Nara Weather in March

Season: Early Spring
In Short: Warm and pleasant, mostly cloudy, sakura starts to bloom in late month

The weather in March in Nara is pleasant. As the beginning of spring, the temperature is increasing as a whole and it is pretty suitable for traveling. But sometimes the temperature drops suddenly, especially in late afternoon, so thick clothes are still needed. It also has some windy days and it is recommended for you to bring an extra scarf to keep warm. The sky is mostly cloudy and it doesn’t rain much in this month. The oriental cherry starts to bloom in the late March and it enters the best time to appreciate the flowers.

See also: Japan Weather in March

Temperature

Falling in early spring, the temperature of Nara in March starts to climb up. The average temperature is 10°C (50°F) with the high temperature being 13°C (55.4°F) averagely. But the temperature difference between day and night is large so it is advisable for you to wear a coat while traveling in the morning and evening.
Average High Temperature: 13°C / 55.4°F

Average Low Temperature: 4°C / 39.2°F

Rainfall

In general, it has 9 rainy days in this month and after the rainy days, the weather is good for having a trip. With increasing number of rainy days, the average rainfall rises to 104mm therewith. The humidity is about 61% which is comfortable.
Average Rainy Days: 9 days
Average Humidity: 61%

Sunrise & Sunset

The sun rises at 06:07 and sets at 18:03. As spring approaches, the duration of daylight becomes longer and longer, reaching 12h of a day. It has around 4.9h of sunshine and if you are planning to travel in Nara in sakura season, it is more advisable for you to appreciate the sakura in the sunshine.
Daylight hours: about 12h
Sunshine hours: around 4.9h

Recommended Clothes to Wear in March

Although the weather in March gets warmer and warmer, the thin clothes can’t replace the thick ones at once. Considering the big temperature difference between day and night, a thick coat is necessary while traveling early in the morning or late at night.

Girls

Tops: Outer clothes for girls can be the thick jacket or woolen coat. For inner part, clothes should be closefitting to keep warm. In early month, thick sweater are suitable. In late month, thin sweater and hoodie are better for the increasing temperature.
Bottoms & shoes: Sweatpants and jeans are both good choices because they are convenient for your walking. A pair of comfortable casual shoes are also needed.

Boys

Tops: Boys can wear thick and handsome overcoat to prevent getting cold from the cool wind. In late month, hoodies can replace the overcoat, with long-sleeve T-shirt or thermal shirt inside.
Bottoms & shoes: In case of the sudden temperature drops, sweatpants are necessary. In normal warm days, a simple pair of jeans is basically enough. As one of the best time to appreciate the oriental cherry, a pair of comfortable hiking shoes is needed. Accessories: If you are sensitive to the weather change, it is recommended for you to bring the scarf and hat. They can help you to deal with the changes very well. During the sakura season, people who are allergic to pollen need to prepare some masks.
Special Recommendation: Sakura season is one of the best time to experience the kimono, Japanese traditional clothing. If you want to take best pictures under the sakura trees, you can turn to the kimono rental shops and rent one. The rental shops are almost everywhere in Nara which is easy to be found.

What to Do in Nara in March

Travel Recommendation:  

1. Attend Omizutori Festival, Todaiji Temple

On March 12th, the Todaiji Temple holds one of the most representative religious festivals in Nara, Omizutori Festival. The monks pray for the prosperous and peaceful life and repent of the sins for people. At night, the monks run in the temple with huge torches in their hands. The sparks from the torches are said to eliminate the disasters and diseases. The atmosphere is pretty spectacular and it is a must-see scene for the visitors in March.

Tip: While enjoying the Omizutori Festival, please keep a safe space with the torches in monks’ hands.

Todaiji Temple in Pleasant March

2. Appreciate Oriental Cherry, Nara Park

In late March, another muse-see scenery is the oriental cherry, called sakura in Japanese. Here are two scenic spots for you to appreciate the sakura. The first is the Nara Park, the most popular place in Nara. In spring, you can appreciate more than 1,700 kinds of sakura here. It is strongly recommended to wear the kimono, traditional Japanese clothing, to take pictures with the cute deer and beautiful sakura in Nara Park. What’s more, the near-by scenic spots like Kasuga Taisha Shrine and Kofukuji Temple are also worth visiting.

3. Watch Oriental Cherry, Sahogawa River

The second place for appreciating the sakura is the Sahogawa River. Here, the blooming sakura trees paint the 5-km-long (3.1 mi) river banks into a sea of pink flowers. Unlike the Nara Park with lively deer, you can experience a more peaceful and quiet atmosphere here.

Tip: It is not allowed for visitors to break the branches of sakura trees or shake the trunk for taking pictures.

4. Join Cracker Throwing Competition, Mountain Wakakusa

At the end of the March, the deer cracker throwing competition is held on the foot of the Mountain Wakakusa. Competitors throw the special deer crackers which are three times bigger than the normal size as far as they can. The winner can receive a pair of antlers. If you visit Nara at the end of March, don’t miss this lively competition.

March Weather for Other Cities in Japan:

• Tokyo Weather in March
• Kyoto Weather in March
• Osaka Weather in March

Nara Weather by Month