With the arrival of spring, warmer temperatures gradually return to Japan. Pinks, greens, and whites emerge as Japan’s natural beauty peaks. Late March is also typically the busiest and most expensive time to visit Japan. People spend more and more time outdoors as the days get longer and the best time of year for cherry blossom viewing arrives at the end of the month.
If you want to see beautiful blossoms without the hefty price tags and crowds, consider visiting Japan in late February/early March. This is the perfect time to catch the equally beautiful plum blossoms coming into full bloom.
Planning a trip to Japan in the spring? Check out my How to Hanami Like a Local article for top tips on viewing cherry blossoms in Japan.
However, it’s not all about cherry blossoms in March in Japan – in this article, we’ll introduce the best activities and events to check out during your travels that don’t involve flower viewing!
Average Temperatures in March Across Japan
The weather in Japan in March is mild and the temperature rises towards the end of the month. Many northern regions remain cool but further south, around Tokyo and beyond, the climate is much more comfortable. Public transport is busy as the cold of the winter months fades and people tend to spend more time outdoors.
There are relatively few rainy days compared with the rest of the year, however, a light jacket, long sleeves, and pants are still recommended in many places when you’re out and about as strong cool winds can still catch you off guard. This is especially true in the northern island of Hokkaido where temperatures can still get as low as 25F in the evenings. Generally, the climate will improve the further south and east you go, towards Osaka, Hiroshima, and Kyushu, where the average temperature during the day can hover around 57F.
The weather and mild temperatures make March a popular but great time to travel. Be sure to avoid traveling during Spring Equinox if you don’t want to make it more difficult on yourself. The end of March is also a school holiday before the new academic year begins in April, so many Japanese families also travel during this time. My best advice is to be as organized as possible and make reservations and bookings in advance for anything you really want to do to avoid disappointment.
Cherry Blossoms (Sakura)
Before we get started on the main list, here are a few recommendations of some of the best places for cherry blossom viewing in Japan’s major cities in late March:
Nakameguro, Tokyo – Along the river in Nakameguro, you’ll find one of Tokyo’s most scenic spots for cherry blossoms. Throughout the start of Spring, the streets are lined with food stalls and makeshift bars selling pink sparkling wine. Large crowds are guaranteed, but this event is not to be missed.
Inokashira Park, Tokyo – This large park is situated in west Tokyo in residential Kichijoji close to the Ghibli Museum, and is a lovely spot for a stroll underneath the blossoms. There is also a small boating lake and plenty of restaurants nearby.
Ueno Park, Tokyo – Ueno Park is another of Tokyo’s more popular spots for cherry blossoms and is home to more than 800 Sakura trees. This is the ideal spot to hold your own ‘hanami’ picnic. Bring a groundsheet, stock up on bento boxes and drinks at the nearest convenience store, then sit back and watch the pink cherry blossom petals as they fall around you.
Kitanomaru Park, Tokyo – The Chiyoda cherry blossoms are another of Tokyo’s popular viewing spots with food stalls and rowing boats available for hire on the river. The sakura trees are also illuminated with LED lights during the evening throughout the festival period, giving the area a magical glow at night.
Philosopher’s Path, Kyoto – This canal-side footpath is a pleasant 20-30 minute stroll at any time of year, but during Sakura season it transforms into one of Kyoto’s prettiest and most popular spots for viewing cherry blossoms. Along the pathway, you’ll find boutiques, cafes, and restaurants to stop in.
Maruyama Park, Kyoto – Close to Kyoto’s Gion district in the Higashiyama area, Maruyama Park is home to one of Kyoto’s most popular cherry blossom festivals. The park is set up with a dining area featuring low tables and floor cushions, and food stalls and pop-up restaurants operate during the evenings underneath the illuminated trees.
Arashiyama, Kyoto – Kyoto’s Arashiyama district is a good choice for a day trip if you’re spending time in Kyoto famous for its bamboo forest, monkey park, and rental boats on the river. It’s also one of the best places to view cherry blossoms at the beginning of Spring.
Heian Jingu Shrine, Kyoto – The gardens at this popular shrine are a scenic and tranquil spot away from many of the crowds of Kyoto. The garden’s weeping sakura trees are a must-see attraction and are usually in full bloom around early April.
Osaka Castle, Osaka – One of the most popular cherry blossom spots in Osaka is the park area around Osaka Castle, with more than 4,000 cherry trees in total and spacious lawn areas that make ideal picnic spots.
Expo Memorial Park, Osaka – This large park area in the north of the city is home to approximately 5,000 cherry trees that are usually in full bloom by early April. The park also includes Japanese landscaped gardens and a boating pond and is next door to Expo City, a huge shopping and entertainment complex with more than 300 stores.
