Who's been in Japan during Golden Week (big group of public holidays)?
I'm seeing cheap tickets around mid April to Mid May but in the middle is Golden Week.
So how busy is it then when Japanese go on holidays then? Is it still OK to go… I mean we would be wanting to go to Univetsal Studios or anywhere touristy… wife would be happy around Osaka just shopping for a week.
Is it OK or is it better to spend more and go in May instead (another $800 more).
I think this answer most closely matches my experience. I previously lived in Tokyo and my family has intentionally traveled to Japan during Golden Week (and Silver Week) as that is when relatives had time off.
I lived in Japan for 4 years and I would never travel in Japan during golden week.
Chaos(very organised though) and crowds.
Thanks. We decided not go that time now. So many say the same as you..
I went to Hokkaido in the first week of May and didn't find the crowds to be that bad at all. A week later in Tokyo there were certainly more people in than usual but mostly the influx of tourists. Nothing unbearable.
Thanks.
Busy every single minute at Japan, tourism went zombie mode.
I did a few trips last year and yes it can be busy at some places… but how much of a difference does golden week make?
“We” meaning how many? If more than 4, you’ll have problems eating out if you want to sit together
It'd only be two of us this time. Previous trips was three and even then it was an issue aometimes to get a seat.
Depends what you mean in general, when I went in around March there were places that were still busy and places that was not that busy - for example I was basically the only one using the giant Onsen at the ryokan I stay at in Gero - and this was pretty much the same throughout my trip - some train trips was pack, other was like normal you would see in Australia, coming closer to my end of my trip around end of March you can definitely start seeing a lot more tourist, particularly from China (assumption - as they spoke Mandarin) so it overall got more busy and there was less "normal" busy in places.
Golden week isn’t in March though, it’s end of April/early May. It’s a week holiday where a lot of Japanese are on leave, the big corporations close for the week and staff go travelling etc.
Oops I should have been more clear, I was making a comparison to Cherry Blossom season which also happens around late March to mid-late April to how thing get busy in Japan (lot of tourist coming in during that time) -> which might also add to how busy things might get around the dates you mentioned.
Thanks.
would be interested to hear this too. we saw the same airfares today and thought we could stay in tokyo for the whole time its on and then go to kyoto.
reports online are really mixed between never travel, and tokyo is already 10/10 busy and a lot of locals leave. sounds like at least kyoto and big non-tokyo places are mental but its hard to tell.
Got my son to ask one of his Japanese friends, they said dont travel that time…too busy.
Was in Osaka/Kyoto during Golden Week last year. I recall a huge lineup for Osaka Castle (1hour+).
I don't have a reference for normal times but I didn't think anything else was overly busy either than that.
guys , i plan go to japan 20april - 2may. some days is golden week. i am for sure want go to disneyland, disney sea and USJ.
will there more pack or fine as long i go there before 29april ? since i check on gemini AI, golden week start 29 april.
the other choice is around 10oct until 25oct.
my plan just stay in tokyo osaka or at most go to kyoto.
any advice how the hotel, ticket, tourist spot like disney and other thing will be appreciated.
Im not going to travel golden week any more.
But what ive been told, cities are ok, it any tourist area you might want to see .. universal studios, shrines, bamboo forest kyoto etc as well as all trains being packed out.
Golden week is basically like Christmas to NY in Australia. Transport away from the major cities at the start (and back in at the end) is very busy to booked out, major tourists attractions are even busier and a lot of smaller businesses are closed.
However in the major cities (not Kyoto) it’s actually a bit quieter because everyone has left.
If you hunker down in Tokyo or Osaka and don’t try to go to a major theme park then it’s fine, so long as you accept a lot of the small restaurants will be closed (but there are still plenty open)
If you have the choice I wouldn’t go during Golden Week. But if you are going, just schedule around it, book trains well ahead (get reserved seat tickets), don’t try for Disneyland etc.