Best time to cruise Japan?

[suekay]

We've done three Far East cruises but none visited Japan, so that's where we'd like to visit next.  I've looked at weather websites and still can't decide the best time to go. We do like hot weather cruises,   but don't like rain so any advice would be most welcome. I know good weather can't be guaranteed but I'd like to maximise the chance of good weather. TIA

[bennybear]

Avoid cyclone season in late summer and fall!  We enjoyed cherry blossom time in April but weather is mixed.  

[suekay]

Thanks Bennybear

[SeaDog-46]

End of March & April for Cherry Blossom season.

[Miaminice]

As mentioned above Cherry Blossom season is a popular time - which also reflects in the prices asked for cruises during that time. 
 

That being said, there´s never a bad time to visit Japan. It is simply a fabulous experience. 
We have our third cruise to Japan booked for 2021. The first two trips were just outstanding... so we couldn´t resist.

[BruceMuzz]

I live in Japan.

My ship cruises around Japan 4 months each year.

 

A bit of information:

Northern Japan (Hokkaido) has a climate very similar to Alaska.

Southern Japan (Okinawa) has a climate very similar to Hawaii.

Most of central Japan is very humid and hot during July, August, and September.

Rainy season in Central Japan is all of June and most of July. It rains every day. 

Typhoons can happen just about any time, but most often from August through October and February through April.

 

The best overall weather for cruising Japan is April to mid-June and September to November.

[BikeTreker]

We visited Japan, on an Azamara Quest cruise, in April 2019.  The weather was generally very pleasant.  Not much rain and days varied from cool to warm; all depended on where we were.  We were chasing the cherry blossoms.  We were too late in Tokyo and too early in Hakodate.  We had a wonderful time and if, or when, we return I would choose the same time of year.

 

I blog as we travel and wrote extensively as we moved from port to port, including numerous photos.  You can find my blog at www.travelswithcappy.com.  Go to the Adventures page and look for “Cherry Blossom time in the Land of Geishas and Samurais.”  Enjoy and let me know what you think.

[suekay]

Thank you all