Visiting Japan in March

Although spring officially starts in February, March in Japan is when you’ll see milder temperatures and the start of the year’s blossom season, with plum trees in bloom at the start of the month and the first cherry blossom emerging in the south by the end of March. If you’re visiting Honshu, home to the country’s most popular cities including Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nara and Kanazawa, you can expect a little more rain this month, but warmer days of around 14C along with larger crowds. Hokkaido is still cold, although ski season is starting to come to an end, while in the south, the sun is already shining – temperatures are in the 20s in Okinawa and across Kyushu.

Festivals: Higashiyama’s Hanatoro in Kyoto sees lanterns, light sculptures and installations through the Southern Higashiyama district, bringing a blaze of light to signal the end of winter.
Sakura season also begins, the time to view the cherry blossom as trees begin to bloom, with hanami picnics to celebrate the magical sight.

Best for: Viewing plum blossom and cherry blossom, warmer days to explore, sunny days in Kyushu.