Top 10 Things to Do in Japan in May

Naho_B_M
Update: Dec 17, 2021

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May is an absolutely delightful month to visit Japan and enjoy outdoor activities with warm and comfortable weather. As spring arrives, the country gets colourful with spring flowers and green.

From the end of April to the beginning of May is holiday season in Japan, which is called Golden Week and every touristic spot gets extremely packed. So if you wish to avoid the crowds, better to visit Japan from mid May.

1. Mt. Fuji and Green Tea Field

It’s the best season for the iconic view of Mt.Fuji and green tea plantations. The best season to visit tea plantations in Japan is in May, before leaves are picked and Mt.Fuji stands beautifully with remaining snow on the tip of the summit. Imamiya in Fuji city is highly recommended!

more info ▶ Obuchi Sasaba and Imamiya: Best Green Tea Plantations in Shizuoka

2. Late Blooming Cherry Blossoms

If you think cherry blossoms are only available in April, it’s absolutely wrong! There are some places which has late blooming cherry blossoms especially in northern part of Japan!

more info
▶ Amazing Spots for Late Blooming Cherry Blossoms from mid-April
▶ Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Tohoku Area

3. Wisteria

Wisteria (Fuji in Japanese) is popular spring flower in Japan and becoming a huge attraction for foreign visitors every year. The most famous wisteria garden in Japan is Kawachi Fujien Garden in Fukuoka Prefecture, but there is also another great garden near Tokyo, Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi Prefecture.

4. Join Festivals

The festival season kicks off on April and continues through summer in Japan. There are numbers of big events in May such as Tokyo’s biggest festival, Sanja Matsuri. Join energetic and lively festivals in Japan to feel the traditional vibes 😉

5. Pink Moss

Pink Moss (Shibazakra in Japanese) is popular spring flower along with cherry blossoms. There are numbers of Pink Moss fields and festivals in Japan. The most popular one is Fuji Shibazakura festival which is located on the base of Mt.Fuji.

6. Hitachi Seaside Park

Baby Blue Eyes covered the hill at Hitachi Seaside Park

Hitachi Seaside Park (ひたち海浜公園) is the famous flower park located in Ibaraki prefecture. The magnificent hill covered by 4.5 million Nemophila (Baby blue eyes) flowers can be seen at the park till mid of May.

7. Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

The popular tourist route, Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is open through spring and summer time. But the best time to visit there is before June, when the great snow wall “Yuki no Otani” can be seen before it melts.

8. Blue Pond

The famous Blue Pond in Hokkaido can be enjoyed all year around but accordingly, the best time to visit is in May. The water of the pond gets most transparent and the colour turns to beautiful cobalt blue.

Get a travel idea for travelling to Blue Pond and around ▶ 1 Week Itinerary in Japan: CENTRAL HOKKAIDO

9. Shiroyone Senmaida

There are numbers of rice terraces in Japan as rice is the country’s main food products. Shiroyone Senmaida (白米千枚田) is a rice terrace in Ishikawa prefecture (located near Kanazawa city) and known for its exceptional landscape. In May, the terrace is watered before the plantation starts and the superb view of sunset reflecting on the terrace’s surface can be enjoyed.

Article article ▶ Shiroyone Senmaida: A Thousand of Terraced Rice Fields in Ishikawa Prefecture

10. Matcha Sweets

Late spring to early summer is the best time to enjoy Matcha products in Japan, and numbers of shops, cafes and restaurants release Matcha flavour food and drinks for the limited time. Matcha dessert buffet is one of the most anticipated food events of the year, which is held at several hotels in Tokyo such as ANA InterContinental Tokyo. See the links below for more details about Matcha food and drinks in Japan!