Why December Might Be the Best Time to Visit Japan

This past December I was lucky enough to return to Japan, and it quickly became my favorite season to travel this beautiful country. In the past few years, Japan’s popularity has exploded, and with that have come some unwanted side effects: most notably, extremely crowded tourist areas and higher prices during the peak Cherry Blossom season (mid-March through April) and Fall Festival season (October through November).

Choosing to travel just outside this peak window allowed me to explore famous sites with breathing room, enjoy popular street food markets and Michelin-starred restaurants with minimal wait times, and take in gorgeous fall colors in Kansai as well as the first snow in small mountain towns in the Gifu and Aichi prefectures further north.

Kyoto in December

I started in Kyoto, and the top attractions were quiet. I spent an afternoon hiking in the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove nearly alone, visited the famous Yasaka Shrine without the usual crowds, and was able to make same-day bookings at several Michelin-starred restaurants. Even the typically bustling Nishiki Market was uncrowded and easy to navigate. I had a self-guided walking and tasting lunch there that I thoroughly enjoyed. I also picked up a same-day ticket for the very popular TeamLab digitally immersive exhibit and experienced it without the typical crowds.

The weather in Kyoto was sunny and clear, with temperatures averaging in the high 50s. The fall foliage was stunning. I walked my jetlag off on the maple-lined paths in Kyoto’s National Garden, with only a local here and there riding by on a bicycle.

Kintsugi: A Private Class at Kyoto’s Oldest Workshop

Through our local partners in Japan, I was able to book a private class at the oldest Kintsugi workshop in Kyoto. Kintsugi is the ancient tradition of repairing broken ceramics with rare Urushi tree sap and gold or silver Keshifun, a matte powder made from gold leaf. My local guide and translator assisted with the instruction, and while the pieces were drying, I was able to ask them questions about everything from life in Kyoto to local politics, and their favorite restaurant and vintage shop recommendations. Afterwards, I had yet another delicious dinner before walking along Gion’s famous Shirakawa Canal to the Tatsumi Bridge, with no tourist crowds in sight.

Off the Beaten Path: Nagoya, Nagano, and Beyond

From Kyoto, I traveled north to Nagoya and Nagano to explore the mountain towns of Mino, Gujo Hachiman, Inuyama, and Chino. These bucolic villages, featuring Edo-period Japanese architecture and rich craft histories, offered a true look at Japan behind the scenes.

Mino’s 8th-century Washi paper traditions, Gujo Hachiman’s koi-filled canals and Shokuhin wax food presentations, Inuyama’s famous castle (one of only twelve original castles remaining in the country), and Chino’s local Sasahara community took me far off the tourist path and deeper into Japan’s history, culture, and countryside.

With the help of trusted English-speaking guides, I was able to make my own Washi paper in Mino and a Shokuhin Tempura set in Gujo Hachiman, participate in an impromptu sake tasting generously offered by a curious local shopkeeper, and learn traditional regional recipes from a local grandmother in Chino.

No matter what time of year you choose to visit, it’s these culturally immersive, authentic experiences that change you and make a trip truly memorable. December, it turns out, simply gives you more space to find them.

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