Japan in February: What's at Its Best and What's Closed

41 places are at their best in February; 78 are closed all month and 81 partly closed.

Plan your February trip Map: what's a day trip from where you stay

What is closed, by prefecture

At its best in February

Mt. Fuji & Hakone 1

• Atami OnsenShizuokaAtami Baien plum festival (early Jan to early Mar), said to have Japan's earliest plums; fireworks on set dates year-round

Kanazawa 1

• Kenrokuen GardenIshikawaSnow ropes and snowy pines, December to February

Takayama & the Japan Alps 3

• Shirakawa-goGifuSnow scenery, January to February
• Okuhida Onsen Villages (Hirayu & Shinhotaka)GifuSnow-viewing outdoor baths in winter; Hirayu Falls ice festival in February; autumn leaves at Shinhotaka in October
• Hida Great Limestone CaveGifuIce Valley, early January to early March, lit up at night

Kyushu 6

• Dazaifu Tenmangu ShrineFukuokaPlum blossoms, late January to early March
• Nagasaki Shinchi ChinatownNagasakiNagasaki Lantern Festival, usually in February
• Izumi Crane Observation CenterKagoshimaAn observation hall on the Izumi plain, where over 10,000 hooded and white-naped cranes spend the winter. You can watch them feed and fly from the rooftop deck.
• Yamaga OnsenKumamotoYamaga Toro Matsuri with the Thousand-Lantern Dance (Aug 15–16); Hyakka Hyakusai lantern-lit streets on Feb weekends
• Miyajidake ShrineFukuokaThe 'Path of Light' sunset viewed from the top of the stone steps
• Okoshiki CoastKumamotoSunset over the tidal flats, January to April

Hokkaido 4

• Odori Park (Sapporo)HokkaidoSapporo Snow Festival (early Feb; 2027: Feb 4–11)
• Jozankei OnsenHokkaidoAutumn leaves peak mid-October; Yukitoro snow-candle event late Jan to early Feb at Jozankei Shrine
• Sounkyo OnsenHokkaidoIce Fall Festival (Hyobaku Matsuri) in winter; Gorge Fire Festival late Jul to mid-Aug; autumn leaves come down from the peaks to the town by mid-Oct
• Taushubetsu River BridgeHokkaidoA 130 m concrete arch bridge on the former JNR Shihoro Line, completed in 1937. It appears from Lake Nukabira around January as the water drops, starts to sink from about May and lies under the lake by summer.

Okinawa 1

• Kerama IslandsOkinawaWhale watching, January to late March

More in Tohoku 6

• Ginzan OnsenYamagataSnowy evenings, January to February
• Zao Snow MonstersYamagataSnow monsters, late December to February
• Zao OnsenYamagataSnow monsters (juhyo) by ropeway in winter, with evening light-ups; autumn leaves in early October
• Hakkoda RopewayAomoriAutumn colours in October; rime ice in mid-winter
• Mt. Moriyoshi (Ani Gondola)AkitaSnow monsters, early Jan–early Mar; alpine flowers, Jun–Sep; autumn leaves, Oct
• Tamasudare FallsYamagataIlluminations in Golden Week and mid-August; frozen falls from mid-January to early February

More in Kanto 8

• Kairakuen GardenIbarakiPlum blossoms, late February to mid-March
• Izu Oshima IslandTokyoIzu Oshima Camellia Festival each February
• Kodokan (Mito Domain School)IbarakiLast shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu studied here as a child and later stayed in the Shizendo rooms
• Ogasawara Islands (Chichijima)TokyoHumpback whale watching, best from February to April
• Hossawa FallsTokyoThe falls are known for freezing in winter; a winter festival runs Dec–Feb
• Jogashima Island (Miura)KanagawaAbout 300,000 narcissus bloom mid-Jan to mid-Feb
• Ogose Plum Grove (Ogose Bairin)SaitamaOne of the Kanto region's three great plum groves, with about 1,000 trees including an old tree said to be over 670 years old.
• Ashigakubo IciclesSaitamaIcicle light-up, January–February (Thursday–Sunday and holidays)

More in Chubu 4

• Jigokudani Snow Monkey ParkNaganoMonkeys in the snow, December to February
• Kawazu Cherry BlossomsShizuokaKawazu cherries, early February to early March
• Shibu Onsen (Yudanaka-Shibu)NaganoWinter snow scenes, with monkeys bathing at the nearby Snow Monkey Park
• Echizen Coast (Echizen Cape & Kochomon)FukuiNarcissus usually best from late December to February

More in Kansai 2

• Kinosaki OnsenHyogoCherry trees along about 1 km of the river (Apr); Yume Hanabi 5-min fireworks on most nights Jul 30 – Aug 21, 2026; snow crab season from early Nov to end of Mar
• Kawayu Onsen (Sennin-buro)WakayamaSennin-buro giant river bath Dec – end Feb (6:30–22:00, free); lanterns on Saturday evenings during the season

