Sendai has four distinct seasons. Spring (late March to early May) is the most popular time: cherry blossoms appear in early April, and the hillside parks around Aobajo and Zuihoden are particularly good. The city's Tanabata Matsuri festival in August is Japan's most famous Tanabata celebration — the streets are hung with elaborate paper and bamboo decorations for three days in early August, and the city fills up. Book accommodation well in advance for Tanabata.
Summer (June–August) is warm and humid but manageable. Autumn brings red and gold foliage across the forested hillsides, with October and November being the best months. Winter is cold — temperatures regularly drop below freezing — but light on snowfall by Tohoku standards. The Dontosai fire festival in January is atmospheric but brief.