Japan has a special term for finding and admiring the best spots for autumn leaves that perfectly encapsulates the essence of this popular fall season leisure activity: momiji-gari, or autumn leaves-hunting!
This fun and exciting treasure hunt will take you across towns and prefectures as you scour the region for the most mesmerizing sights autumn offers.
Here, we’ll share some of our favorite fall foliage road trips from Tokyo! From popular sightseeing hotspots to a lesser-known but equally beautiful site for autumn admiration, these three leaf-peeping areas in Kanto region suburbs are perfect for all you autumn foliage hunters.
They are perfect for enjoying over a weekend, starting with a relaxing drive from Tokyo. To make your trip even more convenient, we’ve included the MAP codes you can enter into your rental’s navigation system.
* The exact period for autumn leaves differs from year to year.
1. Nikkō Area: A buffet of history, nature, and of course, beautiful fall leaves!
The Nikkō area in Tochigi, a prefecture north of Tokyo known for its rich history and abundance of natural sights, is our first recommendation.
This is where you can find, for example, the historic Nikkō Tōshō-gū, the representative building of the World Heritage Site known as Shrines and Temples of Nikkō.
This area never seems to run out of new things to discover, and this draws visitors from all over the world to bask in its beauty, no matter the season.
That said, autumn is one of the best seasons to visit Nikko because of its beautifully colored leaves. And it’s convenient, too – because there are already countless viewing spots that have been set up especially for visitors to enjoy the fall foliage that will start showing up from late September to early November.
Getting to Nikkō
It takes about two hours by car or train to reach Nikkō from Tokyo, but we’d definitely recommend the drive!
Taking the train to Nikko is straightforward and recommended for people who would prefer to avoid metropolitan area traffic. If you decide on the train, the nearest stations to this area are Nikko Station on the JR Nikko Line or Tobu-Nikko Station on the Tobu Railway.
Rental car shops like 2525 Rental Car or Nissan Rental Car are available at each train station, so you can get to the best fall foliage spots with a shorter drive while still enjoying the experience.
MAP Code: 132 870 241*55Tobu Nikko Station on the Tobu RailwayAddress: 321-1406 Tochigi, Nikko, Matsubaracho, 4-3
MAP Code: 367 284 382*2…
