March is the month Japan changes gear. Tokyo starts with winter (a 10°C high in the first week) and ends with spring (highs near 20°C and cherry blossoms in full bloom), and the rain days climb from 20% to 29% as the season’s first storms roll through. The Japanese saying is sankan shion, three cold days then four warm ones, and the data bears it out.
This page gives you 58 years of Japan Meteorological Agency data for 12 cities, the cherry blossom timeline, what to wear for a month that can swing 15 degrees in two days, and a tool that checks the odds for your exact dates.
- Tokyo: high 14.2°C (58°F), low 5.0°C (41°F), sunny days 51%, rain days 29%, 30°C days 0%, snow days 3%
- Coldest of the 12 cities: Sapporo (high 4.5°C (40°F)); warmest: Naha (Okinawa) (high 21.9°C (71°F))
- Wettest: Kanazawa (rain on 51% of days); driest: Sendai (23%)
- Verdict: Yes, especially the second half when cherry blossoms open in Tokyo and Kyoto (peak around 27 March to 5 April).
Check the weather odds for your exact dates (58 years of records)
Choose a city, a date and a window, and the tool counts every March day since 1968 at that weather station: how often it was sunny, how often it rained or snowed, how often it hit 30°C, and what the last dozen years actually looked like. It is the same data set the rest of this page is built on, narrowed to your itinerary.
March weather in 12 Japanese cities
Japan stretches 3,000km from Hokkaido to Okinawa, so a single national figure means little. The table runs north to south. “Sunny days” is the share of days whose daytime weather log starts with clear or sunny; “rain days” is days with 1mm or more.
| City | High / low | Rain days (1mm+) | Sunny days | Rainfall | 30°C+ days | Also |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | 4 / -2°C 40°F / 28°F | 44% | 44% | 78mm | 0% | snow 65% |
| Sendai | 10 / 1°C 50°F / 35°F | 23% | 57% | 74mm | 0% | snow 26% |
| Kanazawa | 12 / 3°C 53°F / 38°F | 51% | 38% | 157mm | 0% | snow 20% |
| Tokyo | 14 / 5°C 58°F / 41°F | 29% | 51% | 116mm | 0% | – |
| Chiba (Tokyo Disney Resort) | 14 / 6°C 57°F / 42°F | 32% | 49% | 111mm | 0% | – |
| Nagoya | 14 / 5°C 58°F / 40°F | 28% | 58% | 116mm | 0% | – |
| Kyoto | 14 / 4°C 57°F / 40°F | 31% | 44% | 106mm | 0% | snow 9% |
| Osaka | 14 / 6°C 58°F / 43°F | 30% | 49% | 103mm | 0% | snow 5% |
| Hiroshima | 14 / 5°C 58°F / 41°F | 29% | 52% | 118mm | 0% | snow 5% |
| Fukuoka | 15 / 7°C 59°F / 45°F | 33% | 47% | 104mm | 0% | – |
| Nagasaki | 15 / 8°C 60°F / 46°F | 34% | 48% | 123mm | 0% | – |
| Naha (Okinawa) | 22 / 17°C 71°F / 62°F | 37% | 36% | 143mm | 0% | – |
Hokkaido and Tohoku (Sapporo, Sendai)
Hokkaido is still winter, with snow on two days in three in Sapporo; Sendai thaws late in the month. Sapporo 4.5°C (40°F) / -2.4°C (28°F), rain 44%, sunny 44%; Sendai 10.0°C (50°F) / 1.4°C (35°F), rain 23%, sunny 57%.
Sea of Japan coast (Kanazawa)
Kanazawa switches from snow to rain and brightens noticeably. Kanazawa 11.6°C (53°F) / 3.4°C (38°F), rain 51%, sunny 38%.
Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka
The Pacific cities warm fastest and open their cherry blossoms in the last week. Tokyo 14.2°C (58°F) / 5.0°C (41°F), rain 29%, sunny 51%; Kyoto 14.1°C (57°F) / 4.3°C (40°F), rain 31%, sunny 44%; Osaka 14.2°C (58°F) / 6.0°C (43°F), rain 30%, sunny 49%.
Western Japan and the south (Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Okinawa)
Kyushu blooms first (Fukuoka around 23 March); Okinawa opens its beaches. Fukuoka 15.0°C (59°F) / 7.2°C (45°F), rain 33%, sunny 47%; Naha (Okinawa) 21.9°C (71°F) / 16.7°C (62°F), rain 37%, sunny 36%.
What March feels like, and why
Migrating highs and lows replace the winter monsoon. From early March, high- and low-pressure systems cross Japan every three to four days. A high brings a sunny, warm day; the following low brings rain, gusty southerly winds (the first strong one is called haru-ichiban) and then a cold northerly behind it. That rhythm is why March has the largest day-to-day temperature swings of the year.
Cherry blossoms track the warmth north. Tokyo’s average opening date is 24 March with peak bloom around 31 March; Kyoto opens around 26 March and peaks 4 April; Fukuoka is a few days earlier, Sapporo not until late April. Rain days in Tokyo rise to 29% in March and 33% in April, so a peak-bloom weekend has roughly a one-in-three chance of rain. Our Tokyo guide ranks the months for blossom viewing.
The north is still winter. Sapporo averages a high of 4.5°C, snow on 65% of days and a snowpack that only begins to melt late in the month. Kanazawa and Niigata switch from snow to rain. Okinawa is the opposite: highs of 22°C and the sea opening for the season in mid to late March.
