Ginkgo trees in Japan: when the leaves turn yellow

Ginkgo trees turn yellow in Japan from around 28 October in Obihiro to around 8 December in Tokushima in an average year (1991–2020), by the Japan Meteorological Agency's sample trees. Tokyo's sample ginkgo turns yellow around 23 November and Kyoto's around 24 November.

Updated October 2, 2026

48cities

23 NovTokyo (average)

24 NovKyoto (average)

Ginkgo dates in 48 cities

The day the sample ginkgo turns yellow, and the day about 80% of its leaves have fallen.

Cities: 48
Tokyo: 23 Nov
Kyoto: 24 Nov
Yellow before red: 38 cities

Ginkgo dates in 48 cities: average (1991–2020) and 2025 (Japan Meteorological Agency)
City	Region	Ginkgo turns yellow	Ginkgo leaves fall	Yellow in 2025	Maple turns red
Obihiro帯広	Hokkaido	28 Oct	4 Nov	4 Nov (7 days later)	20 Oct
Morioka盛岡	Tohoku	30 Oct	11 Nov	7 Nov (8 days later)	13 Nov
Fukushima福島	Tohoku	31 Oct	16 Nov	6 Nov (6 days later)	17 Nov
Hakodate函館	Hokkaido	2 Nov	8 Nov	6 Nov (4 days later)	2 Nov
Aomori青森	Tohoku	2 Nov	17 Nov	5 Nov (3 days later)	13 Nov
Sapporo札幌	Hokkaido	4 Nov	11 Nov	7 Nov (3 days later)	28 Oct
Akita秋田	Tohoku	5 Nov	13 Nov	3 Nov (2 days earlier)	12 Nov
Yamagata山形	Tohoku	10 Nov	21 Nov	17 Nov (7 days later)	25 Nov
Kanazawa金沢	Chubu	10 Nov	23 Nov	4 Nov (6 days earlier)	24 Nov
Nagano長野	Chubu	10 Nov	22 Nov	12 Nov (2 days later)	12 Nov
Niigata新潟	Chubu	13 Nov	26 Nov	14 Nov (1 day later)	15 Nov
Kobe神戸	Kansai	13 Nov	24 Nov	21 Nov (8 days later)	1 Dec
Hiroshima広島	Chugoku	15 Nov	26 Nov	21 Nov (6 days later)	22 Nov
Kochi高知	Shikoku	15 Nov	2 Dec	25 Nov (10 days later)	2 Dec
Kofu甲府	Chubu	17 Nov	2 Dec	25 Nov (8 days later)	29 Nov
Nagoya名古屋	Chubu	18 Nov	3 Dec	10 Nov (8 days earlier)	28 Nov
Nara奈良	Kansai	18 Nov	4 Dec	18 Nov (average day)	21 Nov
Toyama富山	Chubu	19 Nov	29 Nov	21 Nov (2 days later)	24 Nov
Tsu津	Kansai	20 Nov	7 Dec	25 Nov (5 days later)	25 Nov
Hikone彦根	Kansai	20 Nov	2 Dec	26 Nov (6 days later)	28 Nov
Fukuoka福岡	Kyushu	20 Nov	4 Dec	6 Dec (16 days later)	1 Dec
Mito水戸	Kanto	21 Nov	4 Dec	28 Nov (7 days later)	20 Nov
Fukui福井	Chubu	21 Nov	29 Nov	27 Nov (6 days later)	28 Nov
Matsue松江	Chugoku	21 Nov	29 Nov	27 Nov (6 days later)	24 Nov
Saga佐賀	Kyushu	21 Nov	1 Dec	27 Nov (6 days later)	30 Nov
Osaka大阪	Kansai	22 Nov	4 Dec	25 Nov (3 days later)	1 Dec
Okayama岡山	Chugoku	22 Nov	3 Dec	30 Nov (8 days later)	29 Nov
Matsuyama松山	Shikoku	22 Nov	2 Dec	27 Nov (5 days later)	5 Dec
Sendai仙台	Tohoku	23 Nov	5 Dec	21 Nov (2 days earlier)	21 Nov
Tokyo東京	Kanto	23 Nov	3 Dec	22 Nov (1 day earlier)	28 Nov
Wakayama和歌山	Kansai	23 Nov	5 Dec	20 Nov (3 days earlier)	6 Dec
Kyoto京都	Kansai	24 Nov	4 Dec	25 Nov (1 day later)	5 Dec
Shimonoseki下関	Chugoku	24 Nov	5 Dec	28 Nov (4 days later)	6 Dec
Shizuoka静岡	Chubu	25 Nov	8 Dec	21 Nov (4 days earlier)	5 Dec
Kagoshima鹿児島	Kyushu	25 Nov	6 Dec	2 Dec (7 days later)	15 Dec
Takamatsu高松	Shikoku	26 Nov	5 Dec	26 Nov (average day)	23 Nov
Maebashi前橋	Kanto	27 Nov	9 Dec	18 Nov (9 days earlier)	8 Dec
Tottori鳥取	Chugoku	27 Nov	9 Dec	27 Nov (average day)	30 Nov
Kumamoto熊本	Kyushu	27 Nov	8 Dec	12 Dec (15 days later)	2 Dec
Kumagaya熊谷	Kanto	28 Nov	9 Dec	16 Dec (18 days later)	1 Dec
Utsunomiya宇都宮	Kanto	29 Nov	7 Dec	28 Nov (1 day earlier)	20 Nov
Miyazaki宮崎	Kyushu	29 Nov	9 Dec	2 Dec (3 days later)	4 Dec
Choshi銚子	Kanto	30 Nov	12 Dec	11 Dec (11 days later)	12 Dec
Yokohama横浜	Kanto	30 Nov	12 Dec	28 Nov (2 days earlier)	14 Dec
Gifu岐阜	Chubu	1 Dec	18 Dec		26 Nov
Oita大分	Kyushu	5 Dec	15 Dec	8 Dec (3 days later)	28 Nov
Nagasaki長崎	Kyushu	5 Dec	15 Dec	12 Dec (7 days later)	7 Dec
Tokushima徳島	Shikoku	8 Dec	21 Dec	9 Dec (1 day later)	28 Nov

Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency — Ginkgo leaves turning yellow: dates in 2025 and 2026 (いちょうの黄葉日) · Japan Meteorological Agency — Ginkgo leaves turning yellow, every year since 1953 (CSV 013) · Japan Meteorological Agency — Ginkgo leaves falling, every year since 1953 (CSV 014)

From Hokkaido and Tohoku in October to Shikoku and Kyushu in December

From the JMA's map of average dates (1991–2020).

Late October: eastern Hokkaido on the Pacific side and Tohoku on the Pacific side
10 November: Hokkaido on the Sea of Japan side and Tohoku on the Sea of Japan side
20 November: from Hokuriku to Tokai
Late November to early December: the Pacific coast of Kanto and Tokai, Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu

Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency — Ginkgo leaves turning yellow: map of normal dates, 1991–2020 (いちょうの黄葉日)

How the JMA records a ginkgo

Ginkgo turns yellowThe first day when, looking at the sample tree as a whole, most of its leaves have turned yellow and almost no green can be seen.JMA observation guidelines, in Japanese (our translation)

Ginkgo leaves fallThe first day when about 80% of the sample tree's leaves have fallen.JMA observation guidelines, in Japanese (our translation)

Frequently asked questions

When do ginkgo trees turn yellow in Tokyo?

Around 23 November in an average year (1991–2020), by the JMA's sample tree. In 2025 it turned yellow on 22 November.

Do ginkgo trees turn yellow before maples turn red?

In 38 of the 48 cities with both records, the average ginkgo date comes before the average maple date. Tokyo: ginkgo 23 Nov, maple 28 Nov.

Where do ginkgo trees turn yellow first in Japan?

Obihiro, around 28 October on average. Tokushima is the last of the 48 cities, around 8 December.