Shukkeien Gardens, Hiroshima – These historic gardens close to Hiroshima station are a popular city cherry blossom viewing spot and home to a lovely Japanese teahouse where you can sip a hot cup of matcha green tea while enjoying your surroundings. The sakura here are usually in full bloom by early April.
Hiroshima Castle, Hiroshima – There are around 450 cherry trees on the grounds of Hiroshima Castle, and the castle itself is a pleasant backdrop for a hanami picnic. Access to the grounds is free, but there is a small admission fee if you wish to enter the castle too, which is recommended.
Japan in March – 11 Things To Do In Japan Aside From Cherry Blossoms!
1. Hinamatsuri
Doll’s Day or Girl’s Day is a Shinto holiday held every year on March 3rd to celebrate and pray for the wellbeing of young girls. Traditional dolls of the Emperor and Empress, known as hina, are displayed on beautifully decorated step altars in homes and stores, a tradition that has endured since Japan’s Edo period. Hinamatsuri is a cultural holiday, not an official one, so expect things to operate normally.
In early March, Ichihime Shrine in Kyoto celebrates Hina matsuri with a large display of Hina dolls for the public to view, followed by kimono-dressing demonstrations, and a court dance to traditional music of the Heian period.
- Where & When: Ichihime-jinja, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 9 AM, March 3
- More Information: Ichihime.net (Japanese)
2. Hodare ‘Penis’ Festival
Every year, on the second Sunday in March, the village of Shimoraiden on the outskirts of Nagaoka City holds the Hodare Festival, a celebration of fertility that has evolved into an annual ritual.
Expectant mothers gather at a local shrine to pray before a huge two-meter penis statue, believed to be fashioned from an ancient tree that fell in a storm, is brought out and paraded around the village to bless mothers and mothers-to-be with happy healthy children. Women may sit on the statue as it is carried around the village for good luck. Visitors will find stalls offering delicious food that is locally prepared, including tanuki soup, udon noodles, penis-shaped candy, and other snacks, as well as other penis-themed souvenirs.
- Where & When: Hodare Shrine, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture, 11 AM Sunday March 9, 2025
- More Information: Tochiokankou.jp
3. Omizutori Fire Festival
The Omizutori festival is an ancient and dramatic Buddhist event about repenting for past sins and ushering in the arrival of Spring. The festival period takes place over the first two weeks of March, however, one of the most popular events, is the dattan, a fire ritual that takes place in the last few days at Tōdaiji Temple. Monks swing huge wooden torches from the temple’s veranda as ashes and embers scatter across the crowds passing below. Over the next few days, the torches and the crowds grow larger as the event reaches its climax. The two-week festival is a vibrant and busy event open to all.
- Where & When: Hodare Shrine, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture, 11 AM Sunday March 9, 2025
- More Information: Tochiokankou.jp
4. Kinryu-no-Mai (Golden Dragon Dance)
Image courtesy of Tak1701d
Every year in late March outside the main entrance to the iconic Sensō-ji temple in central Tokyo, a special performance of the Golden Dragon Dance takes place. It celebrates the appearance, more than 1,300 years ago, of the Buddhist protector Bodhisattva Kannon, which was known to take the form of a large golden dragon.
The legend goes that a small statue was discovered by two brothers close to the Sumida River and was taken back to their village chief who recognized that it was Bodhisattva Kannon and constructed a Buddhist temple around it. During the event, dancers and performers follow the golden dragon from the temple along the busy Nakamise-dori Street as it jerks and thrashes through the street between the crowds.
- Where & When: Sensō-ji temple, Asakusa, Tokyo, March 18, 2025
- More Information: Senso-ji.jp
5. Osaka Sumo Wrestling Tournament
Image courtesy of Rokstok
With just six Grand Sumo Tournaments a year, Japan’s national sport is a limited must-see event if you are able to make it to Osaka in late March. For 15 days Japan’s top sumo wrestlers will compete against one another every day between March 9 and 23. Tickets for the second Sumo tournament of the year will go on sale on February 8, 2025, and matches will be announced on February 25. Experience the grandeur and ceremony of one of the most unique sports in the world. Check the below link for more information on the event and how to purchase your tickets.
- Where & When: EDION Arena, Osaka, March 9 to 23, 2025
- More Information: Sumo.or.jp
6. Niigata Sake Festival
Image courtesy of Tokyofoodcast
Niigata prefecture is famous throughout Japan for its high-quality rice-growing reputation and award-winning Sake breweries. Over a weekend in early March, hundreds of sake brewers from across the prefecture converge on the Niigata Sake Festival in Niigata city for one of the biggest annual sake events.
A two-day ticket will cost around 5,000 yen and get you into the event for a 3-hour session where you can explore the stands and sample or buy any of the hundreds of varieties of sake on display. Bringing your own food is strictly prohibited however there are several eateries located around the exhibition hall.
