this month in japan
November 霜月
November at a glance
- Maple season. Clear skies, cold mornings, and every garden on fire.
Weather
- Tokyo: 17°C / 9°C. Rain drops off sharply after October.
- Kyoto: averages 12.5°C.
- Sapporo: 9°C / 2°C. The first snow is not far off.
- Okinawa (Naha): 25°C / 20°C.
- Pack: a warm jacket, a scarf for evenings and comfortable walking shoes. Temple days mean hours on your feet.
What's happening
- 3 November, Culture Day. 23 November, Labour Thanksgiving Day.
- Early November: Saga International Balloon Fiesta, Kyushu. More than 100 hot-air balloons.
- Mid-November to early December: evening light-ups of the autumn leaves at Rikugien Garden, Tokyo.
- Grand Sumo, November tournament — Fukuoka International Center, Fukuoka.
- Around 15 November: Shichi-go-san. Families take children aged three, five and seven to shrines, often in kimono. You'll see them on weekends through the month.
What's in season
- Kaki, persimmons, fresh or dried.
- Yakiimo, stone-baked sweet potatoes from street trucks.
- Autumn mushrooms in nabe and rice.
- Chestnuts, the last of them.
The 72 seasons
| 候 | Romaji | Meaning | From c. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 山茶始開 | tsubaki hajimete hiraku | Camellias begin to bloom | 8 Nov |
| 地始凍 | chi hajimete kōru | The land starts to freeze | 13 Nov |
| 金盞香 | kinsenka saku | Daffodils bloom | 18 Nov |
| 虹蔵不見 | niji kakurete miezu | Rainbows hide | 22 Nov |
| 朔風払葉 | kitakaze konoha o harau | North wind strips the leaves | 27 Nov |
| 橘始黄 | tachibana hajimete kibamu | Tachibana citrus turns yellow | 2 Dec |
Crowds
Mid-November to early December is peak leaf season, and it draws big crowds, local and international, to Kyoto's temples. Tokyo's leaves peak late in the month.
psst,
In Kyoto, be at the temple gate when it opens. The light is better and the paths are empty.