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HOME Tokyo and Surroundings Tokyo Ebisu / Naka-Meguro 4 Best Tokyo Festivals in March 2020: Fun Ways to Greet Spring!

HOME Tokyo and Surroundings Tokyo Tokyo's Surrounding Areas 4 Best Tokyo Festivals in March 2020: Fun Ways to Greet Spring!

4 Best Tokyo Festivals in March 2020: Fun Ways to Greet Spring!

Date published: 16 January 2020

Next to the famous and beautiful cherry blossoms, spring in Japan has a whole variety of traditional and interesting events to offer, especially so in the bustling metropolis of Tokyo!

Pray for the health of girls and young women, enjoy St. Patrick's Day, participate in fire-walking, and see a golden dragon dance in early spring!

January 24 to March 15

The famous Hundred-Steps Staircase in Meguro Gajoen, a designated a tangible cultural property of Tokyo, is the venue of the Hyakudan Hinamatsuri - "hyakudan" actually means one-hundred steps. Hinamatsuri is also called the Doll Festival or the Girls' Festival, as it is an occasion to pray for the health and good fortune of girls and young women all around the country.

Particularly Kyushu has a very rich Hinamatsuri culture - all of which can be discovered in around 1,000 different exhibits from all of Kyushu's seven prefectures, such as hina dolls from noble weddings of the Edo period, ancient dolls called shin-hime, ritual dolls used to pray to the deities of mountains, and many more.

Entry fee: 1,500 yen
Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Holidays: none

March 8, 2020

Held on the second Sunday of March every year, Mt. Takao's Fire-walking Festival, or Hiwatari Matsuri, is an annual highlight for Tokyoites and tourists alike. A path of sacred, purifying fire, and the Buddhist monks of Mt. Takao walk over the smoldering coals to cleanse and purify both body and mind, accompanied by chants and music. This fire-walking isn't just a personal prayer, though, but also a ceremony to pray for peace on earth, health, longevity, and safety from disasters. After the fire has been extinguished, festival visitors are free to try the fire-walking for themselves without having to worry about burnt feet.

Entry fee: free
Hours: 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. or 4:00 p.m. (the ending time depends on the number of participants)

St. Patrick's Day is March 17, and people celebrate Irish culture around the world with festivals, parades and fine Irish food and drink! Tokyo marks this fun holiday with two popular events.

I Love Ireland Festival Tokyo
March 14 & 15

Asia's largest Irish festival returns again this year to Yoyogi Park on Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17. Join over 100,000 visitors as they celebrate Ireland's national holiday!

Admission: Free
Hours: 10am - 6pm


St. Patrick's Day Parade Tokyo
March 15, 2019

This will be the parade’s 28th year in Tokyo. It is a fun family event with marching bands, Irish dancers and musicians, Irish Wolfhounds and Irish Setters all decked out in green. Shamrock face-painting and other events will also be held. Remember to wear something green on the day!

Admission: Free
Hours: 1pm - 3pm

March 18, 2020

On March 18 in the year 628, two fishermen found a statue of Kannon, a Buddhist deity, in the Sumida River - this day marks the founding day of the famous Senso-ji Temple. To commemorate this important day, the Kinryu no Mai, or Golden Dragon Dance, is held every year, as it is said that a golden dragon came dancing from the sky as the Kannon statue was pulled from the waters, and a pine forest of one-thousand trees grew over night.

The dancing dragon of today is 18 meters long, its golden scales weighing a total of 88 kilograms! Nonetheless, the dragon - carried by skilled performers - dances graciously to traditional tunes, just like it did on the day of Senso-ji's founding. Get a glimpse of this mythical creature fourself!

Entry fee: free
Hours: around 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., amd 3:30 p.m. (as scheduled)