Tokyo · Month comparison

November vs April

November ranks #1 overall vs April at #8. Peak autumn foliage — arguably Tokyo's most beautiful month, rivalling cherry blossom.

Tokyo November — peak autumn foliage in Shinjuku Gyoen

November

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Peak autumn foliage — arguably Tokyo's most beautiful month, rivalling cherry blossom.

  • Koyo peak: ginkgo trees gold, maples deep red — Shinjuku Gyoen, Meiji Jingu and Hamarikyu spectacular
  • Comfortable cool temperatures: 16°C, far more pleasant than spring's crowds and rain
Tokyo April — full cherry blossom along the Meguro River

April

#8 of 12 months

Strong option

Peak cherry blossom and peak tourism — the most visited month of the year.

  • Full cherry blossom season (early April is typically peak): parks and riverbanks genuinely spectacular
  • Golden Week (late April–early May) brings festival energy across the city
FactorNovemberApril
Weather score
8
7
Value score
5
4
Crowd score
4
3
Events score
7
7
Atmosphere
9
8
Avg high temp16.6°C19.3°C
Monthly rain93mm133mm
Daily sunshine5.9hrs7.1hrs

November trade-offs

  • Hotel prices rival spring: book 2–3 months ahead or pay peak rates
  • Popular foliage spots (Rikugien, Kokedera in Kyoto) sell out weeks in advance
  • International tourist numbers have grown sharply in recent years — no longer the secret season

April trade-offs

  • Absolute peak hotel prices — among the most expensive weeks of the Tokyo travel calendar
  • Asakusa and Ueno overwhelmed: 2-hour queues for some popular spots
  • Golden Week domestic travel surge (late April) means Shinkansen tickets book out weeks ahead
Scores compare months within Tokyo. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →