The Japanese year, month by month — for the trade.
Twelve months, each with an old name, a season word and a consequence for your file. What the weather does, what the country does, what it costs and how far ahead it has to be held.
What are the traditional Japanese month names?
The wafū getsumei, from the old lunisolar calendar: 睦月 Mutsuki, 如月 Kisaragi, 弥生 Yayoi, 卯月 Uzuki, 皐月 Satsuki, 水無月 Minazuki, 文月 Fumizuki, 葉月 Hazuki, 長月 Nagatsuki, 神無月 Kannazuki, 霜月 Shimotsuki, 師走 Shiwasu.
Last updated: 6 July 2026
Each month has a name, a season word and a price.
January
七草 Nanakusa · The country closes, then reopens at a sprint.
February
節分 Setsubun · The coldest month, and the one with the best snow and the fewest people.
March
雛祭 Hinamatsuri · The month the year turns, and the hardest month to price.
April
花見 Hanami · The most oversold month in Japan, and still worth every yen if it is built properly.
May
新茶 Shincha · Golden Week, and then the best three weeks of the year.
June
夏越の祓 Nagoshi no Harae · The rainy season — and the month the hydrangeas make it worthwhile.
July
七夕 Tanabata · Festival season starts, and so does the heat.
August
盆 Obon · The hottest month, the biggest festivals, and the one week Japan does not move.
September
月見 Tsukimi · The typhoon month — and the one where the crowds have gone and the heat has not quite.
October
神無 Kanna · The best weather in the Japanese year.
November
炉開 Robiraki · Peak autumn colour, and the most competitive month after April.
December
煤払 Susuharai · Quiet, cheap and clear, until the last week.
Lead time is the whole game.
Two months in the Japanese year — April and late November — need close to a year of lead time for good inventory, and two more, Golden Week and Obon, are domestic blocks you plan around rather than through. Everything else is buyable at six months, and three of the best months in the calendar are also three of the cheapest. Tell us the window and we will tell you honestly whether it works.
The Japanese year — what agents ask.
What are the traditional Japanese month names?
The wafū getsumei — 睦月 Mutsuki, 如月 Kisaragi, 弥生 Yayoi, 卯月 Uzuki, 皐月 Satsuki, 水無月 Minazuki, 文月 Fumizuki, 葉月 Hazuki, 長月 Nagatsuki, 神無月 Kannazuki, 霜月 Shimotsuki and 師走 Shiwasu. They come from the pre-Meiji lunisolar calendar and are still used in tea, kaiseki and poetry.
When is the best month to visit Japan?
October for weather, late May for value with good weather, and February for snow and low rates. April and late November are the most beautiful and the hardest to buy — both need close to a year of lead time for good inventory.
Which months should travel agents avoid in Japan?
Not avoid, but plan around: Golden Week from 29 April to 5 May, Obon in mid-August, and 31 December to 3 January. All three are domestic demand peaks when rail sells out and rates move sharply.
Why is October called the month without gods?
神無月 Kannazuki — the eight million kami leave for Izumo Taisha in Shimane to settle the next year’s fortunes. Izumo alone calls it 神在月, the month with gods, and holds a welcoming rite at Inasa beach.
Explera DMC Japan is the Japan DMC travel agents trust for seasonal travel. As a B2B Japan DMC, we contract the hotels, transfers, licensed guides and experiences at net rates - so you sell seasonal travel with one accountable ground partner. Talk to Explera DMC Japan, your Japan DMC, for a net program quotation within 24 hours.
Start quoting Japan at net rates this week.
Join 340+ agencies who trust Explera with their guests on the ground. Registration is free and approval is fast.