Japan in April — Cherry Blossom, Weather, Passover and Golden Week: What to Know Before You Fly

April is one of the most popular months for a trip to Japan: spring is at its peak, the weather is pleasant, and the month opens with the cherry blossom (sakura) in the big cities. It also comes with two challenges: high prices and crowds at the start of the month, and Golden Week, the Japanese holiday run that begins at the end of the month.

For travellers from Israel, April has one more consideration: Passover. In 2027 the holiday falls late, from 21 to 28 April, and that changes what you will see. This guide explains what happens in Japan in each week of April and how to plan around it. For an overview of all the seasons, see when to go to Japan.

The weather in April

April is a transition month from winter to summer. In Tokyo and Kyoto daytime temperatures are usually 17–20°C, dropping at night to around 10°C. By the end of the month it is warmer. It rains now and then, but this is not yet the rainy season, which only starts in June. In the north and the mountains it is much colder: in Hokkaido and the Japanese Alps there is still snow in places, and the high mountain roads only open at the end of April.

The cherry blossom, week by week

The cherry blossom moves from south to north and from the valleys up into the mountains, so in April it is somewhere different every week. In most years:

• Late March–early April: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima, the peak in the big cities.
• Mid-April: the Japanese Alps, such as Takayama, Matsumoto and Kanazawa, as well as Hakone and the Fuji area.
• Late April: northern Honshu (Tohoku), with the famous Hirosaki Castle.
• Early May: Hokkaido.

The dates shift by a week or two from year to year, and the official blossom forecast is published from the start of the year. All the details, including the best viewing spots, are in the cherry blossom guide.

Passover 2027 and Japan

In 2027 the first Seder falls on 21 April, and the holiday ends in Israel on 28 April. That is relatively late, with two consequences. First: in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka the cherry trees will have finished blooming by then in most years, so if you are flying for the blossom in the cities, fly before the holiday. Second: if you fly during the intermediate days and stay on afterwards, you land straight in Golden Week. The good news: late April is an excellent time for northern Japan and the mountains, where the blossom comes later, and for the fresh green of spring in the cities. Flights over the Passover holiday get expensive early, so book a few months ahead. Details on the flights from Israel to Japan page.

Golden Week — what it is and why to be careful

Golden Week is a run of four public holidays, from 29 April to 5 May, when most Japanese are on holiday. In 2027 the holidays fall on 29 April (Thursday) and 3 to 5 May (Monday to Wednesday), and many people take the days in between off too. During this period the shinkansen is full, hotels get more expensive, and places like Kyoto, Nara and Fuji are flooded with domestic travellers. If your dates overlap, book reserved train seats and accommodation early, and plan these days in the big cities, which partly empty out, rather than at the tourist sights.

Hotels in Tokyo for April

Events and festivals in April

Besides the cherry trees, April brings a few events worth timing your trip around. The spring Takayama Festival, on 14–15 April, with carved wooden floats and mechanical puppets, is one of the most beautiful in Japan; see the Takayama guide. Wisteria (fuji) starts blooming at the end of April, in gardens such as Kameido Tenjin in Tokyo and Ashikaga Flower Park. And on blossom evenings many parks light up the trees, an entirely different experience from the daytime. More events through the year in the festival calendar.

Prices and crowds

Late March and early April are among the most expensive times of the year in Japan: hotels in Tokyo and Kyoto rise significantly in price and are booked months ahead. Mid-April, after the blossom in the cities ends and before Golden Week, is the best-value “window” of the month: pleasant weather, fewer tourists and more reasonable prices. Late April gets more expensive again ahead of Golden Week. In Kyoto, where hotel supply is limited, book early in any case; see where to stay in Kyoto.

Spring flavours

In spring all of Japan fills with cherry blossom flavours: sakura mochi, a pink rice cake wrapped in a pickled cherry leaf, sakura-flavoured drinks and lattes in cafés, and special spring editions of snacks in convenience stores. It is also the season of young bamboo shoots (takenoko) and spring vegetables on ryokan menus. And for hanami, the picnic under the trees, buy a ready-made bento at a convenience store or in a department store food hall, as the locals do.

What to pack

Layers are key: T-shirts and long-sleeved tops, a sweater or light jacket for the evenings, and a thin coat if you are heading to the mountains or the north. Comfortable shoes for walking, since blossom days involve a lot of walking in parks. A small umbrella for rainy days. And for a picnic under the trees (hanami), a sheet to sit on, as the Japanese do.

Suggested route for April

Early in the month: the classic route, Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, with parks such as Shinjuku Gyoen and the Philosopher’s Path. Mid-month: add the Japanese Alps, Takayama, Shirakawa-go and Kanazawa, where the blossom arrives later. Late in the month, and over Passover 2027: take the route north, to Tohoku and Hirosaki Castle, and in May to Hokkaido, instead of getting stuck in Golden Week Kyoto.

Cherry blossom tours in Tokyo

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From here: read the cherry blossom guide, choose when to go to Japan or plan a stop in Takayama.