12 Exciting Activities in Japan You Can Only Enjoy in the Spring

Klook ANZ

Last updated 19 Feb 2024

Image credits to @homeofdelight, @solli.fe, and @hellotessaon Instagram

Are cherry blossoms on your bucket list? Stuck with what to do in Japan? Visit Japan in spring, when the whole country gets painted in delicate shades of pink and white! Many flowers, like the popular cherry blossoms or sakura, azaleas, and wisterias, bloom from late March to early May.

Aside from watching flowers, there are heaps of things to do during springtime at the Land of the Rising Sun. Whether you're a nature lover, a history buff, or simply someone who loves to experience new cultures, you won't find a shortage of activities right here!

Don't know where to start your itinerary? Here are 10 things you shouldn't miss out on during spring in Japan:

Join the Mt. Fuji Flower Festival
Go on a cherry blossom tour
Pick strawberries and enjoy eat-all-you-can crab
Visit a tea farm for the Chakabuki experience
Rent a kimono and tour Okinawa
Ride a bike at a nearby park
Conquer the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
Join a traditional festival
Feast on spring food and drinks
Pass through the Wisteria Tunnel
Spring season skiing in Niseko
Cruise along Tokyo Bay with a wonderful cherry blossom scenery

What is popular in Japan during the spring season?

During the spring season in Japan, several cultural and natural phenomena are popular and celebrated. Here are some highlights:

Cherry Blossom Viewing (Hanami): Perhaps the most iconic aspect of spring in Japan is the blooming of cherry blossoms, or "sakura." People engage in hanami, where they gather in parks to appreciate the beauty of cherry blossoms. This is often accompanied by picnics, food, and drinks under the blooming trees.
Strawberry Picking: Spring is the strawberry season in Japan, and strawberry picking is a popular activity. Many farms open their doors to allow visitors to pick and enjoy fresh, ripe strawberries.
Spring Festivals (Haru Matsuri): A tonne of festivals take place during spring, celebrating the arrival of warmer weather and the blooming of flowers. These festivals feature traditional performances, parades, and food stalls.
Golden Week: Golden Week is a series of national holidays that usually take place at the end of April and the beginning of May. It includes Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Showa Day, and Children's Day. Many people take advantage of this extended holiday to travel or participate in various events.
Tulip Festivals: In addition to cherry blossoms, tulips are also a significant flower during spring. Tulip festivals are held in various locations, showcasing vibrant displays of these colourful flowers.
Hiking and Nature Walks: Spring is an ideal time for outdoor activities due to the mild weather. Many people take to the mountains and hiking trails to enjoy the blossoming flora and escape the winter chill.
Kite Flying: Kite-flying festivals are held in some regions during spring. Participants create and fly colourful kites, adding a playful element to the season.
Seasonal Foods: Spring brings a variety of seasonal foods to the table. Some popular spring dishes include sakura-themed sweets, fresh bamboo shoots, and dishes featuring spring vegetables like takenoko (bamboo shoots) and fuki (butterbur).

These activities and celebrations capture the essence of spring in Japan, where people celebrate the beauty of nature and the arrival of warmer weather after the winter months.

1. Join the Mt. Fuji Flower Festival

One of the best things to do in japan during spring in Japan is the Mt. Fuji Flower Festival, or the Fuji Shibazakura Festival. Aside from cherry blossoms, the shibazakura or pink moss is one of this festival's must-sees. From April to May 2024, this breathtaking festival happens south of Lake Motosuko in the Fuji Five Lakes Area!

Klook tip: Head up to the fifth station for a bowl of heartwarming Hoto miso noodles for lunch!

Book Mt. Fuji Flower Festival Tour with Ropeway Experience from Tokyo - Get instant booking confirmation

2. Go on a cherry blossom tour

Of course, who doesn't want to experience hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, while in Japan? In case you don't know, hanami is one of the most popular activities in Japan during the springtime. In major cities, you can see locals go on a picnic under cherry blossom trees.

If you want a cherry blossom-filled day, book this cherry blossom tour that takes you to three sakura viewing spots (Yodogawa Kasen Park Sewari Area, Arashiyama, and Daigoji Temple) in Kyoto!

Book Three Sakura Viewing Spots in Kyoto One Day Tour from Osaka - Comes with roundtrip transfers!

Image Credits - @globetrottingpeanuts, @korrokej, and @mhartoto on Instagram

Things To Do Travel essentials

Best Month and Locations to See Cherry Blossoms in Japan

Find out how you can see the sakura bloom during cherry blossom season in Japan—and even off-season!

3. Pick strawberries and enjoy eat-all-you-can crab

Spring in Japan also means there are strawberries abound! Lauded as the queen of spring fruits, Japanese strawberries, harvested in Tochiotome and Amaou, are known to be big and sweet.

If you wanna try your hand at strawberry picking, travel north of Tokyo to Gunma Prefecture, where a vast strawberry field awaits you. After that, you can indulge in an all-you-can-eat crab lunch before visiting the light shows at the Ashikaga Flower Park!

