Japan, already captivating with its magnificent cities, temples, and samurai heritage, is utterly transformed in spring, becoming a truly breathtaking spectacle
Stunning at any time of year, few places can rival the beauty of Japan in spring. Its vast cities, temples, fields, gardens, and parks are awash with the delicate blossoms of hundreds of thousands of cherry trees. Combine this with the mild temperatures and vibrant festivals, and the allure of this ancient and enigmatic land becomes impossible to resist.
One of the highlights of the year is Golden Week, usually celebrated from late April to early May. Visitors can enjoy colourful parades, enticing street food stalls, spectacular sumo wrestling matches (in Osaka), relaxing onsen (hot spring) experiences, and a wealth of other cultural displays across the country. A particularly cherished tradition is Hanami, when people go outdoors simply to view and contemplate the beauty of the cherry blossoms.
The cherry trees (sakura) and their blossoms hold deep and ancient symbolic meaning, representing the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. This is why the cherry blossom season is such a significant event in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Some of the most popular spots to experience Hanami include Ueno Park (Tokyo), the Philosopher’s Path (Kyoto), and the Japan Mint (Osaka). For a truly magnificent experience, it’s well worth going out of your way to visit Mount Yoshino (Nara), where over 30,000 cherry trees blanket the mountainside, or venturing over a thousand kilometres north to the picturesque samurai town of Kakunodate in the Akita Prefecture.
Japan’s festival season begins in spring and continues until September. With something for everyone, these festivals offer a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in Japanese culture, customs, and traditions.
The Kanamara Matsuri (Penis Festival) takes place in Kawasaki on the first Sunday of April. This unique and surprising festival, rooted in ancient Shinto tradition, celebrates fertility and marital bliss. Mid-April sees the Takayama Spring Festival, one of Japan’s most beautiful celebrations, featuring elaborate floats, puppet shows, and processions. From late April to early May, the Kanda Matsuri, one of Tokyo’s three major Shinto festivals, fills the capital’s streets and parks with lively parades, music, and dance.
Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day), celebrated on May 5th, is a festival for both boys and girls, filled with traditional snacks and decorations. Families display koinobori – colourful, carp-shaped streamers – outside their homes. These symbolize strength, good luck, and success, reflecting parents’ hopes for their children’s happy futures, and should not be touched. The carp, or koi fish, is revered in Japanese culture for its strength and determination, particularly its legendary ability to swim upstream, even through powerful waterfalls. Koinobori, therefore, embody the wish that children will grow into brave and strong individuals, just like the carp.
On May 15th, various spring festivals are held throughout Japan to mark the arrival of summer. Highlights include the Aoi Matsuri and the Kamigamo Shrine Festival, both in Kyoto, and the Suwa Taisha Chigo Procession in Nagano.
The Sanja Matsuri (Tokyo), on the third Sunday of May, transforms the iconic Asakusa district, with its temples and vibrant atmosphere, into a lively spectacle. Three mikoshi (portable shrines) are paraded through the streets, accompanied by traditional music and enthusiastic cheers from the crowds.
At the end of May, the Aoi Matsuri (Kyoto) sees participants dressed in Heian Era costumes processing from the Imperial Palace to the Kamo Shrines, culminating in a grand procession.
