What March is like
March starts cold and ends mild. Early in the month you still need a winter coat; by the end, the cherry trees start to bloom in Tokyo and Kyoto. It is often windy, and the weather changes quickly.
The last two weeks of March are busy: Japanese schools are on spring break and the cherry blossom season begins. Book hotels early if your dates fall then.
Highlights
- Omizutori, Nara. Every night from March 1 to 14, monks swing huge burning torches from the balcony of Nigatsu-dō Hall at Tōdai-ji. The biggest torches are on March 12.
- Kashima Saitōsai, Ibaraki. At one of eastern Japan’s oldest shrines, costumed teams sing and clash long oak staffs as they parade through town.
- Kasuga Matsuri, Nara. One of Japan’s three great imperial shrine festivals, held at Kasuga Taisha on March 13.
Tips for March
- Layer your clothes: mornings and evenings are cold, afternoons can be warm.
- For Omizutori, arrive well before the torches are lit, and come back on a calmer night if March 12 is too crowded.
- If you hope to see cherry blossoms, keep your plans flexible: the bloom date changes from year to year. Our hanami guide lists the usual bloom dates city by city.
