Asahikawa autumn leaves: when the maples turn red
The Japan Meteorological Agency's (JMA) sample maple at or near the weather observatory in Asahikawa turns red around 23 October in an average year (1991–2020) and has lost most of its leaves by 2 November. In 2025 it turned red on 22 October, 1 day earlier than average.
Red: late Oct
Maple dates in Asahikawa
Average dates are for 1991–2020. The JMA adds new dates to its online table, which it updates once a day (around 8:35 a.m. Japan time).
- Turns red
- 23 Oct
- Leaves fall
- 2 Nov
- Red in 2025
- 22 Oct
| Average | 2025 | Earliest on record | Latest on record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple turns red | 23 Oct | 22 Oct (1 day earlier) | 8 Oct 1993 | 5 Nov 2002 |
| Maple leaves fall | 2 Nov | 5 Nov (3 days later) | 20 Oct 1995 | 16 Nov 2002 |
In Asahikawa the JMA watches a yama-momiji maple, not the Japanese maple used outside Hokkaido.
When a record date happened in more than one year, the other years are in brackets.
Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency — Maple leaves turning red: dates in 2025 and 2026 (かえでの紅葉日) · Japan Meteorological Agency — Maple leaves turning red, every year since 1953 (CSV 015) · Japan Meteorological Agency — Maple leaves falling, every year since 1953 (CSV 016)
Every autumn from 2016 to 2025
When the maple turned red, how far that was from the average, and when it lost its leaves.
Day the maple turned red in Asahikawa, 2016–2025
A longer bar means later in the autumn. The bar runs from 1 October.
| Autumn of | Maple turns red | Against the 1991–2020 average | Maple leaves fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 Oct | 1 day earlier | 5 Nov |
| 2024 | 25 Oct | 2 days later | 2 Nov |
| 2023 | 27 Oct | 4 days later | 3 Nov |
| 2022 | 18 Oct | 5 days earlier | 2 Nov |
| 2021 | 22 Oct | 1 day earlier | 9 Nov |
| 2020 | 25 Oct | 2 days later | 2 Nov |
| 2019 | 25 Oct | 2 days later | 31 Oct |
| 2018 | 21 Oct | 2 days earlier | 29 Oct |
| 2017 | 15 Oct | 8 days earlier | 26 Oct |
| 2016 | 20 Oct | 3 days earlier | 1 Nov |
Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency — Maple leaves turning red, every year since 1953 (CSV 015) · Japan Meteorological Agency — Maple leaves falling, every year since 1953 (CSV 016)
The tree behind the dates
One tree at or near the weather observatory, checked by eye.
- Tree
- Yama-momiji maple
- Where in 2025
- Near the observatory (the JMA's rule: under about 5 km away)
- Records since
- 1993
- Earliest red
- 8 Oct 1993
- Latest red
- 5 Nov 2002
This is a city date. The JMA's date is for this one tree in Asahikawa. It is not a date for the mountains, valleys or famous gardens around the city.
Other cities in Hokkaido
Average dates for every city in Hokkaido with a JMA maple record.
| City | Maple turns red | Maple leaves fall | Red in 2025 | Ginkgo turns yellow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kushiro釧路 | 16 Oct (turns yellow) | 24 Oct | ||
| Obihiro帯広 | 20 Oct | 29 Oct | 29 Oct (9 days later) | 28 Oct |
| Asahikawa旭川 | 23 Oct | 2 Nov | 22 Oct (1 day earlier) | |
| Sapporo札幌 | 28 Oct | 5 Nov | 6 Nov (9 days later) | 4 Nov |
| Hakodate函館 | 2 Nov | 13 Nov | 6 Nov (4 days later) | 2 Nov |
| Muroran室蘭 | 7 Nov | 14 Nov | 14 Nov (7 days later) |
Frequently asked questions
When do the leaves turn red in Asahikawa?
The JMA's sample maple in Asahikawa turns red around 23 October in an average year (1991–2020) and about 80% of its leaves have fallen by 2 November. In 2025 it turned red on 22 October, 1 day earlier than average.
When is the best time to see autumn leaves in Asahikawa?
By the JMA's records, in an average year the sample maple in Asahikawa turns red around 23 October and has lost about 80% of its leaves by 2 November. The JMA's date is for this one tree. It is not a date for the mountains, valleys or famous gardens around the city.
What are the earliest and latest dates the maple has turned red in Asahikawa?
The earliest was 8 Oct 1993 and the latest 5 Nov 2002, in records that start in 1993.
Related items
Sources for this page
- Japan Meteorological Agency Maple leaves turning red: dates in 2025 and 2026 (かえでの紅葉日)checked October 2, 2026
- Japan Meteorological Agency Maple leaves turning red, every year since 1953 (CSV 015)checked October 2, 2026
- Japan Meteorological Agency Maple leaves falling, every year since 1953 (CSV 016)checked October 2, 2026
- Japan Meteorological Agency Guidelines for biological season observations (生物季節観測指針)checked October 2, 2026
Compiled by Japan Japan !! · Updated October 2, 2026