Amanohashidate is most visited in late spring and during the summer beach season. Cherry blossom season (late March to early April) brings crowds and beautiful pink colouring to the hill viewpoints. Autumn, from October to November, offers clear skies and the forested hillsides turning red and gold — arguably the most photogenic time.
Winter is off-season for the beach but peak season for crab. From November through March the local ryokan serve matsuba crab kaiseki courses, and if eating the finest winter crab in Japan is on your agenda, this is when to come. The sandbar itself is open year-round; even in cold weather, cycling along the pines on a clear day is memorable.
July and August are hot, humid, and crowded. Weekdays are considerably quieter than weekends at any time of year.