What to pack for Japan in March
The rule of thumb: dress for Tokyo’s average low in the morning and its average high in the afternoon, then adjust north or south. Indoor spaces are heated hard in winter and cooled hard in summer, so removable layers matter in every month.
| City | Feels like | What to wear | Rain gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | Freezing | a down coat, hat, gloves, thermal layers and shoes with grip for icy pavements | umbrella essential |
| Tokyo | Chilly | a coat and sweater, scarf on windy days | folding umbrella |
| Kyoto | Chilly | a coat and sweater, scarf on windy days | folding umbrella |
| Fukuoka | Cool | a jacket or light coat, a sweater for mornings and evenings | folding umbrella |
| Naha (Okinawa) | Mild | long sleeves or a T-shirt with a light jacket; evenings need the jacket | umbrella essential |
- Pack for both seasons: a light down or a coat for the first half, a jacket for the second, and always a folding umbrella.
- Book cherry blossom week hotels by December; prices in Kyoto double in the last week of March.
- The forecast for peak bloom is updated weekly from late February; wait for it before locking in day trips.
- Strong southerly winds after a storm can knock the blossoms down early; a sunny, calm week after opening is ideal.
Events and seasonal highlights in March
- Cherry blossoms (late March): Tokyo opens around 24 March, Kyoto 26 March, Fukuoka 23 March; Ueno Park, Meguro River, Chidorigafuchi in Tokyo.
- Hina Matsuri (3 March): doll displays; Katsuura in Chiba has a famous one.
- Omizutori (1 to 14 March): the fire ceremony at Todai-ji in Nara.
- Spring school holidays (late March to early April): theme parks and Kyoto are crowded.
- Sea opening in Okinawa: beaches officially open from mid March.
- Pollen season: cedar pollen peaks in March in the Tokyo area.
Compare any two cities, month by month
Pick two of the 12 cities to see their highs, lows, rain days, sunny days, hot days and snow days side by side for the whole year. March is highlighted.
How March compares with the rest of the year in Tokyo
| Month | Tokyo high / low | Rain days | Sunny days | 30°C+ days | Snow days | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10 / 1°C | 14% | 70% | 0% | 6% | 60mm |
| February | 11 / 2°C | 20% | 61% | 0% | 10% | 57mm |
| March | 14 / 5°C | 29% | 51% | 0% | 3% | 116mm |
| April | 19 / 10°C | 33% | 48% | 0% | 0% | 134mm |
| May | 24 / 15°C | 32% | 43% | 1% | 0% | 140mm |
| June | 26 / 18°C | 39% | 27% | 11% | 0% | 168mm |
| July | 30 / 22°C | 33% | 34% | 53% | 0% | 156mm |
| August | 31 / 24°C | 27% | 46% | 73% | 0% | 155mm |
| September | 28 / 20°C | 37% | 35% | 27% | 0% | 225mm |
| October | 22 / 15°C | 32% | 43% | 1% | 0% | 235mm |
| November | 17 / 9°C | 22% | 55% | 0% | 0% | 96mm |
| December | 12 / 4°C | 15% | 67% | 0% | 1% | 58mm |
In Tokyo, March ranks 5th of 12 for sunny days and 6th of 12 for fewest rain days. The previous month, February, averages a high of 10.9°C (52°F); the next, April, 19.4°C (67°F).
In March I look at the sequence, not the single day: a warm southerly ahead of a low means a 20°C afternoon, and the north wind behind it means a 10°C one. Book blossom outings for the day after a front passes, when the sky is clearest.
Frequently asked questions
How cold or hot is Japan in March?
Tokyo averages a high of 14.2°C (58°F) and a low of 5.0°C (41°F) in March. Sapporo in the north averages 4.5°C (40°F) / -2.4°C (28°F), while Naha in Okinawa averages 21.9°C (71°F) / 16.7°C (62°F). Kyoto and Osaka run a degree or two warmer than Tokyo in summer and slightly colder on winter mornings.
Does it rain a lot in Japan in March?
In Tokyo, 29% of March days get 1mm or more of rain (about 9 days), and 29% have a rainy weather log. Kyoto is at 31% of days and Naha at 37%. Sapporo records 44% of days with precipitation, much of it snow.
Is March a good month to visit Japan?
Yes, especially the second half when cherry blossoms open in Tokyo and Kyoto (peak around 27 March to 5 April). Early March is still winter-like, and the month is famous for wild day-to-day swings.
When do cherry blossoms bloom in Tokyo?
The 1991 to 2020 average is opening on 24 March and full bloom on 31 March, with a viewing window of about a week after full bloom. Warm springs bring it forward to mid March; 2021 opened on 14 March.
Is March too cold for Japan?
Early March is still coat weather (Tokyo high 10°C, Kyoto sub-zero mornings), but by the last week highs reach 17 to 20°C. Hokkaido stays in winter all month.
Does it rain much in March?
Rain days in Tokyo rise to 29% (about 9 days). Rain tends to come in one-day bursts with a passing low rather than all-day drizzle, so plan indoor days around the forecast.
- Tokyo averages 14.2°C (58°F) / 5.0°C (41°F); sunny on 51% of days, rain on 29%
- North to south range: Sapporo 4.5°C (40°F) to Naha 21.9°C (71°F)
- Yes, especially the second half when cherry blossoms open in Tokyo and Kyoto (peak around 27 March to 5 April).
- Use the date tool above to check the odds for your own dates
Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency climatological normals (1991 to 2020) for temperatures, precipitation and sunshine; JMA daily observations 1968 to 2025 (58 years) compiled by this site for the share of sunny, rainy, snowy, hot and cold days. Written by a certified Japanese weather forecaster (気象予報士). Percentages are the share of days in the month; a 30 percent rain-day figure means roughly 9 days a month.