Tourism Climate change shifts Kyoto's autumn colours into December

Kyoto, a city celebrated for its seasonal beauty, particularly during the autumn foliage and spring cherry blossom seasons, is experiencing an atypical shift. This year, the peak of the autumn leaf viewing season, typically in late November, has been delayed due to climate change. The unusually warm summer has pushed back the onset of autumn colours to mid-November, and the peak is now anticipated in mid-December.

This delay has impacted the tourism industry. Despite the usual high demand for autumn tours, cancellations have increased this year as travel agencies struggle to attract visitors. A 60-year-old tourist from Hokkaido, who visited Arashiyama on 18 November, expressed disappointment, stating that they should have timed their visit a couple of weeks later to witness the full splendour of the autumn foliage.

Arashiyama's peak kouyou forecast is now expected around 29 November, said the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), a delay of roughly one to two weeks from the usual period. The agency forecast that the best time to view the autumn colouration of momiji (maple) leaves in central Kyoto this year will be 16 December, compared to 5 December in a typical year. The delayed changing of leaves is attributable to unusually high temperatures well into October in recent years, the JMA said, citing this year's excessively hot summer and prolonged late-summer heat.

Click to expand...

Paywall alert:

By the expectation of weather in Japan, it is December 18 in the in full bloom of colored leaves of Kyoto.
Tokyo is December 5.
In Fukuoka, the maple of the garden has not turned red red yet.
Colored leaves may be in full bloom on around December 15.
The superb view Kyushu November, 2024 broadcast "superb view of colored leaves"

The superb view Kyushu November, 2023 broadcast "superb view of colored leaves"