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

47 places are at their best in May; 7 are closed all month and 26 partly closed.

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

At its best in May

Mt. Fuji & Hakone 1

• Obuchi Sasaba Tea FieldsShizuokaFresh green new-season tea leaves with snow-capped Mt. Fuji, around May

Nikko 1

• Ryuzu FallsTochigiPurple azaleas in May–June; autumn colours from late September

Takayama & the Japan Alps 1

• Tateyama Kurobe Alpine RouteToyamaSnow walls (Yuki-no-Otani), mid-April to June

Nara 3

• Muroji TempleNaraA mountain temple once open to women when Mount Koya was not, with a small five-storied pagoda among cedars and stone steps.
• Taimadera TempleNaraAn old temple at the foot of Mount Nijo with an east and a west three-storied pagoda, famous for its peonies in spring.
• Okadera Temple (Ryugaiji)NaraAbout 3,000 rhododendrons (mid-April to early May), dahlias floating in the pond and water basins (late April–early May), autumn leaves (November)

Kyushu 12

• Arita Porcelain TownSagaArita Pottery Fair, April 29 – May 5
• Unzen OnsenNagasakiMiyama-kirishima azaleas (usually early–mid May); autumn leaves (usually late Oct – early Nov); rime ice on the trees in winter
• Nita Pass (Mt. Unzen)NagasakiMiyama-kirishima azaleas from mid-May; autumn leaves from late October
• Mount Tsurumi and Beppu RopewayOitaAbout 5,000 Miyama-kirishima azaleas around the summit area
• Cape ToiMiyazakiFoals with their mothers in spring
• Kanoya Rose GardenKagoshimaSpring and autumn rose festivals; hydrangeas from mid-May
• Kawachi Fujien Wisteria GardenFukuokaWisteria tunnels (late April–early May)
• Sensuikyo GorgeKumamotoMiyama-kirishima azaleas in mid-May

Also: Inazumi Underwater Limestone Cave, Doya Rice Terraces, Warabino Rice Terraces, Daikozenji Temple (Tsutsuji-dera)

Hokkaido 3

• Goryokaku Park (Hakodate)HokkaidoAbout 1,600 cherry trees (late Apr – mid May)
• Hokkaido Jingu (Hokkaido Shrine)HokkaidoCherry and plum blossoms (late Apr–early May); Sapporo Festival (Jun 14–16)
• Matsumae Castle & ParkHokkaidoMatsumae Cherry Blossom Festival, mid-April to early May

Okinawa 1

• Aharen Beach (Tokashiki)OkinawaA representative beach of Tokashiki Island, with white sand stretching about 800 m. Known as a snorkeling spot with coral reef and fish, with plenty of marine activities.

More in Tohoku 4

• Hachimantai Summit & Dragon EyeAkitaDragon Eye: late May to early June, if conditions allow; autumn leaves from early October
• Sankyo WarehousesYamagataThe zelkova row in fresh green (early May) and autumn colour (late October); lit up from dusk to 22:00 all year
• Kabushima IslandAomoriRape blossoms cover the island in mid-May
• Sukagawa Peony GardenFukushimaPeonies in early to mid May, including old trees over 200 years; autumn leaves late October to mid November

More in Kanto 5

• Ashikaga Flower ParkTochigiGreat wisteria, late April to early May
• Kasama Inari ShrineIbarakiWisteria in early May; chrysanthemum festival in autumn; the Kasama pottery area is nearby
• Onioshidashi ParkGunmaAlpine flowers such as iwakagami and azaleas bloom among the lava from around May
• Tsutsujigaoka Park (Tatebayashi)GunmaAn azalea hill tended since the Edo period, with over 10,000 shrubs of about 100 varieties, including trees thought to be 800 years old.
• Minoyama ParkSaitamaMinoyama Cherry Blossom Festival in April

