Japan in April 2026: Weather, Festivals, Travel Tips & More

Are you preparing for a trip to Japan in April? Here’s all the information you’ll need about weather conditions, seasonal events and overall expenses ahead of your visit.

Enchanting landscapes with blue skies, seas of cherry blossom and the scent of flowers lingering in the air. April is one of the most popular months to visit Japan.

If you’re considering visiting Japan in April, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will answer all your questions about weather conditions and clothing, share some travel tips and tricks, and uncover some of the special events that make Japan such a popular spring travel destination.

Is April a Good Time to Visit Japan? 

April is a great time to visit Japan. Spring is Japan’s peak season for travel, with clear skies, comfortable temperatures and seasonal events combining to make this a memorable time to travel the length and breadth of the country.

From around mid-March, thousands of blooming cherry trees turn the country into a beautiful sea of pink. The annual cherry blossom front begins on the southern island of Kyūshū and gradually moves northwards until it reaches Tōhoku in mid-April and Hokkaidō in late April to early May.

For such a major natural phenomenon, the cherry blossoms can be pretty elusive. If you’re travelling to Japan in March or April, it’s best to keep an eye on the cherry blossom forecasts as fickle temperatures and rain affect the flowering period.

Depending on the weather, cherry blossom season in each place lasts for around two weeks in total. It’s divided into three stages: the opening of the first blossoms, the full bloom and the petals drifting from the trees, which the Japanese like to compare to a snowstorm.

However, travelling around Japan in the high season also means dealing with huge crowds of people and higher prices for flights and accommodations than other months.

Good weather, cherry blossom season and Golden Week, a series of national holidays at the end of the month, make April one of the busiest and most expensive periods to visit Japan.

Weather in Japan in April 

Japan is an archipelago that stretches over 3,000 kilometres from its northernmost to southernmost point. This means temperatures vary greatly depending on the places you plan to visit during your trip.

In April, spring is in full swing across Japan. Mild days of up to 20°C make exploring cities like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka a pleasant experience. During cherry blossom season, people love to gather in parks for a picnic underneath the blooming trees with family and friends. 

Tōhoku and Hokkaidō in Northern Japan are still colder, while Japan’s tropical getaway Okinawa awaits visitors with almost summery weather around this time of year. Below, you can find the average daily temperatures for Japan in April: 

Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (averages between 1991–2020)

The probability of rain in Japan’s major cities during April hovers at around 30%. But for the most part, you can expect clear skies and moderate rainfall:

Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (averages between 1991–2020)

What to Wear in Japan in April? 

When visiting Japan in April, a layered look will help you handle whatever the weather throws at you.

Following the Golden Route between Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima, you can expect pleasant temperatures of up to 20°C during the day. Days with few clouds and plenty of warm sunshine.

Bring some t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts and sweaters, long trousers, and comfortable shoes/sneakers.

Temperatures drop quickly as soon as the sun goes down. In April, the nights are still chilly at around 10°C. It’s best to keep a light, waterproof jacket in your bag. If you tend to get cold quickly, bringing a light scarf and a hat or beanie can be a lifesaver.

Is Japan Crowded in April? 

If there’s one major drawback to travelling Japan in April, it’s the crowds. April is Japan’s peak travel season, and major travel destinations can become extremely crowded at the beginning and end of the month.

Cherry Blossom Season

Japan’s famous cherry blossom attracts millions of tourists from all around the globe each year. Late March to early April is usually the best time to see the pretty white-pink flowers in full bloom around Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.

During these weeks, popular cherry blossom spots like Osaka Castle Park, Ueno Park in Tokyo, and Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto are usually packed with people. The same applies to day trip destinations outside Japan’s main cities like Himeji Castle and some areas around Mt. Fuji, including Hakone. 

One way to avoid the crowds is to visit lesser-known cherry blossom spots in the surrounding prefectures. But since the cherry blossoms are a national phenomenon, don’t expect to have them all to yourself. 

Golden Week

In late April, Golden Week kicks off another wave of tourism in Japan. Golden Week is a series of four national holidays within a seven-day window starting with the Showa Day on April 29th and ending with Children’s Day on May 5th.

During this period, many Japanese take the opportunity to travel. Domestic hotels, flights and the Shinkansen get booked up quickly. If you travel during this time, we strongly recommend pre-booking tickets for the Shinkansen. Prices for international flights to and from Japan also skyrocket around this time of year.

Travelling to Japan during Golden Week can be very expensive. Schedule your flights for the weeks before or after Golden Week if you want to save money and avoid large crowds.

Costs of Travelling to Japan in April 

Since April is one of Japan’s peak travel seasons, prices for flights to Japan are higher than usual between mid-March and early April. This is when most international visitors schedule their flights for cherry blossom season.

Before Golden Week, flight prices rise again. Due to the numerous national holidays between the end of April and the beginning of May, many Japanese people travel both within and outside Japan. This makes finding affordable flights extremely difficult.

Accommodation will also be a lot more expensive compared to other times of year. If you’re visiting Japan on a budget, it’s best to avoid April.

Best Things to Do in Japan in April 

With sunny days, hanami parties under blooming cherry trees and enchanting landscapes sprinkled with colourful flowers, April is the month that sees Japan finally awake from its winter slumber.

The main event is the cherry blossom at the beginning of April, when thousands of people celebrate the return of the sakura by holding picnics under the cherry trees. This is one of the biggest events in the Japanese calendar, and people up and down the country make the most of the brief, spectacular bloom of the world-famous sakura.

Parks, gardens and temples across the country also hold illumination events during cherry blossom season, where you can experience the ethereal beauty of yozakura, or night cherry blossoms.

