All destinations
Side-by-side comparison
Costa Rica vs Japan: Best Time to Visit
Trying to choose between Costa Rica and Japan? The right answer almost always comes down to when you can travel. Here's the month-by-month breakdown.
best
good
shoulder
off-season
Month-by-month: which is better?
| Month | Costa Rica | Japan | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | best | good | Costa Rica 🇨🇷 |
| February | best | good | Costa Rica 🇨🇷 |
| March | best | best | tie |
| April | best | best | tie |
| May | good | good | tie |
| June | shoulder | shoulder | tie |
| July | shoulder | shoulder | tie |
| August | shoulder | good | Japan 🇯🇵 |
| September | shoulder | best | Japan 🇯🇵 |
| October | good | best | Japan 🇯🇵 |
| November | good | good | tie |
| December | best | good | Costa Rica 🇨🇷 |
Pick Costa Rica 🇨🇷 if you're going in…
January, February, December
Green season has half the prices and a quarter the crowds — most days have only afternoon rain.
Pick Japan 🇯🇵 if you're going in…
August, September, October
Book sakura-week accommodation in Kyoto 6+ months ahead — and budget for ~2x normal rates. If you miss the cherry blossom window, head to Hokkaido in early May where the sakura peaks 4–5 weeks later.
Months where both are equally good: March, April, May, June, July, November.