the naval base in Sasebo, and the base at White Beach. I've found the cities that host U.S. military bases to be pretty diverse from a culinary perspective (even more so than Tokyo often times . . . at least in a concentrated way), so have enjoyed my time there even if I prefer the accommodation options in Tokyo more as a general matter.
I lived in the Tokyo area for 2 years. I was in the Air Force at the time, and lived off base part of that time. I was shocked how inadequate the heating was in the Apts. There was none. I had to buy an electric heater and electric blankets. Winter was cold and several smaller snow storms. I had enough of the Apt after the first winter and moved on base.
I would say the best months would be Apr thru Jun. Those were the most comfortable months. Summer was hot and humid and like the lack of heat, I had no AC in that apt either. Maybe things are better now but I have a feeling not all that much.
Former Navy, lived in Yokosuka for 4 years from '16-'20. Don't how long it's been since you were the but can confirm, the apartment heating probably hasn't gotten much better since either of us were there lol.
Agree on the months. Perfect whether with it being not to hot/humid and not cold where you don't want to go.
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