When to visit Izu: a month-by-month guide to flowers, festivals and beaches

Events · Izu Peninsula · Published 2026-10-25.

Plum blossoms in January, Japan's earliest cherry blossoms in February, hydrangeas in June, beaches in summer and maple leaves in late autumn: what each month brings on the Izu Peninsula.

Earliest cherry blossoms

Kawazu, February to early March

Plum blossoms

Atami Plum Garden, mid-January to early March

Busiest periods

Golden Week, mid-August (Obon), Kawazu festival

The Izu Peninsula has one of the mildest climates on Japan's Pacific coast, and its seasons run a few weeks ahead of Tokyo's. That makes it a year-round destination, but each month suits a different trip. Here is what to expect, with the festivals we cover in more detail elsewhere on this site. Dates move slightly every year: always check the organiser's announcement before you book.

December and January: narcissus, plum blossoms and quiet onsen

Winter is low season on the coast and high season in the baths. In Shimoda, the Tsumekizaki narcissus festival celebrates the wild narcissus that cover the cape from late December to the end of January. From mid-January the Atami Plum Garden opens its plum festival, with close to 500 trees of about 60 varieties; travel listings for 2026 gave a run from mid-January to early March, with the most varieties in flower together in February. Days are often clear, which is the best time to see Mount Fuji across Suruga Bay from the west coast.

February: Japan's earliest cherry blossoms

February belongs to Kawazu. The Kawazu-zakura is an early, deep pink variety that flowers weeks before the Somei-yoshino of Tokyo, and the festival along the Kawazu River draws huge crowds; the 2026 edition ran from 7 February to 8 March. Book accommodation early and travel midweek if you can. Our guide to planning a Kawazu-zakura trip for 2027 covers dates, trains and crowds.

March and April: cherry avenues and spring walks

As Kawazu fades, the cherry trees of Izu-Kogen take over in late March and early April, with a long avenue of blossoms near Izu-Kogen station. Spring is also the best walking weather on the Jogasaki coast and on Mount Omuro, before the summer haze. In late April the azaleas of Komuroyama Park in Ito begin to flower.

May and June: azaleas, roses and hydrangeas

Golden Week, from the end of April to early May, is one of the busiest periods of the year; avoid it for a quiet trip. After that, May is pleasant and green. June is the rainy season, but it is also hydrangea month: the Shimoda Hydrangea Festival runs through June in Shimoda Park, where about 150,000 plants flower on the hill above the harbour.

July and August: beaches, festivals and fireworks

From mid-July the beaches open with lifeguards and beach huts, and Shirahama and the coves of Minami-Izu fill up, especially during Obon in mid-August. This is also festival season: Shimoda's Hachiman Shrine holds its taiko festival in mid-August, and many towns have summer fireworks over the sea. It is hot and humid, so plan outdoor walks for the early morning.

September to November: quieter seas and autumn colours

September is still warm enough for swimming, with fewer people, though typhoons can disrupt travel. In October the silver grass of the Hosono Highlands above Inatori turns gold. Late November to early December is the time for maple leaves, above all in Shuzenji, where the maple forest is lit up in the evening; see our guide to autumn in Shuzenji. The plum garden in Atami also holds an autumn maple festival.

Seasonal events at a glance

• Mid-February: the grass of Mount Omuro is burned in the yamayaki ritual, usually on the second Sunday of the month; the whole cone turns black in minutes and is green again by spring.
• February to early March: about 850 Kawazu-zakura trees line the river in Kawazu, with some 8,000 across the town.
• Mid-May: Shimoda's Black Ship Festival commemorates Commodore Perry's arrival in 1854 with parades and fireworks.
• Mid-July to late August: lifeguards, showers and beach huts on the main beaches, including Shirahama.
• Late November to early December: about 1,000 maples in Shuzenji's nature park; in 2026 the nearby Nijinosato park announced an evening maple light-up from 7 November to 13 December.

Which month for which trip?

For flowers and few beach crowds, aim for late January to early March, accepting that Kawazu itself will be busy at weekends. For walking, choose April, May, October or November, when the air is clear and the paths dry. For swimming and snorkelling, go in late July or early September to avoid the Obon peak. For hot springs and views of Mount Fuji, December and January are hard to beat, and accommodation is easier to find outside the New Year holidays. If you are flexible, weekdays matter more than the month: the same ryokan can cost much less from Sunday to Thursday, and the trains and buses are far less crowded.

Weather is the other variable. June is wet, typhoons are most likely from late summer into early autumn, and winter brings strong winds on the west coast that can cancel boat trips. Keep a flexible day in your plan if a cruise or a viewpoint matters to you.

Booking ahead

Three periods sell out first: the New Year holidays, the Kawazu festival weekends in February and the summer peak from late July to mid-August, followed closely by Golden Week. For those dates, book trains and rooms as early as you can and consider staying in a neighbouring town, such as Inatori or Atagawa for Kawazu. Outside them, a few days' notice is usually enough midweek.

Staying longer

If you can stay for weeks rather than days, you can follow the flowers down the peninsula and pick clear days for the views. Our guide to planning a long stay in Izu covers visas, bases and budgets for visitors who already live elsewhere in Asia.