This is how to make the most of your trip to Tokyo - no matter the weather

Average temperature: 10 / 20 degrees

WHY: Two words - cherry blossoms. Japan's now-famous sakura season takes place in spring - usually in April, though blossoming can vary - and the entire city goes crazy for "hanami", or the act of cherry blossom viewing. This season is also when Tokyo enjoys its best weather, so the city tends to be very busy, but also gorgeous.

HOW: There's much to celebrate in Tokyo in spring: not just the end of winter and the flowering of the cherry trees, but the arrival of cherished seasonal cuisine such as strawberries and sakura-themed sweets, which you will find in "depachika", or sprawling supermarket food halls such as Mitsukoshi in Ginza. If the cherry trees are blooming then you'll want to take a stroll through Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, one of the most strikingly beautiful places to view the flowers, which makes a stay nearby at the Hotel Groove Shinjuku an excellent idea. Outside of the cherry blossoms, there's still much to do at this beautiful time of year, particularly outdoors. Yoyogi Park, Ueno Park and Rikugien Gardens are all ripe for exploration in spring. Inokashira Park in Kichijoji, meanwhile, provides the perfect excuse to visit this far western neighbourhood and then enjoy a night out in Harmonica Yokocho - a network of narrow alleys lined with bars - with the locals. Don't forget, too, that spring is prime season for clams, cuttlefish and rockfish, all of which can be enjoyed at high-end (though bookable) sushi specialist Ginza Kyubey.

Average temperature: 22 / 30 degrees

WHY: The heat can be oppressive at this time of year, and it's also rainy season - however, summer is festival time in Tokyo, with everything from Buddhist celebrations to fireworks festivals to Tokyo Pride taking place. It's also the perfect opportunity to indulge in cold, refreshing summer cuisine.

HOW: You have two choices during summer in Tokyo: escape the heat, or embrace it. For the former, check out some of the city's many excellent museums and galleries. TeamLab Planets is an uber-popular, interactive display of colour and light; the Studio Ghibli museum in Mitaka is an enjoyable ode to a legend; and the Nezu Museum and Mori Art Museum are also excellent places to enjoy culture and air-conditioning. If you're planning to embrace the season, you could visit the beach in Tokyo Bay, have a barbecue with locals by the waterfront at Shioiri Park, or go to a baseball game, preferably at the historic Meiji Jingu Stadium (stay nearby at the Keio Plaza Hotel). Of the major summer festivals, don't miss Tanabata, the star festival, in early July; the four-day Mitama Matsuri, best known for more than 30,000 lanterns on display in mid-July; and the Sumida River Fireworks Festival, in late July. At all of them you will find locals out celebrating, often while eating seasonal treats such as kakigori (Japanese shaved ice). Summer is also the season for eating unagi, or eel - try it at a specialist such as Unagi Uomasa in Katsushika. And don't miss "hiyashi chuka", or cold, seasonal ramen, served at Chiisha in Ikejiri-Ohashi.

Average temperature: 14 / 24

WHY: Don't tell anyone, but this is the best time to visit Tokyo. Cherry blossom season is beautiful but it's also incredibly popular with foreign tourists - the low-key hit in Tokyo is autumn foliage, when the trees in the city's parks turn a riot of reds and yellows, and locals come out to celebrate.

HOW: The weather is cooling down, the humidity is dropping, leaves are changing colour and life is good in Tokyo. Rikugien Garden, Meiji Jingu Gaien, Shinjuku Gyoen - all these parks, with their maple and ginkgo trees exploding with colour, are popular spots for locals to view those autumn leaves and eat hot chestnuts roasted streetside by hawkers at mobile carts. This is also sumo season: the last of the three grand tournaments held in the city throughout the year at the Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena takes place for two weeks in late September, with tickets available to the public. Autumn is also a fine time to be eating in Tokyo, particularly if you like chestnuts - even the shelves of 7-Eleven convenience stores are stocked with Mont Blancs, the chestnut-based desserts, at only a few dollars each. This is also the season for both bonito and ikura, or salmon roe, which you can enjoy at a classic izakaya such as Uoshin, a seafood specialist with branches in Ebisu and Shimokitazawa. Speaking of Shimokitazawa, your accommodation in autumn is the stylish and boutique Mustard Hotel, providing access not just to its trendy home neighbourhood, but also the parks and gardens around Shinjuku and Shibuya.

Average temperature: 2 / 10 degrees

WHY: Many will come to Japan this time of year for the skiing, which is justifiably well known, but Tokyo offers reasons to hang around in the big city, with extensive New Year celebrations, quirky Christmas traditions and warming cuisine on offer.

HOW: What do you want to eat on a cold winter's day? Soup. Obviously. And Tokyo has you covered. Winter is the season for nabe, the much-loved, nourishing hot pot. You'll find it served throughout the city in winter, though Enshuya restaurant is recommended. Winter in Japan is also prime time for bluefin tuna, when the fish is at its fattiest, and high-end restaurants such as Sushi Ryujiro celebrate by serving all the best cuts. And then, of course, there's Japan's favourite Christmas meal: KFC. We're not even joking. But winter isn't solely about eating. It's also about drinking: sake aficionados will tell you this national drink is best when it's brewed in winter. Try it at any casual izakaya in the city. This is also the season to walk neighbourhoods such as Marunouchi, Midtown and Omotesando to admire the Christmas lights, and later to warm your cold bones at one of Tokyo's numerous onsens - try the bathhouse at Senkyaku Banrai, a new dining and shopping complex in the Toyosu area. Or, stay at Hoshinoya, a luxe hotel with a rooftop onsen. And finally, mark the end of winter on Japan's traditional calendar, on February 3, the traditional way: hurling beans from the balcony at Zojoji Temple in Minato. It's meant to bring good fortune. It's also just good fun.