March in Japan is a month of transition. Winter is fading, plum blossoms are in full bloom, and cherry blossoms begin to appear in the warmer regions.
Schools and companies prepare for graduation ceremonies, and the whole country feels fresh and full of new beginnings!
Whether you’re planning a spring trip or exploring Japanese culture from home, here are the key events and seasonal highlights of Japan in March:
Japanese festivals and events in March
Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day)
Celebrated on 3 March, Hinamatsuri is a day to wish for the health and happiness of young girls.
You might see Hinamatsuri translated as Girls’ Day, Girls’ Festival, Doll Festival or similar. Hina (雛 / ひな) is the name of the traditional dolls displayed on this day, and matsuri (祭り / まつり) means festival.
Families display elegant hina dolls on red platforms. The simplest displays just have two dolls (representing an emperor and empress), and more elaborate displays can be many tiers high and feature a whole range of courtiers.
Hinamatsuri is also a time to enjoy special foods such as chirashi-zushi (a ‘scattered’ sushi bowl) and sweet hina-arare (pastel coloured sweet rice crackers).
Hinamatsuri is not a public holiday in Japan, but it is widely observed by families with girls, and you will spot beautiful hina doll displays everywhere you go!
White Day
On 14 March, Japan celebrates White Day. It’s the companion holiday to Valentine’s Day.
As we learned last month, in Japan on Valentine’s Day, women give chocolates to men. White Day is when men give gifts or sweets back to the women who gave them chocolate in February!
The value of the reciprocal gifts is supposed to be three times more than the gifts received in February.
And like Valentine’s Day in Japan, it’s not necessarily a romantic day. People also give gifts to coworkers, friends and so on.
🌸 Read more: How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Japan
Spring Equinox Day (Shunbun no Hi) and Higan
Spring Equinox Day (春分の日, Shunbun no Hi) is a national holiday observed on March 20 each year. It marks the spring equinox, the time when day and night are balanced and we really start to feel shift in season.
Spring Equinox Day sits in the middle of Higan, a week-long Buddhist period observed for three days either side of both the spring and autumn equinoxes.
Higan is a time for honouring ancestors and for self-reflection. During Higan, many families tend graves, clean ancestral sites and place flowers or favourite foods on family shrines.
People working away may return to their hometowns to visits graves, and there are special services in Buddhist temples.
Graduation ceremonies
March is the end of the academic year in Japan, and so schools and universities everywhere hold their graduation ceremonies (sotsugyoushiki) (卒業式 / そつぎょうしき).
Even if you’re visiting as a tourist, you may catch glimpses of ceremonies or photo sessions, with many students dressed in their best formal traditional Japanese attire. University graduates typically wear hakama – a kind of wide, loose trouser worn over kimono.
Early cherry blossoms
In the warmer parts of Japan, the famous cherry blossoms (sakura) usually begin blooming in late March.
The full season varies by region, but March is when excitement for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) really begins nationwide.
If you’ll be in Japan this March, don’t forget to keep an eye on the cherry blossom forecast so you’re prepared!
🌸 Read more: Everything You Need to Know to Celebrate Cherry Blossom Season in Japan
Things to do in Japan in March
March is a beautiful month for gentle weather and early spring sights. Here are some ideas for your trip:
- See plum blossoms in gardens and shrines, often at their best this month.
- Visit hina doll displays at museums and cultural centres.
- Try spring foods such as sakura mochi, nanohana (field mustard), or early-season strawberries.
- Explore parks preparing for cherry blossom season, with buds starting to form.
- Enjoy mild outdoor walks as temperatures rise and days grow brighter.
What’s the weather like in March in Japan?
March brings a noticeable shift towards spring, but temperatures still vary across the country.
Tokyo and central Japan typically range from 8–15°C (46–59°F), while northern areas like Hokkaido remain much colder, often hovering around 0–5°C (32–41°F). Southern regions can feel quite mild.
Pack layers, a light-to-medium coat and/or a waterproof jacket, as spring showers are common.
Japanese activities to try at home in March
March is a lovely month to bring a touch of Japanese spring into your home!
- Try this simple hina doll origami craft or set up a small Girls’ Day display.
- Try sakura mochi or even try making your own.
- Celebrate White Day by giving sweets to friends or family on March 14th.
- Enjoy early spring-themed art or calligraphy, perhaps writing 春, the character for ‘spring’ (haru).
Useful Japanese vocabulary for March
- Hinamatsuri (雛祭り / ひなまつり) – Girls’ Day
- hina ningyō (雛人形 / ひなにんぎょう) – hina dolls
- hina-arare (雛あられ / ひなあられ) – colourful rice crackers for Hinamatsuri
- Shunbun no Hi (春分の日 / しゅんぶんのひ) – Spring Equinox Day
- ume (梅 / うめ) – plum blossoms
- sakura (桜 / さくら) – cherry blossoms
- howaito dē (ホワイトデー) – White Day
- sotsugyoushiki (卒業式 / そつぎょうしき) – graduation ceremony
- haru (春 / はる) – spring
- nanohana (菜の花 / なのはな) – field mustard blossoms
- hanami (花見 / はなみ) – cherry blossom viewing
🌸 Learn more: 16+ Essential Japanese Words for Spring
Related posts
- Spring in Japan: Japanese Spring Festivals and Traditions you Need to Know
- Everything You Need to Know to Celebrate Cherry Blossom Season in Japan
- 17+ Blooming Beautiful Japanese Cherry Blossom Words for Spring
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Rebecca is the founder of Team Japanese. She spent two years teaching English in Ehime, Japan. Now back in the UK, she spends her time blogging, self-studying Japanese and wrangling a very genki toddler.