-A Brief Guide to the Japanese Seasonal Culture-
It is not a secret that Japan is a country of seasonal culture. The Japanese are proud of their four seasons and have a tradition to arrange their life style with the current season. This trend penetrates all the sides of the Japanese culture- starting from the food style (any restaurant menu in Japan recommends special seasonal dishes), finishing with the Japanese poems haiku, where the seasonal word is a necessary part of the structure.
To plan your trip let us have a closer look at the peculiarities of each of the Japanese seasons!
Japanese Spring
Japanese Spring is warm, and there is not too much rain, so it is one of the best seasons to visit Japan! Spring in Japan is mostly famous for it`s great Cherry Blossoms Festivals (in Japanese they are called Ohanami). Tourists from all over the world are coming to Japan in Spring to enjoy the beauty of the Cherry trees and try traditional Japanese food that is sold in every big park wherever the festival takes part.
The Japanese people have a tradition to gather at the parks for a picnic under the cherry trees. If you visit Japan in March-April you will have a chance to enjoy the Cherry Blossom Festival with the Japanese people and make new friends! Hanami season differs from the area- so if you want to enjoy Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto you should come around the end of March, in Hokkaido however it would start only in May.
* Try to avoid traveling during the Golden Week (April 27 to May 6) since it`s the longest holiday in Japan and everything is booked for these days several months in advance.
-Spring haiku-
隹ｷ豌ｴ繧・浹繧ゅ≧縺溘ｒ隧繧螻ｱ譯・/FONT>
(Tani-mizu-ya ishi-mo-uta-yomu yamazakura)
(Uejima Onitsura)
Sakura slopes,
In the valley streams
Even the stones make songs
Japanese Summer
Japanese summer is rainy in June but very hot (+35+40but it is the best time to visit Japanese seaside! If you are interested in swimming and diving, the golden beaches of Okinawa and Izu are waiting for you! If you do not enjoy the hot weather you are welcome to visit Hokkaido- the Northern Island of Japan that has it`s special beauty and history. It never gets too hot in Hokkaido or in the mountains of Tohoku regions of Japan. There you can enjoy mountain climbing and hot springs in the wild nature.
Summer in Japan should be very attractive for those who are dreaming to climb the most famous Japanese mountain - Fuji-san! The time to do it is the end of July or the beginning of August.
* Try to avoid traveling in the middle of August because exactly on that time all the Japanese are going on vacation to visit the graves of their relatives (around the 15th -20th of August).
-Summer haiku-
(Atsuki- hi- wo umi- ni- iretari Mogamigawa)
(Matsuo Basho)
Sinking the hot Sun
Into the sea
Mogami River
Japanese Autumn
Japanese Autumn is warm and September is still considerably good for enjoying the seaside.There are a lot of fair days and the tourists coming to Japan are happy to watch the red leaves that decorate every Japanese park. The Autumn colors in Japan are not less impressive than the colors of the Spring Cherry Blossoms. The Japanese have a fascinating tradition to visit hot springs during the Red Leaves` Season and enjoy the beauty of the nature in the mountains. For instance people from Kanto region are often going to the hot springs in Hakone and Kusatsu, and the people from Kyushu are often visiting Kurokawa Onsen that is considered to be the best in Japan.
In Autumn there are no long holidays in Japan, so it is the best time to visit the country and enjoy the sightseeing.
-Autumn haiku-
(Yosa Buson)
Autumn dusk
Turned into an image of Buddha
A badger
Japanese Winter
Japanese Winter temperatures are not very low at Honshu. It rarely snows in Tokyo and quite warm in the South of Japan, however Hokkaido and the Northern part of Kanto and Tohoku area are very snowy. The only little problem about the travel in winter is the absence of the central heating. Some tourists who visit Japan in January find it warmer to stay outdoors than indoors. However the variety of gas and electrical heaters will save you from cold wherever you go. Although the temperatures in the central and southern part of Japan never go below 0, in the Northern areas it is cold enough to enjoy skiing and snowboarding! Hokkaido, Nagano, Naeba, Niigata and other regions have all the accommodations and reasonable prices for foreign tourists!
* Please be careful planning out your trip for the end of the year- because all Japanese banks and public institutions (including some restaurants) will be closed for several days at the beginning of the New Year (December 29th- January 3d).
-Winter Haiku-
(Mizuhara Shuoshi)
A single
Frosty rose
Opens a year...