Season guide · Tokyo · Japan
Tokyo in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Akonnchiroll, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Plum and then cherry blossom, mild days and fresh greenery; hotel prices peak during blossom season and Golden Week. Expect highs up to 24°C (75°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F), with about 31 rainy days across March–May. March–May are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 5°C (41°F) to 24°C (75°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 31
- Sea
- 15°C (59°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 14°C (57°F) | 5°C (41°F) | 10 | 11.9 h | 4/5 |
| April | 19°C (66°F) | 10°C (50°F) | 10 | 13.1 h | 5/5 |
| May | 24°C (75°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 11 | 14 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 19°C (66°F) against a yearly 20°C (68°F), and 31 of the year's roughly 109 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Tokyo Marathon (usually early March)
- March: Cherry blossom season begins (usually late March)
- April: Cherry blossom viewing in Ueno Park, Shinjuku Gyoen and along the Meguro River (usually late March to early April)
- April: Golden Week holidays begin (29 April)
- May: Golden Week holidays (until about 5 May)
- May: Sanja Matsuri at Asakusa Shrine (usually the third weekend of May)
- May: May Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku (usually mid-May)
Good choices for spring
Museum · Ueno
Tokyo National Museum
Japan's oldest and largest museum displays samurai armour and swords, Buddhist sculpture, ukiyo-e prints, kimono and national treasures across several buildings in Ueno Park.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Experience · Toyosu
teamLab Planets
Wear shorts or trousers that roll above the knee, as you will wade through water, and avoid skirts in the mirrored rooms.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Art
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Museum · Mitaka
Ghibli Museum
Designed by Hayao Miyazaki on the edge of Inokashira Park, this whimsical museum has recreated animation studios, a small cinema showing Ghibli short films seen nowhere else, a giant plush Catbus that young children can climb on, and a robot soldier from Castle in the Sky in the rooftop garden.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · Aoyama
Nezu Museum
Visit in late April or May for the iris screen and blooms, or in November for autumn colour in the garden.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Couples
Day trips in spring
- Kamakura (About 1 hour by train) — The seaside former capital has the 13-metre bronze Great Buddha at Kotoku-in, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine and dozens of Zen temples in wooded hills.
- Hakone (About 1 hour 30 minutes by train) — A mountain resort of hot springs, ryokan inns and lake views of Mount Fuji.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Tokyo?
Yes: March–May are among the best months. Plum and then cherry blossom, mild days and fresh greenery; hotel prices peak during blossom season and Golden Week.
+What is the weather like in Tokyo in spring?
Highs of up to 24°C (75°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F), with about 31 rainy days over the season.