Written by Aarohi Narain
Researched by Patrick Balfe
Spring in Japan isn’t just cherry blossoms and pretty picnics — although you’ll get a hearty dose of both.
Let the season regale you with striking fire rituals on mountain slopes, dragons coiling through temple courtyards, and neighborhoods rocking to the rise and fall of mikoshi.
From full-volume matsuri that take over streets to flower extravaganzas that might just give sakura a run for their money (gasp), here are the best Tokyo spring festivals worth planning around.
When is spring in Tokyo?
In Tokyo, spring effectively runs from early March to early May.
Weather-wise, this is when temperatures lift into comfortable daytime highs and outdoor events become pleasant again.
Culturally, it’s when the festival season ramps up, starting with early shrine rituals and flower festivals, peaking around cherry blossom season in late March and early April, and carrying through to large-scale traditional festivals starting around May.
1. Cherry blossom festivals
Mar. – Apr.
Okay, so we came out swinging, but the truth is that the various cherry blossom festivals that pop up throughout Tokyo and its fringes are a genuine highlight of the season.
Ueno and Nakameguro are among the most popular festivals, and they are generally worth the hype.
Our top tips to get the most out of cherry blossom season? Go early, pick a weekday if at all possible, and keep your eyes tree-wards even when you’re not at one of Tokyo’s major parks. Some of our favorite sakura moments have been the random, unexpected ones you just stumble upon.
2. Other spring flower festivals
March onwards (depending on the flowering conditions)Flower festivals are a major part of Tokyo’s spring calendar, even if they don’t draw the same all-consuming crowds as cherry blossom season. From late March through May, parks and shrine grounds fill with color as tulips, azaleas, nemophila, and poppies come into bloom, each taking its turn over a few weeks rather than peaking all at once.
Shōwa Memorial Park in Tachikawa is all about scale, with tulips, nemophila, and poppies rolling out one after another across a huge park that’s easy to spend all day in.
| At the door: ¥450 | ||
Nezu Shrine’s Azalea Festival is busier but just as beautiful, with a hillside of pink and red azaleas, red torii gates, food stalls, and weekend performances drawing crowds at peak bloom.
| At the door: ¥500 | ||
3. Mt. Takao Hiwatari fire festival
Mt. Takao Hiwatari 2026: Mar. 8Free
Held at the base of Mt. Takao, mountain ascetics conduct prayers and ceremonies before walking barefoot across hot embers at this festival. The rite is believed to protect, purify, and guarantee good health.
Just watching is intense enough, but you can also line up to take part. The fire-walking for visitors is closely supervised and takes place after the flames have died down and the embers have been flattened, so it’s not as dangerous as it sounds. But participation is still at your own risk.
The festival takes place on the second Sunday of March, with ceremonies beginning around 1 p.m. It’s held a short walk from Takaosanguchi Station on the Keiō Line, just across from the Takao 599 Museum.
4. Golden Dragon Dance (March)
Golden Dragon Dance 2026: Mar. 18Free
On March 18, and again on October 18, a massive, shimmering golden dragon is carried through the Sensōji temple grounds and along Nakamise Shopping Street, twisting, dipping, and rearing above the crowd in a tightly choreographed procession.
March 18 marks the day Sensōji was founded in the year 628, after a statue of Kannon was pulled from the Sumida River. Legend has it that Kannon descended from heaven as a golden dragon, hence the spectacle.
5. Kamakura Festival
Kamakura Festival dates 2026: Mid-Apr. (April 13 in 2025)Free
The Kamakura Festival is a calmer, more ceremonial take on spring matsuri, centred on Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine and Wakamiya Ōji. The main draw is a portable shrine procession, backed by traditional music and dance.
Events spill into the following weekend with outdoor tea ceremonies and a rare chance to see yabusame horseback archery. It’s a good pick if you want something traditional and well-paced. It’s also easy to combine with temple visits, a look at the Great Buddha, or a wander around Kamakura.
6. Meiji Shrine Spring Festival
Meiji Shrine Spring Festival 2026 dates: May 2 and 3 each yearFree
Held during Golden Week, the Meiji Shrine Spring Grand Festival is a rare, concentrated showcase of Japan’s classical performing arts. Over two days, the shrine’s forested forecourt features performances from masters of their fields just steps from the main hall.
Demonstrations range from court music and dance to Noh and kyōgen theatre, traditional ensemble music, solo instruments like the Satsuma biwa, and even live kyūdō archery demonstrations.
7. Sanja Festival
Sanja Festival dates for 2026: Mid-MayFree
The Sanja Festival is Asakusa at its most chaotic. Held over the third weekend of May, it’s one of Tokyo’s three great Shinto festivals — and easily the rowdiest — drawing massive crowds for three days of portable shrine parades.
What sets Sanja apart is the way the mikoshi are carried: bounced hard, swung aggressively, and sometimes even ridden, despite that technically being off-limits.
Fundoshi-clad bearers compete for dominance as the shrines are hauled through Asakusa’s streets, while spectators pack in shoulder to shoulder to watch it all unfold. And if you time your Tokyo trip right, you can be among them.
8. Sannō Festival
Sannō Festival dates for 2026: Early or mid-JuneFree
Held in even-numbered years, it’s ANOTHER one of the city’s three great Shinto festivals.
The highlight is the main procession, which winds through central Tokyo from Hie Shrine, passing landmarks like the Imperial Palace, Ginza, and Tokyo Station.
With portable shrines, musicians, and elaborately costumed participants moving through some of the city’s most modern districts, the contrast is striking. Later in the festival, Bon dances bring a more relaxed, local feel to the area around Tameike-Sannō.
Tokyo spring festivals frequently asked questions
Let us answer your lingering questions.
When is the best time for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) in Tokyo?
In Tokyo, cherry blossoms typically peak from late March to early April, with many festivals and light-ups scheduled around that window. Exact dates shift slightly each year depending on the weather.
How crowded are plum blossom festivals compared with the sakura season?
Plum blossom events usually run from early February into March, and while popular spots can attract steady visitors on weekends, they’re generally less crowded and more relaxed than peak cherry blossom hanami, especially at smaller venues and weekday mornings.
What are the “big three” traditional Shinto festivals in Tokyo?
Among Tokyo’s major spring matsuri are Sanja Matsuri, one of the most raucous three-day celebrations; Kanda Matsuri, known for its procession of portable shrines in odd-numbered years; and the Sannō Matsuri, a grand parade weaving through central Tokyo in even-numbered years.
While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change.
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