7 Thrilling Activities You Can Enjoy during Spring in Japan

Although everyone can agree that Japan is beautiful all-year round, scheduling your trip in the spring is a surefire way to make the most out of your vacation. We're not just talking about watching the iconic cherry blossoms, BTW. 

From feasting on local fresh snacks to visiting breathtaking nature spots, there are countless spring activities in Japan that every tourist will enjoy. Start planning your tour as we round up seven thrilling activities that will complete your upcoming trip this spring in Japan.

When is spring in Japan? Well, the season usually begins in late March and ends in early May. That means this sunny yet breezy season is the best time to fully immerse yourself in Japanese culture through outdoor activities and Japanese spring festivals.

Popular outdoor activities during the spring include enjoying a picnic bento box with their favourite manga, photographing the sakura while wearing a kimono, paying a visit to Mt. Fuji—all modern options for couples and families alike. Some tourists also opt to explore traditional Japanese culture by visiting Japanese temples in a rented kimono or going to an art museum.

On the flip side, you and your mates can also host a Japanese tea ceremony and enjoy cherry blossom treats at home if you prefer to stay indoors. In a nutshell, you'll never run out of amusing things to do in spring in Japan thanks to the warm weather, the blooming flowers, and the cultural festivals it brings.

There's no better way to discover Japanese culture than by going on a food trip and discovering new dishes you haven’t tried before. There are lots of sakura-flavoured desserts you can try out only during the springtime, from sakura mochi or pink rice cake to sakura senbei or cherry blossom rice crackers. 

You can start by touring the backstreets of Yanaka Ginza! A gastronomic hub for food lovers, this spot offers all the scrumptious street food that you can ever imagine. You can try out Tokyo's signature sake and tea, plus devour a hanami bento box filled with rice balls, sushi, and deep-fried seafood while lounging under the shade of Tokyo's cherry blossom trees.

While you're there, you might as well drop by the neighbourhood's traditional Japanese shrines and befriend the local cat population!

Spring in Japan means cherry blossom season! Witnessing the beauty of the famous pink flowers, also referred to as hanami, is a cultural tradition you need to experience. Cherry blossom trees are scattered all throughout the country, but we suggest observing the sakura with a view of the water as the backdrop to make the cultural experience even more memorable.

For example, viewing the blossoms along the Kawazu River in Tokyo is known as one of the most iconic cherry-blossom viewing experiences in Japan.

The fun tradition is the perfect way to relax with your children or that special someone, and it’ll surely make your vacation worthwhile! If you're feeling a little extra, you can even stroll around the park in a kimono or yukata, just like a picture-perfect scene from an anime or a manga. Following your walk by the river, you can head to the Joren no Taki Waterfall, another instagrammable Tokyo spot recognised as one of the 100 Greatest Waterfalls in Japan.

The Land of the Rising Sun is home to many relaxing parks that would make for perfect picnic spots, particularly in Tokyo and Aomori. Our tip is to drop by these modern landmarks in the spring, so you can enjoy seasonal food and tea while taking in the fresh blooms! Not to mention, the season is the best weather for a picnic with its balmy and breezy days. 

Aomori's Hirosaki Park is home to thousands of sakura trees, making it the classic picnic area for travellers and locals outside of Tokyo. Other than enjoying a picnic, you can also take in the exquisite vision of pastel blooms by renting your own rowboat or wandering through the area's picturesque gardens, which looks like it's an art piece. While you're at it, drop by the Hakkoda-Torada Gold Line and take photos of the massive snow corridor!

Beyond seeing the cherry blossoms and eating your way through Tokyo, experiencing modern Japan in spring usually entails going to Mt. Fuji. Located in Honshu, the colossal mountain is the tallest mountain in the country and the seventh-highest island peak in the world. It’s covered in snow for most of the year, but you can catch the mountain’s fields turn into a vibrant pink hue when cherry blossoms and moss phlox blossom during the springtime! 

The Sengen Park offers not just an unobstructed view of the great mountain, but also the quaint street view of Fujiyoshida City. In this day tour of the area, you can enjoy those views and visit internet-famous cultural spots such as the Lawson Convenience Store, the Hikawa Watch Shop, and the Water Torii.

You'll also get the chance to sightsee Oishi Park by Lake Kawaguchi, the most accessible and awe-inspiring of the Fuji Five Lakes. For a traditional touch, indulge in a Japanese tea ceremony while you're basking in the view!

When it comes to fun activities in Japan, fruit picking shines at the top. Since melons, biwa, mangoes, strawberries, and cherries are in season during spring in Japan, plenty of farms all across the country open their doors to tourists who want to experience picking their own fruits. Locals particularly recommend fruit picking in Yamanishi, wherein a balanced climate produces the best fruits in Japan.

At the Yamanashi Orchard, you can eat and pick as many seasonal fruits as you want without worrying about your diet! This trip also guarantees free admission to the traditional Shibazakura Festival at the base of Mt. Fuji, so you can catch sight of colourful fields of flowers in full bloom.

If you prefer aerial views of scenic spots, you can opt to ride the Mt. Kachi-Kachi Ropeway for a glimpse of Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko more than 2,000m above sea level.

Complete your trip with a full-day tour of the grand Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, known for being completely covered in snow in the springtime. The traditional Snow Wall Festival is also held during the season as soon as the Alpine Route is opened.

Savour the unique scenery of the vast Tayetama mountain range as you travel through the Northern Japan Alps via cable car. Climb and plough through the snowfields to reach the Roof of Japan, where the scenic snow corridor awaits.

Up in the snow-capped mountains, you can also relax by the hot spring and explore the local museum. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures while you’re there—it’s revered to be a scenic area symbolic of Japanese culture! 

FYI, spring in Japan brings a wide variety of other blooms aside from the famous cherry blossoms. You can also expect to see pastel plum blossoms, yellow rape flowers, lavender wisterias, and fuchsia moss phlox at their peak during the spring. 

Learn more about the country's vibrant springtime flora by paying a visit to a well-known park in Tokyo, such as the HANA・BIYORI flower park. There, you can treat your senses to an engaging show of unique flowers and digital modern art. The Tokyo park also houses one of Japan's largest floral chandeliers, containing hundreds of fragrant blooms that deserve a spot on your feed.

Now that you know the best things to do in Japan in spring, it’s high time to book your vacation! Want to immerse yourself even deeper in modern Japanese culture? Don't miss these must-experience cultural activities in Japan to travel like a local with Klook.