Translation guide
The period when a particular activity, sport, or tourism is not at its peak. Japanese uses different terms depending on whether you mean a seasonal lull, a sports off-season, or a tourist off-season.
To refer to a time of year when something is not in its main or busy season, such as tourism, farming, or business.
Common term for a slow or slack period in business, tourism, etc. Literally 'quiet/sparse period'.
This hotel has lower rates in the off-season.
Loanword from English, widely understood. Often used for sports, tourism, and fashion.
Airfares are cheap in the off-season.
Literally 'between-seasons period'. Used for agricultural produce or transitional times between peak seasons. Somewhat formal.
Vegetables are expensive in the off-season.
The period when a sport is not being played professionally, or when athletes are not in competition.
The time of year when a tourist destination has fewer visitors, often due to weather or holidays.
オフシーズン is a direct loanword and feels modern/casual. 閑散期 is a native compound and sounds more businesslike or formal. Both are common, but 閑散期 is preferred in economic or commercial contexts.
オフシーズン is a set phrase. You cannot use オフ alone to mean 'off' in other expressions like 'off day' or 'off switch'. Those require different words.
Some players play overseas during the off-season.
この島の閑散期は夏です。
The off-season for this island is summer.