When Is the Best Time To Visit Osaka, Japan?

When is the Best Time to Visit Osaka?

Osaka has four distinct seasons: spring from March to May, summer from June to August, autumn from September to November, and winter from December to February. Osaka is a year-round destination, and you’ll easily find reasons to visit the city regardless of the season.

So, when is the best time to visit Osaka? If you don’t want your trip to Osaka to get bogged down by late spring rains and late summer humidity, we recommend that you visit in mid-spring and late autumn. Weather in Osaka is most pleasant during these times, perfect for outdoor jaunts and exploring the sights.

Osaka turns pink with Cherry Blossoms in Spring

Just like most of Japan, Osaka’s urban landscape has acquired a soft edge in springtime from the blooming of its cherry blossom trees. Viewing cherry blossoms is reason enough for thousands of travellers to come flying to Japan in springtime. In Osaka the best places to have your Hanami viewing party are:

• Kema Sakuranomiya Park. This park by the side of the great Okawa River boasts of nearly 5,000 cherry blossom trees, many of them lining the riverbank promenade itself. You can stroll along the promenade under the canopy of these cherry blossoms or view them from a cruise boat on the river. There are also picnic spots where you can sit and drink in the beauty of these ephemeral blooms.

• Osaka Castle. This towering white medieval castle becomes breathtaking in springtime when it is clad with the pale pink blooms of the more than 4,000 cherry blossom trees in its surrounding parks. It’s even more enchanting at night when the castle lights up in the evenings.

• Osaka Mint Bureau. The head office of Japan Mint has its own cherry blossom park. Although small and with only 300 cherry trees, these trees belong to around 100 varieties and mostly blooming late in the season. So if you flew into Osaka late into the cherry blossom viewing season, you can still catch a few blooms here.

Osaka turns red-gold with the Autumn Foliage

If you can’t make it to Osaka in spring, autumn is the next best time to go. The city’s maple and ginkgo trees turn a glorious orange and reddish gold with the season, and they look particularly striking against the setting sun. Best viewed from Osaka Bay on the western side of the city.

One of the loveliest places to view Osaka’s autumn foliage is Minoo Park on the city’s northern outskirts. This forested valley is a popular hiking destination; in autumn, the maple trees along the hiking trails form canopies of red-gold. The red-gold foliage adds to the majesty of the Minoo Waterfalls in autumn.

If you don’t feel up to hiking through the forest in autumn, you can still see Osaka’s beautiful autumn foliage on a stroll down Midosuji Street. Dubbed the Champs Elysee of the Orient, this central main street of Osaka lines on both sides with ginkgo trees. Which all turn a lovely shade of gold during the fall months.

Osaka is a city you can visit any time of the year. If you don’t want to be rained on in late spring or sweat it out in summer, you should plan your visit in spring or autumn. Don’t miss out to visit 12 Osaka attractions during your stay and check the weather too! Book your trip to Osaka today.