While the cherry blossom is the biggest draw during this season, it’s not the country’s only attraction during this period. As the temperatures rise, flower festivals pop up all over the country to celebrate the natural beauty of Japan. The weather is also perfect for long days exploring Japan’s big cities and major travel destinations on foot.

Here’s an overview of some of the most popular things to do in Japan in April: 

• Enjoy hanami: Hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, is one of the most beloved Japanese traditions during the spring season. Grab yourself a blue picnic sheet, some snacks and drinks and head out to a park that allows visitors to sit underneath the blooming cherry trees.
• Try seasonal cherry blossom sweets: No hanami experience is complete without trying some of the creative limited-edition sweets, snacks and drinks Japanese food companies come up with for sakura season every year. Watch out for pink packaging and wrapping when visiting convenience stores and supermarkets in March and early April, or drop in at one of the many cafés and restaurants that offer special spring menus.
• Visit Japan’s various flower parks and fields: Cherry blossoms are not the only thing that burst into life during spring in Japan. Flower festivals take place all over the country throughout April, celebrating everything from peonies and tulips to shibazakura and nemophila.
• Go strawberry picking: Although strawberry season in Japan starts in December, strawberry picking is a popular activity during the warm spring months. Strawberry farms can be found all over Japan, but the prefectures of Tochigi, Fukuoka and Kumamoto are the top-producing regions.
• Travel to Okinawa: April is one of the best months to visit Okinawa. Average temperatures well above 20°C make for a perfect early summer getaway. The rainy season hits Okinawa around mid-May, a few weeks before the Japanese mainland.

Basic Rules for Cherry Blossom Viewing

Before heading out to view the cherry blossom, keep the following basic etiquette in mind:

• Cherry blossoms are there for everyone to enjoy. Plucking the flowers off the trees and touching or forcefully bending the twigs is frowned upon. Admire them from a slight distance instead. 
• Lay out your hanami blankets only in areas where it’s permitted. Sitting underneath the cherry trees is forbidden in some parks. 
• Don’t take up more space than you need with your picnic blanket, don’t be too noisy and take your rubbish home with you when leaving the park.

Festivals and Events in Japan in April 2026

Here are some festivals and events that will take place in Japan in April 2026:

• NAKED Sakura Festival at Nijō Castle, Kyoto (19/03/2026 – 19/04/2026): This annual digital art exhibition at Nijō Castle is a great way to add a little extra magic to your cherry blossom experience in Kyoto. While the exhibition starts in mid-March, the best time to visit is when the castle’s cherry blossoms are in full bloom, usually between late March and early April. Entrance starts at 6:00 PM, with final admission at 9:00 PM.
• Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival in Ueno Park, Tokyo (mid-March to early April): Ueno Park is one of the most popular cherry blossom spots in Tokyo. With over 800 cherry blossom trees along the park’s avenues, it attracts a huge number of visitors to admire the blossoms and hold hanami parties. You can also visit at night to see the blossoms lit up by lanterns.
• Osaka Castle Park Cherry Blossom Festival in Osaka (late March to mid-April): With around 3,000 cherry trees, Osaka Castle Park is the place to be for hanami in Kansai. Nishinomaru Garden also offers the chance to see the yozakura throughout the season with night viewing events.
• Beppu Hattō Onsen Festival & Mt. Ōgi Fire Festival in Beppu, Oita Prefecture (01/04/2026 – 05/04/2026): Known as Japan’s onsen capital, Beppu hosts a festival to celebrate its hot springs each year in early April. In addition to parades and free entry to some of the city’s hot springs, the slopes of Mt. Ōgi are set alight in a spectacular fire festival.
• Nemophila Harmony at Hitachi Seaside Park, Ibaraki Prefecture (mid-April to early May): Every year between mid-April and early May, Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture sees a sharp rise in visitors when a sea of blue nemophila flowers covers Miharashi Hill. Check out the blooming forecasts before visiting, or jump on a tour from Tokyo and spend the day exploring a selection of Japanese flower festivals.
• Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture (17/04/2026 – 05/05/2026): Even if you’re too late for cherry blossom season in Central Honshū, you can still see the sakura by travelling up north to Tōhoku in late April. Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture hosts a famous annual cherry blossom festival at Hirosaki Park, home to approximately 2,600 sakura trees. With lots of street food and illuminations after dark, this is a great way to wrap up your cherry blossom season in Japan.
• Ashikaga Flower Park Great Wisteria Festival in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture (11/04/2026 – 20/05/2026): Ashikaga Flower Park is renowned in Japan for the beauty of its wisteria. At the center of it all is a 160-year-old wisteria tree, with cascading purple flowers like something from another world. At night, the park hosts a wisteria light-up event. Admission fees change depending on the condition of the wisteria, so check the park’s website before your visit to find out what you can expect on arrival.
• Fuji Shibazakura Festival in Fuji Motosuko Resort, Yamanashi Prefecture (12/04/2026 – 25/05/2026): During the Fuji Shibazakura Festival, around 500,000 shibazakura plants (known as “moss phlox” in English) turn huge fields in front of Mt. Fuji into a pink dreamscape. Again, take a look at the weather and blooming forecasts before visiting!

Conclusion – Visiting Japan in April 

April is one of the busiest and most popular times to travel to Japan. Great weather, cherry blossoms and unique festivals make it a fantastic time of year to explore the Land of the Rising Sun.

Although touristy spots in major cities are more crowded than usual, the beautiful spring landscapes make visiting Japan in April definitely worth it. Just be aware that you may have to spend a little more to make your trip happen, particularly during Golden Week.

Trying to figure out the best time to visit Japan? Check out our article about Japan in November to compare the spring and autumn travel seasons, or browse our December and January articles to start planning a shoulder or off-season adventure.