More in Chugoku 3

• Tamatsukuri OnsenShimaneIwami Kagura dance shows on winter weekends (2027: Jan 9 – Feb 21, 20:30)
• Hofu Tenmangu ShrineYamaguchiPlum blossoms, mid-Feb to early Mar; Goshinko-sai (naked men's festival), 4th Saturday of November
• Mt. KasayamaYamaguchiHagi Camellia Festival, 3rd Saturday of Feb to mid-Mar (camellias best mid-Feb to late Mar)

More in Shikoku 2

• Cape AshizuriKochiLighthouse view from the observation deck
• Ogijima IslandKagawaNarcissus fields around the lighthouse (late Jan–early Mar)

Closed all month

• Hokkaido 6

• Former Hanada Family Herring House (Obira)
  The town lists the house as closed December to March
• Former Maruichi Honma Merchant House (Mashike)
  Open late April to 3 November only
• Himenuma Pond (Rishiri Island)
• Kitakogane Shell Mound
• Shiretoko Five Lakes
  Closed in winter (about mid-November to late April)
• Shiretoko Pass

• Aomori 5

• Anmon Falls (Shirakami-Sanchi)
• Cape Shiriya & Kandachime horses
• Komakino Site
• Osorezan Bodaiji (Mt. Osore)
  Closed November to April
• Tatehana Wharf Morning Market

• Iwate 3

• Geto Onsen
• Takadachi Gikeido
  Closed in winter from Nov 21; the hall's site says it reopens in March, the Iwate tourism site says Mar 15
• Toshichi Onsen

• Miyagi 2

• Mt. Kurikoma (Iwakagami-daira)
• Zao Okama Crater Lake
  Road closed from early November to late April

• Akita 10

• Dakigaeri Gorge
  Trail and toilets closed in winter (late Nov to late April)
• Former Ikeda Family Garden
• Hachimantai Summit & Dragon Eye
  Aspite Line closed in winter (early Nov to mid-April)
• Kawarage Jigoku (Hell Valley)
• Kawarage Oyutaki (Hot-Spring Waterfall)
• Mt. Chokai (Hokodate)
• Mt. Kampu Revolving Observatory
• Takedai Nature Observation Forest (Shirakami)
  Closed from late November to mid-May (access road closed in winter)
• Tamagawa Onsen
  Closed in winter (about Nov 30 to mid-April); sister inn Shin-Tamagawa stays open
• Yasu-no-Taki Falls
  Road closed by snow from about mid-November to late May

• Yamagata 3

• Hojin no Ie (Former Ariji Family House)
  Closed December 1 to March 31
• Mount Gassan
  Climbing season is about July 1 to late September; the road to the 8th Station is open about late June to late October and closed by snow the rest of the year
• Yudonosan Shrine
  Open from June 1 to about November 3 (2026); closed by snow the rest of the year

• Fukushima 3

• Jododaira and Bandai-Azuma Skyline
  The Skyline is closed in winter, from mid November to early April
• Nakatsugawa Gorge
• Oze National Park (Fukushima side, Ozenuma)

• Tochigi 2

• British & Italian Embassy Villa Memorial Parks
• Mt. Nasu (Chausudake) & Nasu Ropeway

• Gunma 6

• Arafune Cold Storage (Arafune Fuketsu)
• Chatsubomigoke Moss Park
  Closed for snow from December to mid/late April; opens mid-to-late April
• Fukiware Falls
  Closed in winter, usually mid-December to late March
• Ichinokurasawa
• Lake Nozori
• Oze National Park (Gunma side)
  Closed by snow from November to April; May and October are the edges of the season

• Saitama 1

• Ushijima Wisteria (Tokaen)
  Open only from about mid-April to early May; closed the rest of the year

• Niigata 1

• Lake Okutadami (Sightseeing Boat)

• Toyama 3

• Kurobe Gorge Railway
  Runs from late April to November
• Shomyo Falls
  Road closed in winter (about late Nov to late Apr); bus runs mid-May to mid-Nov
• Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
  Closed from December to mid-April

• Ishikawa 1

• Hakusan Shirakawa-go White Road

• Fukui 3

• Echizen Ono Castle
  Castle closed December to March
• Ikeda Kazura Bridge
• Mizushima Island

• Yamanashi 3

• Hirogawara (Kita-dake trailhead)
• Nishizawa Gorge
  Trail closed Dec 1 to late April
• Ojiragawa Gorge
  Valley trail closed in winter, about mid-Dec to mid-Apr

• Nagano 3

• Happo Pond (Hakuba Happo-one)
  Hiking lifts run from late May/June to early November (2026: May 30-31 and Jun 6-Nov 3); the area is a ski resort in winter
• Kamikochi
  Open from mid-April to November 15
• Kitazawa Pass