- Where & When: Toki Messe Wave Market Exhibition Hall, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Saturday and Sunday in early March, 10 AM to 5 PM
- More Information: Niigata-sake.or.jp
7. Higashiyama Hanatoro
Image courtesy of Isao Haba
Higashiyama Hanatoro is a night illumination event that takes place in the Higashiyama ward of Kyoto City every year for several days in early March. At night, thousands of lanterns line the streets and other public areas including many of the district’s temples and shrines, which remain open during the event. Visitors can explore the feudal-era-style district and enjoy the narrow footpaths, tea houses, and traditional wooden buildings with a new perspective as they are lit up with a warm yellow glow.
- Where & When: Higashiyama ward, Kyoto, between 6 PM and 9 PM in early March
- More Information: Hanatouro.kyoto.travel
8. Tsunan Snow Festival
Tsunan is a small town on the southern edge of Niigata prefecture, known for some of the heaviest snowfall in Japan. The Snow Festival began in the early 1970s as a small event to revitalize the area around Tsunan railway station and has since grown into an annual celebration that attracts visitors from all over the country.
Visitors can enjoy the snow and ice sculptures, live music and dance performances, and explore the open-air markets selling a variety of local dishes, drinks, and souvenirs. You can also take part in several outdoor activities including snow biking and snowboarding, or relax and enjoy the lantern-releasing ceremony saved for the final night.
- Where & When: New Greenpia Tsunan venue, Tsunan Town, Niigata Prefecture, Early March
- More Information: Snowfes.info
9. Kiyomizudera Temple Special Night Viewing
At the height of cherry blossom season, opening hours at the famous Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto are extended to 9 PM every night at the end of March for a week for a special nighttime illumination event.
The temple is lit from below, and powerful beams of blue light are shone into the night sky to represent the strength and mercy of the Shinto God Bodhisattva. For a small fee of around 400 yen, visitors can explore the temple and its grounds at a time when it is usually closed to the public.
- Where & When: Koyomizudera Temple, Kyoto, until 9 PM, March 23 to 31, 2025
- More Information: Koyomizudera.or.jp
10. Tokyo Anime Award Festival
In March, anime returns to Tokyo with the 12th annual International Anime Award Festival in Ikebukuro. This 3-day independent event celebrates achievements in homegrown and international anime and offers the public the chance to see screenings of competition entrants.
The festival features three main events; the competition, open to works previously unreleased in Japan, the Anime of the Year award, for works released in Japan, and the achievement award, which recognizes significant achievements in the industry. Tickets for individual screenings of short and feature-length animations will become available as entrants are announced for the competition and can be purchased here.
- Where & When: Ikebukuro, Tokyo, March 7-10, 2025
- More Information: Animefestival.jp
11. Omizutori (Water-drawing Ceremony)
This popular event follows the Omizutori Fire Festival (see #3) at Tōdaiji Temple in Nara. Together they form The Shun-e, a cleansing Buddhist ceremony that is centered around the repentance of sins before the bodhisattva Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. As the dazzling fire displays conclude, monks from the temple draw water from a nearby well on the temple grounds, believed to spring just once a year and deliver it as an offering to Kannon.
Later in the evening, the water, thought to cure all known illnesses, is offered to the public. The ceremony is a very popular event and often runs late into the evening.
- Where & When: Tōdaiji Temple in Nara, March 1-14, 2025
- More Information: Visitnara.jp
Dates to Avoid Traveling Around Japan in March
One national holiday in late March marks the Spring Equinox; in 2025, it will fall on a Thursday. Another minor holiday observed but not a National holiday is Girl’s Day, also known as Doll’s Day.
Spring Equinox – Also called Shunbun no Hi, Spring Equinox is one of Japan’s national holidays. In 2025, it will be celebrated on Thursday, March 20. It is one of the two days a year when day and night are of equal length (the other being the autumn equinox in September), and it is a day reserved to reflect on nature and show appreciation for the natural world.
In the Buddhist calendar, there is a period of three days before and after Spring Equinox called Higan. This is a popular time for many Japanese people to return to their family homes and visit family graves to clean them and offer prayers to their ancestors. It can be a very busy time of year to travel on roads and public transport, so keep your travel plans light during this period if you can.
- When: Thursday March 20, 2025
Tokyo Marathon – On Sunday, March 2, 2025, Tokyo will host one of the largest marathons in Japan and Asia. As with all marathons, large sections of roads and footpaths are closed off for most of the day for the event as thousands of entrants and spectators flood through and occupy the city. A course map is available on the website (link below), however, try to travel throughout the city as little as possible on this day to avoid disappointment.
- When: March 2, 2025
- More Information: Marathon.tokyo/en
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