Japanese Holidays & Festivals: March

Want to know what’s happening in Japan right now? Now you can! On the first of the month, we’ll share a monthly calendar of Japan’s upcoming holidays and notable festivals.

Check our instagram story on these dates to learn more about each holiday!

Mar 3: Hinamatsuri

Today celebrates young girls. Intricate dolls called hina are displayed on a red carpet for the day, and removed quickly the next day as it is believed that leaving them out for too long can harm a girls chance at marriage.

Mar 6-15: Kyoto Arashiyama Hanatoro Festival

A festival of flowers (hana) and lights (to) with 2,400 lanterns lining the streets (ro) in Higashiyama district in Kyoto.

Mar 14: Nara Omizutori Festival

A Buddahist festival in Nara where monks burn pine torches and draw water from a well. This ceremony is believed to cleanse people’s sin and mark the start of spring season in Nara.

Mar 14: Tsunan Snow Festival

A snow festival in Tsunan City, Niigata, known for releasing over 2,000 sky lanterns at night.

Mar 14-15: Omihachiman Sagicho Fire Festival

Honoring an event from the 1500's, thirteen neighbors in Omihachiman burn large parade floats made of straw and wood after competing for best float, and people dance along the fire.

Mar 20: Shunbun no Hi (national holiday)

The day of the vernal equinox and the beginning of spring.

Cherry Blossom Dates

Anticipated dates for the first sakura flowers in these cities as predicted by the Japan Meteorological Corporation's Sakura Zensen. Updated Feb 25.

Mar 18: Anticipated First Cherry Blossom Bloom in Tokyo

Mar 18: Anticipated First Cherry Blossom Bloom in Nagoya

Mar 18: Anticipated First Cherry Blossom Bloom in Kyoto

Mar 19: Anticipated First Cherry Blossom Bloom in Fukuoka

Mar 22: Anticipated First Cherry Blossom Bloom in Osaka