this month in japan
April 卯月
April at a glance
- Blossom moving north, then the country's first long holiday.
Weather
- Tokyo: 19°C / 10°C.
- Kyoto: averages 14.4°C.
- Sapporo: 12°C / 3°C. Still cold. Its cherry blossoms arrive around 1 May on average.
- Okinawa (Naha): 24°C / 19°C.
- Pack: a light jacket and a sweater. Temperatures can drop suddenly, so carry one more layer than you think you need.
What's happening
- 29 April, Showa Day, which starts Golden Week.
- 14–15 April: the spring Takayama Festival (Sanno Matsuri), Gifu. Ornate festival floats come out in the old town.
- Mid-April: the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route opens across Toyama and Nagano.
- Cherry blossoms move north through Honshu into Hokkaido.
What's in season
- Takenoko, young bamboo shoots, best as takenoko gohan.
- Hanami dango, the tricolour rice dumplings eaten under the trees.
- Asari clams, at their spring best.
- Strawberries, the last good weeks.
The 72 seasons
| 候 | Romaji | Meaning | From c. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 玄鳥至 | tsubame kitaru | Swallows return | 5 Apr |
| 鴻雁北 | kōgan kaeru | Wild geese fly north | 10 Apr |
| 虹始見 | niji hajimete arawaru | First rainbows | 15 Apr |
| 葭始生 | ashi hajimete shōzu | First reeds sprout | 20 Apr |
| 霜止出苗 | shimo yande nae izuru | Last frost; rice seedlings grow | 25 Apr |
| 牡丹華 | botan hana saku | Peonies bloom | 30 Apr |
Crowds
Early April is still blossom season in Tokyo and Kyoto, with picnic tarps under every tree. Golden Week starts at the end of the month, when much of the country travels at once.
psst,
Missed the blossom in Tokyo? It's still on its way to Hokkaido.