What do people get wrong about pollen season as a visitor to Japan?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Spring is the most popular time to visit Japan and the worst time for the roughly 40% of the population with cedar pollen allergy. Visitors who have never reacted to pollen at home find themselves sneezing in Kyoto and wonder what is happening.
The season
| Region | Cedar (sugi) | Cypress (hinoki) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo / Kanto | early Feb – early Apr | late Mar – early May | Peak mid-March; cherry blossom coincides with the transition |
| Kyoto / Osaka / Kansai | mid-Feb – early Apr | late Mar – early May | Similar |
| Kyushu | early Feb – late Mar | Mar – Apr | Earliest start |
| Tohoku | Mar – Apr | Apr – May | Later |
| Hokkaido | Almost no cedar; birch (May) instead | — | The pollen-free spring destination |
| Okinawa | No cedar | — | Same |
- About 40% of Japanese people have cedar pollen allergy (2019 nationwide survey, up from 16% in 1998). The government's 2023 "Pollen Allergy Countermeasures" plan aims to cut cedar forest area and improve forecasts.
- Daily pollen forecasts appear on every weather app and TV bulletin; the Japan Weather Association and private services publish a five-level scale ("very high" is common in March). Pollen counts are highest on warm, dry, windy days and the day after rain.
- Drugstores sell second-generation antihistamines (fexofenadine, loratadine, cetirizine) over the counter, plus eye drops, nasal sprays, and pollen-blocking glasses.
[Verify] Prevalence figures with the Japanese Society of Otorhinolaryngology's nationwide survey; season dates with the Ministry of the Environment's pollen information; the 2023 plan with the Cabinet Office.
Misunderstanding 1｜I do not have hay fever, so this will not affect me
Japanese cedar pollen loads are extreme; first-time reactions in visitors are common. Symptoms are runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, fatigue — not a cold if there is no fever.
Misunderstanding 2｜Masks are for infection control
In spring, masks are for pollen (see the masks article). A non-woven mask and glasses (any glasses help; pollen-blocking frames help more) cut exposure substantially.
Misunderstanding 3｜It is a few weeks in April
February to May in most of Honshu, with a cedar peak in March and cypress running into May. Cherry-blossom week sits in the middle.
Misunderstanding 4｜You need a prescription for relief
Second-generation antihistamines are OTC in Japan (Class 2). Ask the pharmacist for hay-fever medicine (花粉症の薬, kafunshō no kusuri); bring your usual medication if you have one, within the import limits.
Misunderstanding 5｜Nowhere in Japan is pollen-free in spring
Hokkaido and Okinawa have virtually no cedar or cypress. Hokkaido's birch season starts in May. Sufferers plan spring trips there for exactly this reason.
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Sources
- Ministry of the Environment — Pollen information and hay fever manual (花粉症環境保健マニュアル)
https://www.env.go.jp/chemi/anzen/kafun/
- Cabinet Secretariat — Ministerial Council on Hay Fever: "The overall picture of hay fever countermeasures" [花粉症対策の全体像] (30 May 2023)
https://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/kafun/pdf/230530_honbun.pdf
- Japan Weather Association — Pollen forecast (tenki.jp)
https://tenki.jp/pollen/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
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