Mao Goto is a Japanese freelancer who was born in Hayama, Kanagawa prefecture, and raised in Tokyo. Since 2016 she lives in the Taito Ward, home to a lot of Japanese culture hotspots such as Asakusa, Akihabara, and Ueno. She has been interested in the field of English education of Japan and got her Master’s degree in March, 2020. A lover of photography, travel, sweets, and cross-stitch. Contact her via Facebook.
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No matter where you live, spring is a wonderful season. But Spring in Japan? Next level! Beyond the blooming flowers, cherry blossoms and adorable animals, spring in Japan also boasts some of the excellent festivals. Japan’s spring festivals are often overshadowed by the big festivals during summer and winter, but spring is a special time of year. Cherry blossom festivals and other spring-related events are held all over Japan and there’s no shortage of fun for locals and tourists, alike.
Get ready to explore the beauty of spring in Japan with our guide to 15 of the most enchanting spring festivals in Japan for 2025!
- 1. Jindaiji Daruma Doll Fair (Tokyo)
- 2. Otaue Rice Planting Festival (Osaka)
- 3. Beppu Hattou Onsen Matsuri (Oita)
- 4. Ushibuka Haiya Festival (Kumamoto)
- 5. Aoi Matsuri (Kyoto)
- 6. Nagahama Hikiyama Festival (Shiga)
- 7. Hakata Dontaku (Fukuoka)
- 8. Kanda Matsuri (Tokyo)
- 9. Naha Hari Festival (Okinawa)
- 10. Seihaku Festival (Ishikawa)
- 11. Sanja Matsuri (Tokyo)
- 12. Nikko Toshogu Shrine Annual Grand Spring Festival
- 13. Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival (Aomori)
- 14. Hina Festival in Inatori Onsen (Shizuoka)
- 15. Ikazaki Kite Battle Festival (Ehime)
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1. Jindaiji Daruma Doll Fair (Tokyo)
Jindaiji Daruma Market is a festival held every year on March 3rd and 4th in Chofu, Tokyo, and is considered one of the “Three Great Daruma Markets in Japan”, along with Bishamonten Taisai Daruma Market in Shizuoka prefecture and Takasaki Daruma Market in Gunma prefecture. The festival has been going on since the Edo period and is said to have a history of over 300 years already. About 100,000 people flock to this Daruma Market at Jindaiji Temple every year! Inside the temple, there are about 300 stores selling daruma dolls of various sizes, and you can expect it to be crowded. If you like daruma, Jindaiji Daruma Market is a must visit!
Dates: March 3rd – 4th, every year
Official Website: Jindaiji Daruma Doll Fair
2. Otaue Rice Planting Festival (Osaka)
Held every year on June 14th at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, the Otaue Rice Planting Festival is a special springtime tradition in Osaka. The word “Otaue” means rice planting, which is regarded as a very important event for Japan as a whole, with rice being the staple food. The Otaue Rice Planting Festival at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine is famous for being bigger than other rice planting festivals held nationwide, with many people from all over joining every year. In addition to the actual planting of rice, there are many other events going on such as the dance of the eight shrine maidens that is also very popular among visitors.
Date: June 14th, every year
Official Website: Otaue Rice Planting Festival
3. Beppu Hattou Onsen Matsuri (Oita)
Beppu Hattou Onsen Matsuri is a spring festival held every year on April 1st, as well as the first weekend of April. This festival takes place at Beppu Hot Springs in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture. The festival started as a way to celebrate the richness of Beppu’s famous hot springs. During the festival many of the city’s hot springs are open to the public for free, not to mention there are many other events such as portable shrines being carried around in the shopping districts. Looking to relax and party? This is the ultimate festival.
Dates: April 1st – 6th, 2025
Official Website: Beppu Hattou Onsen Matsuri
4. Ushibuka Haiya Festival (Kumamoto)
Ushibuka Haiya Festival in Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture, is a traditional Japanese festival held every year in mid April. It is said that the name “Haiya” comes from the south wind used to move sailing boats, which was once called “Hae no Kaze” in Kyushu. Nowadays, the festival is big and impressive with wonderful parades going on throughout the city.
Dates: April 18th – 20th, 2025
Official Website: Ushibuka Haiya Festival
5. Aoi Matsuri (Kyoto)
If you’re looking for a taste of Japan’s Heian period, Kyoto‘s Aoi Matsuri is just what you are looking for! This festival is held every year in mid May at Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine. People dress up in traditional Japanese clothing and walk along an eight kilometer long road, as if they have slipped back in time to the Heian period. If you like the atmosphere of the Heian period or are just interested in Japanese history in general, you should definitely give this festival a visit!
Date: May 15th, every year
Festival Information: Aoi Matsuri
6. Nagahama Hikiyama Festival (Shiga)
The Nagahama Hikiyama Festival is a spring festival in Nagahama of Shiga Prefecture. One of the main attractions of the festival is “The Children’s Kabuki,” performed on floats by boys between the ages of 5 and 12. Their performances are said to be so amazing that even the adults are in awe.
Dates: April 9th – 17th, 2025
Festival Information: Nagahama Hikiyama Festival
7. Hakata Dontaku (Fukuoka)
Hakata Dontaku is a festival held annually on May 3rd and 4th in Hakata of Fukuoka Prefecture. It is said to have a history of about 830 years. There is a ceremony held at the harbor as well as a dance performance that you can’t miss. Of course, there is also a huge parade that will keep you entertained for the greater part of two days! The parade and dance performances along with the vibrant costumes will surely be a memorable experience.
