Japan Spring Itinerary: Things To Do & See

It's cliche, but it's true: Spring in Japan is a time for new beginnings. It's the start of the school year and the fiscal year (for companies who don't subscribe to the January-December calendar), and it's when the weather goes from being dry and cold to pleasant and breezy. 

Spring is also when Japan welcomes the highest number of international visitors, making it the busiest season for hotels and popular sightseeing spots. That’s why you need a fail-proof Japan spring itinerary to make sure you’re hitting the best spots before everyone else, and that’s where we come in.

Cherry blossoms are the highlight of spring in Japan. Sakura in central and southern Japan (think Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka) are estimated to bloom toward the end of March and early April. Cherry trees in Tohoku and Hokkaido will likely boom a few weeks later. Be sure to check the cherry blossom forecast for the latest dates!

You don't need to go out of your way to see cherry blossoms in Japan, but you can make some time for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) at one of the popular sakura spots in a city you’re already visiting. 

Check out our cherry blossom guides for where to see cherry blossoms around Japan:

• Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo

• Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Kyoto

• Where to See Cherry Blossoms in Osaka

Missing the sakura season by a few days? There are tons of other flowers that bloom at this time of year. When in Tokyo, make some time to visit these gardens, known for their lovely spring flora:

• Hitachi Seaside Park

• Koishikawa Korakuen

• Jindai Botanical Gardens

• Nezu Museum Garden

• Ashikaga Flower Park

For a guided tour of Japan’s best cherry blossoms, pick one of these unforgettable cherry blossom food tours:

Nakameguro is one of the best places for viewing cherry blossoms in Tokyo, lining the river with petals of pastel pinks. Along its banks, stalls sell delicious street food, sakura souvenirs and more, all attempting to pull your attention away from the fleetingly fabulous cherry blossoms.

In this guided tour, you’ll have an expert hanami guide take you to Nakameguro’s evening cherry blossom festival. At the sun sets, the gentle pink glow of seasonal lanterns light up the night sky, adding further pink hues to your memorable cherry blossom experience.

You’ll also have plenty of time to soak up the season in this three-hour tour, including sakura-flavored treats, a chilled drink and dinner at a charming local izakaya bar.

You can trust us when we say that you’ll never get tired of seeing cherry blossoms in full bloom, so we recommend making the most of it with another Tokyo cherry blossom viewing tour!

Available from March 18th to April 8th, 2025, this hanami tour will take you through one of Tokyo’s more traditional neighborhoods, Yanaka. Get a glimpse into “Old Tokyo” as you wander the backstreets near Ueno, visiting temples, shrines and local shops, all set against a backdrop of Tokyo’s beautiful cherry blossoms.

Come hungry, because you’ll get to try a few local snacks — many of which will be cherry blossom-flavored — and enjoy a special seasonal bento with homemade rice balls! You’ll end the tour on a high with a final hanami stroll and visit to a famous temple in the area.

As you might expect of an area of Japan blessed with eye-catching traditional architecture and stunning natural scenes, Kyoto is also a great place for viewing cherry blossoms; nowhere is this more obvious than in this Kyoto cherry blossom food tour.

In this guided Kyoto tour, you’ll get to explore Demachiyanagi, an oft-overlooked area with fewer crowds. Your spring-exclusive stroll will take you to Simogamo Shrine, Kawai Shrine and Masugata Shotengai, a local shopping arcade in the area where Kyoto's Kamo and Takano rivers meet. 

Keep your eyes peeled, because you may also spot Kyoto's famous fire symbol mountains, Mt. Daimonji, and the peak of Mt. Hiei to the north. And, throughout it all, you’ll be snapping pics of Kyoto’s cherry blossoms, adding a background of pink flowing petals to each memory.

Nothing says spring in Japan quite like cycling through Tokyo with cherry blossom petals floating by on a gentle breeze, and that’s exactly what you’ll get on this unique bike tour.

Let your guide show you the other side of Tokyo, coasting down hidden alleyways and scenic backstreets for an insight into local life in Japan. Stop off at multiple mom-and-pop shops and street stalls along the way, experiencing seasonal delicacies like sakuramochi (pink mochi filled with sweet bean paste and wrapped in a salty cherry blossom leaf).

And, if you’re lucky enough to be cycling through Tokyo during late March or early April, you'll cycle under pink sakura cherry blossom trees that will have your friends and family back home feeling green with jealousy!

Note: This bicycle tour includes bike and helmet rental, a bottle of water and a Japanese sweet within the cost.

With the cherry blossoms come a plethora of spring festivals. Some of the country's most lively celebrations take place this season. If your schedule allows, make some time to partake in the events, and try Japanese street food while you're there!

Jindaiji Daruma Doll Fair (March 3–4)

Jindaiji Temple, located in Chofu in west Tokyo, is strongly associated with daruma dolls. You can attend the temple's biggest celebration of this goal-setting trinket in early March. If there are goals you want to focus on this year, get a daruma for yourself and darken its left eye to solidify your wish.

