Although it turns to be warmer and warmer in Japan, you could feel a little cold when you travel there in early March. At night, it’s still cool as the temperature decreases greatly. On a bleak day, raining, windy, or overcast, you may also shiver in March. During the day, especially at the end of March, it becomes warm.

In particular, it’s also somewhat cold for the high altitude in mountainous areas. For Hokkaido where is still in winter, it is gelid of course.

Travelers can see cherry blossoms in Japan in March. In the first days of March, some early cherry blossoms have not faded in Kawazu, Izu Peninsula. In parks, more varieties of early cherry blossoms are blooming since early March. To mid-late March, cherry blossoms come into the full-bloom period in most of Japan.

However, cherry blossoms in Okinawa would fall soon when March comes, while those in Japan Alps, northern Honshu and Hokkaido haven’t burst into bloom yet.

Cherry Blossoms Viewing

March is a good time for travelling without doubt as the first month of spring in Japan. Apart from the warmer weather, Hinamatsuri - the Girls’ Day celebrated in early March and cherry blossoms that begin to flower make March an attractive month in Japan.

But as cherry blossom season is coming, rising prices make March, especially the late March, is a little unfriendly to budget travelers.

For the warmer weather, a thin sweater and a trench coat, or clothing similar are suitable. At night, a thick jacket is more proper. In early March, wearing thicker clothes would never be wrong. Later you may wear in layers as the weather is unstable, thus you can add, take away, or change the tops to adapt to weather changes.

In Hokkaido, a down coat, thick overcoat, scarf, etc. are still the necessities. Thick windbreaker or other windproof coat is also useful. In Kyushu and warmer Okinawa, a long-sleeve shirt plus a thin jacket is enough during the day, and it would be good to add a knitwear after the sunset.

Among the variety of blossoms, sensitive groups could wear a mask, take eye drops, or take anti-allergic agent if necessary for the high density of pollens.

1. Cherry Blossom Viewing

Blooming Cherry Blossoms

Around March 20, the cherry blossom season comes in Japan; the south first, then the north. Usually, the blossoms bloom somewhat earlier in the east coasts than the west. Osaka Castle, Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, and Ueno Park & Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in Tokyo are all attractive with cherry blossoms. As it’s a peak season in Japan, the tickets of popular sakura attractions and the seasonal activities are supposed to be booked beforehand. Tourists could focus on the local real-time sakura prediction, so as to get the best dates for cherry blossom viewing.

 Japan Cherry Blossom Date Prediction 2025

2. Happy Girls’ Day

Hinamatsuri Dolls

Have you heard of Hinamatsuri – the Girls’ Day (March 3rd) in Japan? It would be interesting to see the gorgeous Hinamatsuri dolls there, which are displayed on a seven-layer stepped shelf. From the top down, the dolls of Mikado and his empress, then dolls of the court, dowry, etc. are placed. The more luxurious it is, the more dolls are collected. Many shrines and temples in Japan will welcome visitors for their Hinamatsuri programs and exhibit their doll collections. You would be amazed at exquisiteness of these dolls as travelling there in March. The most famous venue, Hokyoji Temple in Kyoto will show Hinamatsuri dolls every year. Also, Kyoto follows the ancient Hinamatsuri tradition of Nagashibina in Shimogamo Shrine, where you can watch or take part in young girls getting dressed and setting colored paper dolls on the river, to pray for blessings.

3. Sumo Tournament in Osaka

Travelling to Japan in March, you’ll be just in time for the sumo tournament in Osaka. The games would last for about half a month at EDION Arena, during the period you can buy a ticket to see a sumo wrestling full of rituals if interested.

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