Hay Fever and Cedar Pollen in Japan: What Foreigners Need to Know (2025)
Japan’s spring pollen season is one of the worst in the world, and it affects up to 40% of the population. Many foreigners arrive with no history of allergies and develop symptoms within their first spring here. Here’s how to manage it. Japan’s Pollen Calendar Month Pollen Type Severity February Cedar (スギ) begins Moderate March Cedar peak + Cypress (ヒノキ) starts Very high April Cypress peak Very high May Grass pollen Moderate June–January Minimal pollen Low The worst months are March and April. In bad years, pollen counts can be 10x higher than usual. ...