Here's the official 2026 forecast for autumn leaves in Japan – updated November 4

Now that autumn is finally here, the country's famous koyo season is just around the corner. In just a few weeks, Japan will be transformed into a sea of fiery red maples and golden-yellow ginkgo trees – making koyo one of the most spectacular times of year to explore the country. 

If you’re hoping to plan your trip around the season, you’re in luck. On November 4, the Japan Meteorological Corporation released its third official forecast detailing expected dates for two of the most popular types of koyo: red momiji maple and yellow ginkgo leaves. In the latest update, little has changed, though recent warm weather has pushed the forecast back by a day or two in some parts of Japan.

Here’s a closer look at this year’s forecast.

Red momiji leaves forecast

According to this year’s forecast, Hokkaido is first to see the brilliant momiji colours, with the leaves in Sapporo already turning red from November 1. Further south, Kanazawa is expected to see its leaves turn red by December 2, Nagano by November 22, and Nagoya by December 4. 

In Tokyo, the leaves are expected to turn by November 30. In Osaka, the leaves are forecast to turn by December 6, followed by Kyoto on December 14. For Fukuoka, leaves are expected to turn by December 10, Hiroshima by November 30 and Kagoshima by December 13.

Yellow ginkgo leaves forecast

Ginkgo trees tend to be more sensitive to temperatures and often reach their peak before momiji. This year, Sapporo has already started to see its ginkgo trees turn yellow by November 1, followed by Kanazawa on October 26. In Nagano, trees are expected to turn on November 15 and Nagoya on November 20.

In Tokyo, the leaves are forecast to turn by November 29 while Kyoto is expected to reach its peak around November 30 and Osaka on November 27. Further south, Hiroshima is projected to see its ginkgo leaves turn by November 23, followed by Fukuoka and Kagoshima on November 30.

According to the Japan Meteorological Corporation, this is the final update of the season, so now it’s just a matter of time before the leaves change colour. To see the current full, detailed forecast with more destinations across Japan, visit the JMC website.

This article was published on September 4 2026 and updated on November 4 2026.

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