Haru · March — May
Spring: the season of blossoms
Spring in Japan begins with plum blossoms in February's last cold days and crests with the sakura front — a wave of cherry blossoms that sweeps the country from south to north, tracked on the evening news like weather. It is the season of school entrance ceremonies, fresh starts and picnics under falling petals.
Festivals of spring
Hinamatsuri — Doll Festival
Girls' Day: tiered displays of Heian-court dolls and wishes for daughters' health and happiness.
Hanami — Blossom Viewing
The beloved picnic under blooming sakura — food, friends and falling petals.
Kodomo no Hi — Children's Day
Carp streamers in the wind and rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves for children's strength.
Spring habits & customs
Beyond the big festivals, spring has a rhythm of small habits:
What people do
- Follow the sakura forecast. Blossom-front maps are published daily; timing a hanami to full bloom (mankai) is an art.
- Reserve picnic spots early. In popular parks a blue tarp laid out at dawn politely holds the evening's place.
- Celebrate beginnings. The school and fiscal year start in April — stationery, suits and nervous first days everywhere.
- Air out the house. Spring cleaning and switching wardrobes (koromogae) to lighter clothes as warmth returns.
- Enjoy yozakura. Evening blossom viewing under paper lanterns, when the petals glow against the dark.
What spring is not
- Hanami is not a drinking party first — the blossoms are the guest of honor, and rowdy groups draw frowns.
- Branches are never pulled down or shaken for photos; a fallen petal in your cup is luck, a broken branch is vandalism.
- Hina dolls are not left out long after March 3 — superstition says a late put-away delays a daughter's marriage.
Planning a hanami? See the full picnic checklist and rules on the
etiquette page, and what to pack in the bento on the
food page.
Spring at a glance
| When | What happens | Key custom |
|---|---|---|
| Early March | Hinamatsuri | Hina doll displays, chirashizushi |
| Late March | Sakura front arrives | Forecast watching, first picnics |
| Early April | Full bloom, new school year | Hanami parties, entrance ceremonies |
| Mid April | Petal fall (hanafubuki) | Yozakura evening viewing |
| May 5 | Children's Day | Koinobori streamers, kashiwa mochi |