March is when Kyoto turns. The city warms to about 14°C by day, the plum blossom finishes, and in the last week of the month the cherry trees usually open – which changes everything about prices, crowds and availability. The Miyako Odori, the geiko dance season, also begins. Get the timing right and March gives you the best of both halves of the Kyoto year.
Cherry blossom: the timing problem
Kyoto’s cherry blossom typically opens in the last days of March and peaks in the first week of April, but the date moves by a week or more each year with the winter temperatures. The Japan Meteorological Agency and private forecasters publish opening and full-bloom predictions from late February, updated weekly.
What that means practically:
- You cannot book blossom in advance. You book dates and hope. Anyone who tells you otherwise is guessing.
- Full bloom lasts about a week, and heavy rain or wind can end it in a day.
- The first three weeks of March are still low season – cool, quiet and inexpensive – and early-flowering varieties like the weeping cherries at Maruyama Park and the Kyoto Botanical Gardens often open before the main Somei-Yoshino.
- From about 25 March, prices and crowds step up sharply and stay up through mid-April.
If you want Kyoto cheaply with a chance of early blossom, target 20–28 March. If you want guaranteed peak bloom, accept April prices.
Where to see blossom in Kyoto
- The Philosopher’s Path – a canal lined with several hundred cherry trees. Beautiful, and shoulder to shoulder at peak; go at dawn.
- Maruyama Park – the great weeping cherry, lit at night, and the traditional hanami picnic ground.
- Arashiyama and the Katsura riverbank.
- Daigo-ji and Ninna-ji – the latter’s late-flowering Omuro cherries bloom about a week after everywhere else, which is a genuinely useful fallback.
- The Kamo riverbanks, which are free, long and never as crowded as the famous spots.
The Miyako Odori
The Gion Kobu geiko and maiko perform the Miyako Odori through April, with the season opening around the start of the month; the other districts hold their own dances – the Kyo Odori and Kitano Odori among them – from late March and April.
These are ticketed theatre performances and the correct, respectful way to see maiko dance. Tickets go on sale in advance and the better seats sell out.
Weather
March averages about 14°C by day and 4°C at night, with roughly 113 mm of precipitation. It is changeable: cold mornings, warm afternoons, and rain that can strip the blossom. Evenings stay cold, which matters for night viewing.
Prices and crowds
The month splits. Until about 20 March, Kyoto is still on low-season rates with quiet temples. From the 25th, sakura pricing arrives – accommodation multiplies and the best-placed hotels have often been booked since the previous autumn.
See how many days Kyoto needs.
What to pack
Layers, a waterproof, and a warm layer for evening blossom viewing, which is cold. Comfortable shoes, and socks without holes – you will be removing your shoes constantly. See the Japan packing list.
The March 2027 calendar
- 1–20 March – still low season; cool, quiet and inexpensive.
- Early March – plum blossom finishing; early weeping cherries at Maruyama and the Botanical Gardens.
- Late March – the geiko dance season opens with the Kyo Odori and Kitano Odori.
- Sunday 21 March – the Toji temple market.
- Thursday 25 March – the Kitano Tenmangu market.
- From about 25 March – cherry blossom typically opens; prices and crowds step up sharply.
- Late March into April – peak bloom, usually lasting about a week.
Read alongside
- Kyoto in February – Setsubun and plum blossom.
- Kyoto in April – peak sakura and the Miyako Odori.
- Japan in March – the country-level view.
- Best time to visit Japan – all twelve months compared.
- Best photo spots in Kyoto – and when to be there.
- Kyoto travel guide – districts and how to plan them.
- How many days in Kyoto – and how to use them in blossom season.
Frequently asked
When is cherry blossom in Kyoto?
Typically opening in the last days of March and peaking in the first week of April, but the date moves by a week or more each year. Forecasts are published from late February and updated weekly; full bloom lasts about a week.
Can I book a trip to guarantee cherry blossom?
No. You book dates and hope – the bloom depends on winter temperatures and can be ended by one storm. Ninna-ji’s late-flowering Omuro cherries, about a week behind everywhere else, are the best fallback if you arrive late.
Is March a good time to visit Kyoto?
The first three weeks are excellent value – still low season, quiet temples, improving weather. The last week carries the blossom and the pricing that comes with it.
How warm is Kyoto in March?
About 14°C by day and 4°C at night with roughly 113 mm of precipitation. Mornings and evenings are cold, which matters if you are out for night blossom viewing.
Where is the best cherry blossom in Kyoto?
The Philosopher’s Path, Maruyama Park’s great weeping cherry, Arashiyama, Daigo-ji and the Kamo riverbanks. The riverbanks are free, long and far less crowded than the famous spots.
What is the Miyako Odori?
The Gion Kobu geiko and maiko dance performances, running through April, with other districts holding their own from late March. They are ticketed theatre and the respectful way to see maiko perform. Book ahead.
How far ahead should I book Kyoto for sakura?
The previous autumn for the best-placed accommodation. By the time forecasts appear in late February, most of it is gone and rates have multiplied.
Is it still cheap in early March?
Yes, until about the 20th. That window gives you low-season rates, quiet temples and a genuine chance of early-flowering varieties.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