• Gifu 3

• Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River (Ukai)
• Gandate Gorge (Gandate Park)
• Mt. Norikura (Norikura Skyline)

• Shizuoka 1

• Mt. Fuji Fujinomiya Trail 5th Station

• Mie 1

• Osugidani Gorge

• Shiga 4

• Kyorinbo Temple
• MIHO MUSEUM
  Closed in winter (2026 autumn season ends Dec 6; 2027 spring season starts Mar 13); breaks between seasons
• Mt. Ibuki
• Oku-Biwako Parkway

• Kyoto 1

• Rurikoin Temple

• Hyogo 2

• Takeda Castle Ruins
  Closed January 4 to the end of February
• Tonomine Highlands

• Nara 2

• Mt. Wakakusa
• Odaigahara

• Tottori 2

• Mitokusan Nageiredo
  Nageiredo trail closed from December to March (snow)
• Sand Museum
  Closed between exhibitions: the 2026 show ends Jan 3, 2027; the 2026 show opened Apr 24

• Tokushima 2

• Heike Yashiki (Asa Family Residence)
  Closed from December 28 to the end of February
• Oku-Iya Double Vine Bridges
  Closed December to March

• Kagawa 1

• Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art (MIMOCA)

• Ehime 1

• Tonaru Besshi Copper Mine Ruins
  Closed in winter (Dec to end of Feb)

• Kochi 1

• Monet's Garden Marmottan in Kitagawa Village
  Closed for winter from December 1 to end of February

• Fukuoka 1

• Kawachi Fujien Wisteria Garden

• Saga 1

• Kunen-an

Partly closed or seasonal limits

• Hokkaido 7

• Cape Erimo
• Cape Kamui (Shakotan)
  Trail beyond the Nyonin Kinsei Gate closed for works 5 Oct 2026 – early Apr 2027; the cape can still be viewed from near the gate
• Kaminoko-ike Pond
• Lake Onneto
  Road beyond Meakan Onsen closed early Dec – early Apr; the lake can only be reached on snowshoes
• Lake Toyoni (Heart Lake)
• Matsumae Castle & Park
• Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park
  Closed 27 Feb – 8 Mar

• Aomori 6

• Fujita Memorial Garden
  Garden closed Nov 24 to mid-April; only the Western house opens (9:00–16:30)
• Hirosaki Nakacho Samurai District
  Nov–Mar each house opens only 2–3 days a week; Umeda house closed Dec–Mar
• Hotokegaura
• Juniko Lakes (Aoike Pond)
  The Juniko bus runs only from about mid-April to the end of October
• Lake Towada
  Cruises and through buses do not run in winter (cruises roughly late Apr – early Nov)
• Tsuta-numa Pond

• Iwate 3

• Hashino Iron Mining Site
• Narushima Bishamon-do (Mikumano Shrine)
  Statue viewing hours (9:00–16:30) are given for April–November only; check before a winter visit
• Tono Furusato Village
  Closed on Wednesdays from January to mid-March

• Miyagi 1

• Naruko Gorge
  Gorge trails are closed from late November to late April

• Akita 4

• Hottai Falls
  The road from Sarukura closes for winter from late November (Nov 20 in 2025); reopening date not stated
• Isedotai Jomon Site
• Oyasukyo Gorge Daifunto
  Gorge path closed in winter (about early Nov to late April); view from the bridge
• Shirakami-Sanchi World Heritage Center Fujisato

• Yamagata 1

• Uesugi Shrine (Matsugasaki Park)
  The Keishoden treasure hall is open from mid-March to November 25 (and on the Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival weekend in February); the shrine grounds are open all year

• Fukushima 4

• Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum
• Maezawa Magariya Village
  The museum and facilities close for winter, from mid November to late April
• Mugenkyo Ferry
• Shingu Kumano Shrine Nagatoko
  December to March: open on weekends and holidays only

• Ibaraki 1

• Kasama Arts Forest Park & Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum

• Tochigi 1

• Oya History Museum (Oya Stone Quarry)
  Closed Tuesdays Dec–Mar; closed Dec 26–Jan 3

• Saitama 2

• Nagatoro River Boat Ride
  Regular boats run about mid-March to early December; small kotatsu boats in January–February
• Tove Jansson Akebono Children's Forest Park

• Chiba 1

• Kamogawa Sea World

• Niigata 9

• Fossa Magna Museum (Itoigawa)
  Closed Mondays Dec-Feb and Dec 28 - Jan 4
• Hoshitoge Rice Terraces
  In winter the car park and viewpoint are not cleared of snow and cannot be used, sometimes until after early May
• Matsudai Nohbutai Field Museum (Echigo-Tsumari Art Field)
• Mt. Yahiko (Ropeway and Summit Park)
• Oyashirazu Cliffs
  Western walking path closed Dec-Mar
• Ryugakubo Pond
• Senkaku Bay (Sado)
  Agejima Yuen hours from December to February are announced separately
• Shibata Castle
  Closed in winter (Dec-Mar); the exterior can still be seen
• Toki Forest Park (Sado)
  Closed Mondays Dec-Feb