Book Strawberry Picking, All-You-Can-Eat-Crab and Ashikaga Flower Park/Lake Sagami Light Show from Tokyo - Comes with drop-off to Shinjuku area

4. Visit a tea farm for the Chakabuki experience

Another much-awaited activity in Japan during springtime is ichibancha, or the annual harvest of Japanese tea farmers. The picking season starts in May, making the best time to visit green tea plantations smack dab in the spring! Visit a tea farm in Shizuoka prefecture with Klook and learn how their premium green tea is produced. You'll also have the chance to play a traditional chakabuki game, where you'll be identifying different types of tea!

Book Tea Farm Visit and Chakabuki Experience in Shizuoka - Large groups (7+) come with zazen meditation

5. Rent a kimono and tour Okinawa

When in Japan, your spring activities itinerary should include wearing a kimono to completely immerse yourself in Japanese culture. Where else to do that than in Okinawa, where the Okinawa Flower Festival is celebrated in January until the end of Japan spring in May? Okinawa is the place to be if you want first dibs on the earliest cherry blossoms and other unique Okinawa spring activities.

Book your kimono rentals, and remember to bring your cameras for the prettiest photo opportunities with your ‘fit and Japan’s iconic flowers!

Book Yukata and Kimono Rental in Okinawa - Comes with options to add hairstyling and make-up services!

Things To Do

10 Best Kimono Experiences in Japan and Where To Wear Them

Is wearing a kimono on your Japan bucket list? Check this guide to know where to hire one and where to take pics!

6. Ride a bike at a nearby park

Japan is undoubtedly a destination filled with scenic landscapes. Looking for ways to soak in these sights, rent a bike, and go cycling at a nearby park? Take advantage of spring's beautiful weather and the fantastic view of cherry blossoms—a major main character moment! Aside from parks, you can also cycle along the Seto Inland Sea Road or visit different neighbourhoods around Tokyo.

7. Conquer the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

If you're in Japan during April, you're at the perfect time to take on the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Also known as the Roof of Japan, this majestic Alpine Route is carved from an 18-metre-high snow wall from Toyama City to Omachi City in Hokkaido. While the route is open all year round, the snow corridor only runs from April to June. So, take advantage of this when you visit Japan in spring!

8. Join a traditional festival

Flower festivals aren't the only events to watch during spring in Japan. This season also marks the most prominent traditional festivals in Japan.

Hana Matsuri is celebrated on May 26 and is dedicated to the birth of Buddhism's founding figure. Here, you'll find most temples adorned with flowers to celebrate this day. During the third weekend of May, Sanja Matsuri is held in honour of the three men who established and founded the Sensō-ji Buddhist temple. Then, during odd-numbered years, the country celebrates Kanda Matsuri, known for its prominent parades of palanquins, musicians, and dancers.

9. Feast on spring food and drinks

What's a holiday without doing some cherry blossom activities and feasting on the country's trademark cuisine? Spring in Japan is the perfect time to indulge in cherry blossom treats, like sakura mochi, sakura yokan (a jellied dessert with a sakura bean paste), and sakura sake. You can also try pickled sakura leaves or flowers!

10. Pass through the Wisteria Tunnel

Aside from cherry blossoms, there are other other flowers to watch out for during spring in Japan. The season also welcomes the arrival of wisteria flowers. For a fantastic view of these lilac blooms, head to Kawachi Fuji Garden in Northern Kyushu, where the awe-inspiring Wisteria Tunnel looks straight out from a fairytale! 11. Spring season skiing in Niseko

Skiing in Niseko during spring offers a unique and comfortable experience with milder temperatures, extended daylight hours, and fewer crowds compared to the peak winter season.

The resort's renowned powder snow may still be available, and the shoulder season gives you an opportunity to enjoy the slopes with shorter lift lines. Apart from that, spring in Niseko allows for a diverse range of activities beyond skiing, including cherry blossom viewing and relaxation in hot spring baths.

Experience a spring skiing unlike any other in Niseko

12. Cruise along Tokyo Bay with a wonderful cherry blossom scenery

A Tokyo Bay cruise during the Sakura season offers a picturesque and enchanting experience. As you glide along the waters of Tokyo Bay, the iconic Japanese cherry blossoms, or sakura, lining the banks create a stunning panorama of pink and white blossoms. The cruise gives you a unique perspective of Tokyo, with landmarks such as the Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower serving as a backdrop to the blooming cherry trees.

Passengers can also enjoy the serene beauty of the cherry blossoms while savouring traditional Japanese cuisine or partaking in cultural activities on board. The illuminated cityscape at night, combined with the soft glow of the cherry blossoms, adds a touch of magic to the experience.

Whether during the day or evening, a Tokyo Bay cruise during the Sakura season provides a memorable and romantic way to celebrate the beauty of spring in Japan's capital city.