Fall in Japan? In Japan, looking at autumn leaves has its own name: momijigari, which means “hunting for autumn leaves.” The custom dates back to the Heian period, when aristocrats in Kyoto left their private gardens to go find the best color in the mountains and countryside. Today the hunters arrive on long-haul flights, and most of them land at Haneda or Narita.

This year the hunt starts a little late, and the trip home has a new step at the airport. Here is what to know before you book, and how a Meet and Greet makes both ends of the trip easier.

(New to our service in Japan? Our guide to airport Meet and Greet in Japan covers the basics at both airports.)

Fall in Japan: The leaves are running late

On September 2, the Japan Meteorological Corporation published its first foliage forecast of the year. In Tokyo, the golden ginkgo trees should peak around November 26, and the red maples around November 29. Kyoto is taking its time: ginkgo around November 27 and maples around December 11, about six days later than usual.

The reason is a warm autumn. The forecast expects September through November to be warmer than average in eastern Japan. Peak color in one place usually lasts one to two weeks, and the dates will move as new forecasts come out, so treat them as a window, not an appointment.

For a classic Tokyo and Kyoto trip, that window runs from late November into early December. Many travelers read the same forecast, so late November flights into Tokyo will be full of people with the same plan. Greeters are assigned booking by booking, and in busy weeks short-notice availability is limited. The travelers who book early are the ones who find their name on a sign when they step off the plane.

Before the leaves, the films

Tokyo has a busy week before the leaves change. The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival runs October 26 to November 4, mostly in the Hibiya, Yurakucho, Marunouchi and Ginza area. Its content market, TIFFCOM, runs October 28 to 30 in Hamamatsucho.

If you are flying in for TIFFCOM, your calendar is probably full before you land. With an Arrivals Meet and Greet, someone is already waiting for you when you step off the plane, and the first meeting of the day starts on time.

Who else is on your flight

Japan’s visitor mix is changing. The Japan National Tourism Organization estimates 3.1 million foreign visitors in August 2026, 9.6% fewer than a year earlier, mainly because arrivals from China dropped sharply. Other markets grew. South Korea and Taiwan set August records, and so did the United States, where arrivals rose 1.5% to 197,400.

So Japan is still a strong draw for American travelers, and your fellow passengers this fall are more likely to be from Seoul, Taipei or back home.

The big change: your tax refund now waits at the airport

Until October 31, shopping in Japan has a nice trick: the consumption tax comes off at the register. From November 1, with no transition period, the trick moves to the airport.

Here is how it works. You pay the full price, tax included, and the shop records the purchase with your passport. When you leave Japan, customs at the airport confirms that your purchases are leaving the country. Only then does the shop or its refund provider send the tax back, by card, bank transfer, app, or cash at the airport, depending on the store.

A few details can save you a headache:

• Keep your tax-free items where you can reach them. If they are in a bag you plan to check, do the customs check before you check that bag.
• Customs looks at each receipt as a whole. If one item on it has been used or is missing, you can lose the refund for everything on that receipt.
• You have 90 days from the purchase date to complete the check at departure.
• Visit Japan Web can be used for this step at selected airports.
• When you buy, ask how the refund will be paid.

In the first months, expect queues while travelers and staff learn the new system, and give yourself extra time at the airport.

This is where a Departure Meet and Greet at Haneda or Narita is worth having. Your greeter meets you at the terminal and escorts you through it, with time planned for the customs check before check-in. Customs and the shop handle the refund. Our part is the walk: knowing where to go next, so the new step does not take the time you saved for a quiet coffee in the lounge.

The departure tax tripled (it is already in your ticket)

Since July 1, 2026, Japan’s International Tourist Tax is ¥3,000 per person each time you leave the country, up from ¥1,000. The good news is that it is included in your airline ticket, so there is nothing to pay at the airport. Tickets issued on or before June 30 keep the old rate, and children under 2 are exempt.

Three ways to do fall in Japan

Chasing the leaves. You land in Tokyo in late November, catch the ginkgo on the city’s avenues, then head to Kyoto for the maples in early December. You fly home from Tokyo with gifts from both cities in your carry-on. A Meet and Greet helps at both ends: after the long flight in, and on the way out, when the tax-free check comes into play.

Film week business. You are in Tokyo for TIFFCOM or meetings around the festival. One Arrivals Meet and Greet, and your first day starts the way you planned it.

Tokyo as a stopover. If Japan is a stop on the way to somewhere else, our transfer assistance guides you from one flight to the next.

Planning your fall in Japan trip

Fall in Japan rewards travelers who plan a little ahead, and the airport is part of the plan. If Tokyo is on your calendar this season, you can see the price for Haneda or Narita in a minute on our instant quote page.