• Toyama 3

• Kaiwomaru Park & Shinminato Bridge
• Sugisawa Cedar Forest
• Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design (TAD)

• Ishikawa 2

• Kaga Higashitani Hamlets
  Hard to visit in the snow season
• Shirayama Hime Shrine
  Treasure hall closed Dec–Mar (shrine open)

• Fukui 3

• Echizen Daibutsu (Seidaiji Temple)
• Maruoka Castle
• Mikata Five Lakes & Rainbow Line Summit Park
  The summit park is closed from 31 December 2026 to 2 January 2027 and from 1 to 5 February 2027 (confirmed on the official site, October 2026). The Rainbow Line road itself stays open on those days.

• Yamanashi 3

• Itchiku Kubota Art Museum
  Mid-December to mid-March: open Sat–Mon and holidays only
• Mt. Mizugaki
• Shosenkyo Gorge
  Buses stop short of the gorge from December to March

• Nagano 3

• Shirahone Onsen
  The public outdoor bath closes for winter, Nov 25 to mid-April (inns stay open)
• Togakushi Shrine
  Okusha closed Jan 7 to late April; buses skip the Okusha stop in winter
• Ueda Castle Ruins Park
  Turrets closed from mid-November to March; the museum is closed over New Year

• Gifu 1

• Gifu Castle & Mt. Kinka

• Aichi 1

• Museum Meiji-mura
  Irregular closed days in summer and winter; shorter hours Dec–Feb

• Mie 1

• Akame 48 Waterfalls
  Closed Dec 28–31, and on Thursdays from January to the second week of March

• Shiga 1

• Omihachiman Suigo Boat Tour

• Kyoto 1

• Kurama-dera Temple
  Reihoden museum closed Dec 12-end of Feb; the temple stays open

• Hyogo 1

• Ikuno Silver Mine
  Closed Tuesdays Dec–Feb and over New Year

• Wakayama 1

• Tomogashima Island
  Jan–Feb: ferry on weekends and holidays only; no ferry Dec 29–Jan 3

• Tottori 1

• Tottori Hanakairo Flower Park
  Closed on Tuesdays in July-August and on some Tuesdays December-March; closed Dec 31

• Shimane 1

• Kuniga Coast (Oki Islands)
  Sightseeing boat not running Nov - mid-March

• Okayama 2

• Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
  Boat rides run only on weekends and holidays in January and February
• Nagi Museum of Contemporary Art (Nagi MOCA)

• Hiroshima 3

• Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & Atomic Bomb Dome
  The museum closes for a few days in mid-February to change exhibits
• Sandankyo Gorge
  Autumn leaves late Oct - late Nov. Ferry boats do not run in winter (about Dec-Apr)
• Taishakukyo Gorge
  Lake cruise runs about mid-Mar to Nov (2026: Mar 20 - Nov 30)

• Yamaguchi 1

• Iwakuni Castle
  Ropeway and castle closed for annual inspection from mid-January to mid-February (2026: Jan 13-Feb 17)

• Tokushima 2

• Mt. Bizan
  Ropeway stops for annual inspection in winter (2026: Jan 26–Feb 27)
• Mt. Tsurugi
  Chairlift closed December to mid-April

• Kagawa 1

• Kasashima District, Honjima Island

• Ehime 3

• Mount Ishizuchi
  Snow from late Dec to early Mar (ski area); Ishizuchi Skyline closed Dec-Mar. Autumn colours peak Oct to early Nov
• Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum
  Closed for a period in Feb-Mar for exhibit changes
• Tenshaen Garden
  Closed on Mondays from the 2nd Monday of Dec to end of Feb, and Dec 28-Jan 1

• Fukuoka 3

• Keya no Oto Cave
• Mt. Sarakura Night View
  Cable cars suspended Feb 15-26, 2027 for maintenance
• Yanagawa River Cruise
  Shorter route for about 10 days in mid-February, when the canals are drained

• Kumamoto 1

• Kikuchi Gorge
  December to March: no staff on site and the visitor center is closed. Paths can be icy.

• Oita 1

• Makinoto Pass

• Kagoshima 1

• Reimeikan Museum
  Dec 2026 – Apr 25, 2027: 2nd-floor permanent gallery closed for lighting work (1st and 3rd floors open)

Where to stay this month

• Sendai 3 at their best within 60 km
• Takayama 3 at their best within 60 km
• Sapporo 2 at their best within 60 km

Onsen in February →

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