Kanamara Matsuri (first Sunday of April)

This quirky Kawasaki City festival is sometimes nicknamed "the Phallus Festival" because of its ties to sexual health. It takes place at and around Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki City, about an hour or so from downtown Tokyo. 

Kanda Matsuri (mid-May)

Kanda Matsuri is one of Tokyo's biggest festivals, attracting hundreds of visitors annually. The main event is a parade of some 200 mikoshi around the city. 

Sanja Matsuri (third Saturday of May)

The Sanja Matsuri is one of the largest festivals of its kind in Japan, rivalling the Kanda Matsuri in attendance number and activities. The festival is held in honor of the three founders of Asakusa's Senso-ji Temple. 

For a comprehensive list of major festivals in Tokyo, check out this guide to festivals for every season. 

Some people might be uncomfortable hitting a smoking-hot hot spring in the dead of winter. If you're sensitive to cold but want to try onsen in Japan, consider going in spring when the weather is comfortable and most days will be sunny. Popular onsen destinations near Tokyo are Kusatsu, Hakone and Shuzenji.

Kinosaki Onsen in central Japan is another great place to soak. This onsen town in Hyogo Prefecture has an especially high concentration of hot springs that accept visitors with tattoos, which is rare in Japan. Pro tip: Their English website is a great resource for first-time onsen goers if you're worried about making a faux pas. 

In Kyushu, Oita's Yufuin and Beppu are two of the biggest onsen towns with many options. 

Japan is huge on seasonal cuisines, and spring has its fair share of seasonal treats that you can only try in March, April or May. 

One of the most popular Japanese spring foods is sakura mochi, a chewy mochi snack with red bean paste wrapped in a cherry tree leaf. 

Here are some other seasonal spring foods to keep an eye out for:

1. Ichigo Daifuku (Strawberry Mochi)
2. Cherry Blossom Sweets at 7-Eleven
3. Starbucks' Cherry Blossom Drinks
4. Sansai (Mountain Vegetables)
5. Takenoko (Bamboo Shoots)

Find out more: Japanese spring foods. 

Now, there are a lot of souvenirs you can buy in Japan to bring home. If there's space left in your suitcase, you should also pick up some seasonal merchandise. 

In addition to buying a few back-ups of your favorite spring snacks, check out stores like Loft and Hands for a range of spring-inspired items you can only find at this time of year.

Starbucks Japan also releases spring designs for their popular items, including limited-edition mugs, tumblers and other coffee and tea goods. They're a collector's item, so if you see one that you like, go for it!

 One of the most popular sakura-themed desserts in Japan is fluffy chiffon cakes, and you’ll learn how to make it yourself in this comprehensive three-hour cooking class in Tokyo.

 After a quick ice-breaker to get you comfortable with your setting, host and fellow bakers, you the day. First, start with the delicate sweetness of a fresh meringue, handmade and poured into a mold for baking. Once everything is baked, decorate your chiffon cake with cream! 

Each cake can be personalized with your favorite flavor, including matcha (green tea), cocoa, black tea, strawberry, yuzu and — the flavor of the season — sakura.

In this traditional Japanese sweets and tea ceremony experience — available all year round — you’ll make a form of wagashi sweets called nerikiri. These sweets take the form of seasonal motifs, usually guided by the season, though this sweet-making class always opts for the iconic cherry blossom.

These delicate sweets offer a subtle sweetness that complements Japan’s famous matcha tea, another must-try element of your Japanese travel. But first, stroll through the garden and meditate by the pond, preparing body and mind for a Japanese cooking class.

Afterwards, you’ll take part in a wagashi workshop and relax in one of Ikegami Baien’s Japanese-style rooms, watching as your host precisely crafts the tea while you enjoy the plum garden views outside, before enjoying your tea and sweets combination.

Spring in Japan officially starts in March and ends in early May, though spring-like weather will settle more toward the end of March and early April.

Temperatures in spring usually range between 5 and 20 degrees Celsius. So, while you might be comfortable wandering around in a t-shirt during the day, you'll want to pack a light sweater or jacket to go out in the evenings.

If you're traveling to Tohoku or Hokkaido, remember there might still be snow. You might want to bring some light snow boots.

In 2019, Japan welcomed just under 3 million visitors in April. Popular sightseeing spots in major cities like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka will be significantly crowded. 

Best to give yourself ample time to wait in line for certain attractions and move at the crowd's pace. Accommodation and airfare prices also tend to spike during this period; your trip might cost you more than if you were to visit in September, for example. Our best advice is to book early and book everything. 

Visiting Japan in the spring can be hectic and a little stressful, but it's also when the country is at its most magical. It's definitely a bucket list-worthy trip!