More in Chubu 6

• Nishizawa GorgeYamanashiRhododendrons early–mid May; autumn leaves mid-October to early November
• Bijin-bayashi Beech ForestNiigataFresh green leaves (early May) and autumn colours (early to mid-November)
• Onogame Rock (Sado)NiigataSado Kanzo Week while the day lilies bloom (late May to early June)
• Hotaruika (Firefly Squid) MuseumToyamaLive firefly squid light show, March 20 to late May
• Sakaori Rice TerracesGifuRice-terrace illumination in November
• Chausuyama HighlandsAichiMoss phlox festival (May 9 – Jun 7 in 2026)

More in Kansai 2

• Meoto Iwa (Wedded Rocks)MieSunrise between the rocks, May to July
• Osugidani GorgeMieFresh green and rhododendrons (late April–May), autumn leaves (October–November)

More in Chugoku 5

• Misasa OnsenTottoriJinsho giant vine tug-of-war at the Hanayu Festival (May 3–4; Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property); fireflies along the river in June
• Yushien GardenShimanePond of floating peonies in late April-early May; winter light-up
• Bitchu Kokubunji TempleOkayamaMilk vetch in late Apr-early May, sunflowers in late Jun-late Jul
• Raikyuji Temple GardenOkayamaClipped satsuki azaleas, late Apr-late May
• Higashiushirobata Rice TerracesYamaguchiFlooded terraces and fishing lights, mid-May to early June

More in Shikoku 3

• Ohama Beach (Hiwasa)TokushimaHiwasa Hachiman autumn festival: drum floats charge into the sea at Ohama (October)
• Ogawara HighlandsTokushimaSanagochi Hydrangea Festival (early July); Awa mitsuba azaleas (mid–late May)
• Shishijima Island (Giant Camphor Tree)KagawaCardiocrinum lilies by the camphor tree (July–August)

Closed all month

• Mount Gassan Yamagata
  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 Yamagata
  Open from June 1 to about November 3 (2026); closed by snow the rest of the year
• Ashigakubo Icicles Saitama
• Hakusan Shirakawa-go White Road Ishikawa
• Mizushima Island Fukui
• Hirogawara (Kita-dake trailhead) Yamanashi
• Izumi Crane Observation Center Kagoshima
  Open Nov 1 to the 2nd Sunday of March only

Partly closed or seasonal limits

• Shiretoko Pass Hokkaido
• Taushubetsu River Bridge Hokkaido
  The bridge emerges from about January, is fully visible before Golden Week, and starts to sink from about May until it is underwater in summer (Kamishihoro town).
• Anmon Falls (Shirakami-Sanchi) Aomori
• Geto Onsen Iwate
• Kawarage Jigoku (Hell Valley) Akita
• Kawarage Oyutaki (Hot-Spring Waterfall) Akita
• Mt. Moriyoshi (Ani Gondola) Akita
• Takedai Nature Observation Forest (Shirakami) Akita
  Closed from late November to mid-May (access road closed in winter)
• Yasu-no-Taki Falls Akita
  Road closed by snow from about mid-November to late May
• Mt. Bandai Fukushima
• Oze National Park (Fukushima side, Ozenuma) Fukushima
• Ichinokurasawa Gunma
• Oze National Park (Gunma side) Gunma
  Closed by snow from November to April; May and October are the edges of the season
• Ushijima Wisteria (Tokaen) Saitama
  Open only from about mid-April to early May; closed the rest of the year
• Kamogawa Sea World Chiba
• Lake Okutadami (Sightseeing Boat) Niigata
• Shomyo Falls Toyama
  Road closed in winter (about late Nov to late Apr); bus runs mid-May to mid-Nov
• Tonami Tulip Park Toyama
  Park closed Apr 12–21 and May 6–12, 2027 for fair set-up and removal
• Maruoka Castle Fukui
• Happo Pond (Hakuba Happo-one) Nagano
  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
• Kitazawa Pass Nagano
• Cormorant Fishing on the Nagara River (Ukai) Gifu
• Mt. Norikura (Norikura Skyline) Gifu
• Kyorinbo Temple Shiga
• Kunen-an Saga
• Nagata Inakahama Beach (Yakushima) Kagoshima

Other months: January · February · March · April · June · July · August · September · October · November · December