Head to head

Japan or Mallorca?

Mallorca, clearly — 77 vs 56 across the year.

There's no month where Japan overtakes Mallorca — Mallorca leads all 12 months and takes it 77 to 56 on the Atlas Ranger Score. Mallorca peaks in June (84); Japan's strongest stretch (April, 58) still trails. Choose Japan for what it is, not when.

Month by month

When to go

Pick a month. The line shows each place's score across the year; the figures below are that month's averages.

Japan Mallorca

In October, Mallorca is the better bet — 89 vs 57.

Score

High / low

22° / 14°

24° / 14°

Rain

200 mm

45 mm

Sunshine

5 h

8.4 h

Japan: Autumn leaves begin — dry, mild, photographically perfect

Mallorca: Last beach window — restaurants begin closing

At a glance

Side by side

Japan Mallorca

Timing & weather

Year-round score56/10077/100

Best monthApril (58)June (84)

Months it leadsNoneJan–Dec

Cheapest monthsJun–SepJan–Mar and Nov–Dec

Driest monthDecember (50mm)July (13mm)

Wettest monthSeptember (220mm)November (81mm)

Hottest monthAugust (31°C)July (32°C)

Best for

BeachesMallorca is the stronger beach trip—Stronger

Culture & festivalsJapan is the stronger pick for history, temples and festivalsStronger—

Off-peak monthsBoth have 7 shoulder or low-season monthsEvenEven

Practical

Main airportsTokyo Haneda (HND), Tokyo Narita (NRT), Osaka Kansai (KIX)Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI)

CurrencyJPY (Japanese Yen)EUR (Euro)

LanguageJapaneseSpanish (Castilian) + Catalan/Mallorquí

Time zoneJST (UTC+9, no DST)CET (UTC+1) / CEST (UTC+2)

ClimateHumid subtropical on Honshu (Köppen Cfa); colder Hokkaido, subtropical OkinawaHot-summer Mediterranean (Köppen Csa)

VisaVisa-free 90-day entry for ~70 nationalities (US, UK, EU, Australia, etc.)Schengen — 90 days for EU/UK/US/Canada/Australia and most other nationalities

SafetyVery low risk — one of the safest countries to travel inLow risk — standard precautions in Magaluf late at night

Named storms nearby nowNASA EONET, checked hourly. Not a forecast.None tracked within 1,000kmNone tracked within 1,000km

Your trip

Which should you pick?

PickJapan

Pick Japan if you want history and temples, plus city life and food — its strongest stretch is around April (58).

Japan full guide

PickMallorca

Pick Mallorca if you want beaches, plus hiking — it leads all year and peaks in June (84).

Mallorca full guide

Plan your trip

Hotels, flights and more

Switch between the two. Hotel prices are for a week in each destination's best month.

Book Japan

Partner links. Prices and availability are set by the partner. We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Booking links are affiliate links — they cost you nothing and help fund the Atlas Ranger Score.

Questions

Good to know

Is Japan or Mallorca better to visit?

Mallorca is the clearer pick — 77 vs 56 on the Atlas Ranger Score, our 0–100 measure of weather, crowds, value, and timing across the year. It leads most of the year, though the month-by-month chart still shows the other's stronger windows.

Which has better weather, Japan or Mallorca?

Mallorca averages a higher weather score (75 vs 51). Weather is the biggest input to the score, but both have strong months and weak months; the month-by-month chart shows exactly when.

When is it cheapest to visit Japan or Mallorca?

Japan is cheapest in Jun–Sep; Mallorca is cheapest in Jan–Mar and Nov–Dec. Those are the low and shoulder months, when hotel rates and crowds ease — usually because the weather is less reliable, so check the month-by-month scores above before you book.

Can I visit both Japan and Mallorca in one trip?

Often yes — many travellers pair them. The smart move is to time each leg to its own best months. Check each destination's full guide (linked below) for the month-by-month detail, then sequence your trip so each stop lands in its strong window.