Any suggestion for October 2015?

I'm planning to visit Japan 11-17 October 2015. Seems like we are not going to catch any season there. But we had a schedule fixed which is can not change a date. So I'm trying my best to make it worth a visit.

My mom would love to see a bloom flowers but I guess we have to come back another time. Any suggestion for a must see, must visit?

Thanks in advance 🙏🙏

If you were to go to Hokkaido, the mountainous regions and some marshland would have some autumn colors.

Also, it would be considered the tail end of summer so there would be some seasonal fruits available!

In average year mid Oct is autumn foliage season in part of Hokkaido near Sapporo. If the weather doesn't deviate too much from the norm you can enjoy koyo during that time frame in Jozankei, Houheikyou Dam, Niseko and the area around Oyunuma in Noboribetsu

With a bit of luck you may also take in another kind of autumn colour in the Ginkgo Avenue of the Hokkaido University in Sapporo, although late Oct is a better time.

The popular outdoor lavender and the rainbow colour flower fields in Furano will be gone by Oct but we still saw plenty colourful flowers in Farm Tomita in Furano and Hills of Zerubu and Atom in Biei where we drove around the region in Oct.

So for some seasonal highlights during the time of your visit do consider going to Hokkaido. The question is whether all the above can be covered in a short 6-day trip.

I don't think it is short. I did Furano, Asahiakwa, Noboribetsu onsen, and Sapporo with Tokyo (Tsukiji etc) in 3 days.

October is still a good month to travel. You might be too early for the autumn leaves, but you will have missed the hottest parts of summer as well (on our 2013 trip they had a heatwave that lasted well into September).

What is it you want to do and what are you interested in? Knowing that will allow better advice.

My suggestion is don't go at all. Coming all the way from the US just for 6 days will be a waste, keep your money for another occasion where you will have more time.

Well, not everyone has the chance of taking block leave.

That said, I agree with the short time. Japan should be visited in at least 7 full days.
Although, I have done a 3 days one before...

Interesting points from Firas and Joshua. Possibly the Japanese have weekend vacations down to a fine art they can make the most of even 3 or 4 days.

For a short trip, it is definitely worthwhile. We managed three nights in Tokyo first visit and I don't regret arriving horribly jet-lagged with a dose of the flu.

For a week, arrive Tokyo, 2 days. Head to Kyoto three days and then back to Tokyo. It is a basic introduction to Japan and you get to see a lot in a short time, and find out some of the things you want to see and do next time around.