Dates: May 3rd – 4th, every year
Official Website: Hakata Dontaku
8. Kanda Matsuri (Tokyo)
Kanda Matsuri is a major festival held at Kanda Myojin Shrine, which can be reached on foot from Ochanomizu Station. It is one of the three major festivals of Edo (Tokyo), along with the Sanno Festival and the Fukagawa Festival. This festival is special in the way that the events of the festival change every year depending on whether it is held on an even or odd numbered year. When the festival is held on an odd-numbered year, it is called “Honmatsuri” and is held in a very lavish manner.
On the contrary, when the festival is held on an even-numbered year, it is called “Kage Matsuri”, which is shorter and less grand than the odd-numbered years. However there is still a lot going on like food stalls you can eat at and Noh plays you can enjoy watching. If you like big festivals, Kanda Myojin on an odd-numbered year is great. If you prefer a smaller scale festival, an even-numbered year might be the better option for you!
Dates: Mid-May (exact dates TBA)
Official Website: Kanda Matsuri
9. Naha Hari Festival (Okinawa)
Okinawa, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan, also has a big festival celebrating spring, called the Naha Hari Festival. It is usually held for three days every year during the Golden Week holidays. The biggest event is the “Hon-Bari”. In this event, people from Naha, Kume, and Tomari dress up in traditional Okinawan clothing and get on a boat and race out on the sea. It is truly an amazing sight to see as the entire venue is packed with people fired up and cheering them on.
Dates: May 3rd – 5th, 2025
Official Website: Naha Hari
10. Seihaku Festival (Ishikawa)
The Seihaku Festival is a famous festival held at Ōtokonushi Shrine in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture. There are three massive floats that bring excitement to the local community. Of the three, there is one called “Dekayama” which is a huge float that is 12 meters high, weighs 20 tons, and its wheels have a diameter of 2 meters, making it the largest float in all of Japan! This festival is a lot of fun for everyone if you ever have the chance to make it out to Ishikawa prefecture in the spring.
Dates: May 3rd – 5th, every year
Official Website: Seihaku Festival
11. Sanja Matsuri (Tokyo)
Asakusa’s Sanja Festival is a three-day festival held every year on the third Saturday of May, but starts on that Friday and ends on Sunday. This festival takes place in Asakusa, where the Edo atmosphere still remains strong. It attracts about 1,800,000 people every year! There are portable shrines carried throughout the Asakusa area, which eventually form a parade along Nakamise Street. You won’t want to miss out on this three day event because it is one of the most exciting times of the year to visit Asakusa.
Dates: May 16th – May 18th, 2025
Official Website: Sanja Matsuri
12. Nikko Toshogu Shrine Annual Grand Spring Festival
Nikko is one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Tochigi Prefecture, where Nikko Toshogu, the symbol of Nikko, holds a spring festival every year. One of the main highlights of this festival is the “Yabusame Shinji”, archery on horseback. You also don’t want to miss the “Hyakumonozoroe Senninmusyagyōreu”, parade of a thousand people. This is a thrilling reenactment of the parade of Tokugawa Ieyasu when he was reburied in Nikko from his original burial place at Kunouzan in Shizuoka prefecture. Hundreds of people dress up as samurai or aristocrats and make their way to the shrine as a large group. This festival is loved by the locals as it holds a deep feeling and history of Japan.
Dates: May 17th and 18th every year
Official Website: Nikko Toshogu Shrine Annual Grand Spring Festival
13. Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival (Aomori)
While much of Japan celebrates peak sakura season in late March and early April, Hirosaki’s 2,600 cherry trees, including the iconic Somei Yoshino and elegant weeping varieties, hold out until late April, making it a perfect destination for those who missed the earlier blooms. The Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival, usually running from April 23rd to May 5th (though dates may shift slightly depending on the blooms), is a spectacle worth waiting for. Stroll through the park during the day, admiring the diverse cherry tree varieties, and be sure to return at night when the illuminated trees and castle create a truly magical atmosphere. It’s no wonder this festival draws huge crowds eager to experience one of Japan’s top hanami spots.
When: April 18th – May 5th, 2025
Website: Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival
14. Hina Festival in Inatori Onsen (Shizuoka)
Beyond its relaxing hot springs, Inatori hosts a captivating Hina Matsuri festival that lasts until late March. You can see a breathtaking spectacle at Susanoo Shrine, where hundreds of exquisitely dressed Hina dolls adorn the 118 stone steps leading to the shrine. The enchanting display continues at Inatori Cultural Park and Hina Hall Mukai-an, where you can explore traditional Hina doll exhibits and admire delicate, hand-made hanging ornaments.
When: January 20th – March 31st, 2025
Website: Hina Festival in Inatori Onsen
15. Ikazaki Kite Battle Festival (Ehime)
Ehime knows how to celebrate Children’s Day with the Ikazaki Kite Battle Festival in Uchiko! This 400-year-old tradition, held annually on May 5th, transforms the Oda River into a vibrant battleground. People flock to the riverbank to watch over 500 colossal Japanese paper kites, piloted by skilled teams, battle it out. Equipped with razor-sharp “Gagari” blades, these kites slice through the sky, vying for dominance. Beyond the breathtaking battles, the festival also celebrates new life, with giant kites bearing the names of newborns as a wish for their health and happiness. This designated Intangible Folk Cultural Asset of Ehime Prefecture offers a unique and unforgettable experience, well worth a visit if you’re in the area during Golden Week.
When: May 5th, every year
Website: Ikazaki Kite Battle Festival
Spring in Japan is pure magic. From the northern reaches to the southern tips, vibrant festivals bloom alongside the cherry blossoms, each a unique celebration of the season. With perfect weather for exploring, these lively events offer unforgettable experiences to experience spring in Japan!
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