Meteo Hakone (Mount Fuji) in marzo

Late March is my pick: blossom in Meguro and Ueno, 15°C, dry and clear. Early March is still properly cold in the wind. Note that the score doesn't know about hay fever season — cedar pollen is brutal here if you're susceptible.

Regulars are specific this month can still feel genuinely wintery in its early stretch, light jackets rather than heavy winter coats the standard advice, though a sunny day can still push temperatures into the mid-20s Celsius. Our row backs that cool, genuinely wet read, 14.1C over 6.1C nights feeling as low as 4C, with a substantial 185mm of rain across 14.6 days and a trace of late snow, 1.1cm. Regulars are consistent the first week specifically runs genuinely hectic with cherry blossom crowds, Mount Fuji visibility itself a matter of luck regardless of which week a trip lands in. Layering for a real swing between a cold morning and a mild afternoon remains the standard advice throughout. The sea sits at a mild 17.5C. The record: 8.9 hours of sun, humidity 79 percent and AQI 60.

Regulars describe a two-part month: the rainy season proper runs into early-to-mid July, and once it lifts, very hot, muggy weather arrives and doesn't let up even overnight. Our row backs both halves, a substantial 258.7mm of rain across 17.4 days, alongside real heat, 25C reading as a hot 29C at 88 percent humidity, over a warm 19.2C night. Regulars are candid this isn't the best month for the trip if Mount Fuji views matter, since frequent cloud cover common this time of year regularly blocks the view even on a technically dry day. It doesn't rain every single day, and some visitors do get a genuinely good week, but regulars are clear that's the exception rather than what to plan around. The sea sits at 23.7C. The record: 9 hours of sun, a 10 kph wind and AQI 62.

Regulars name Hakone as a place to get out of the August heat and are careful about how much relief to promise: it is more comfortable than Tokyo or Kyoto, but only slightly higher, so this is a degree or two rather than a different climate. Our row bears that out - 26.2C reading as 30C at 86 percent humidity, which is muggy by any measure. Their practical advice is about timing rather than location. Take the bath at night, because the temperature drops away from the afternoon, and choose the open-air rotenburo where a breeze reaches you; indoor baths in the shade are the cooler option. Rain is part of the month too: 200mm across 17.4 days. The record: 20.5C nights, 10.1 hours of sun, a 10.2 kph wind and AQI 41.

September is typhoon season and regulars say plainly that if one arrives you will see nothing, in Hakone or anywhere else. Our row is the second wettest in this collection: 232.2mm across 18 precipitation days at 86 percent humidity, under 8.1 hours of sun. Late September improves as autumn sets in. Their advice for Fuji is tactical rather than seasonal - mornings, before cloud climbs the mountain, and the day after good rain is often the clearest; the view comes on the ropeway up to Owakudani from Sounzan. Because the Hakone Free Pass can be bought on the day, you can wait for the forecast rather than commit in advance. And they are firm that the hot springs make it worth coming with no view at all. The record: 22.8C days, 17.6C nights and AQI 39.