SeasonMapWhat's on in Nara, Japan through the year
Nara, Japan has 6 curated events through the year — 4 festivals and 2 natural spectacles. The ones to plan around: Wakakusa Yamayaki (January) and Omizutori (March). January, March, April and August are its peak-crowd months.
Updated September 2026 · every event curated and sourced · dates for 2026 where they are announced, the usual window where they are not
Nara events and crowds by month
| Month | What starts | Crowds |
|---|---|---|
| January | Wakakusa Yamayaki | Peak crowds |
| February | — | Shoulder season |
| March | Omizutori, Cherry blossom | Peak crowds |
| April | — | Peak crowds |
| May | — | Busy |
| June | — | Shoulder season |
| July | — | Busy |
| August | Kasuga Mantoro | Peak crowds |
| September | — | Shoulder season |
| October | Shosoin treasures exhibition | Busy |
| November | Autumn colour | Busy |
| December | — | Busy |
January in Nara
Nara weather in January →Peak crowds — Wakakusa Yamayaki, Winter break (fuyuyasumi) in Japan
- Festival
Wakakusa Yamayaki
20–28 Jan · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedThe grass on Wakakusa hill is set alight on the fourth Saturday of January, fireworks first. The whole city watches from the park, and it is as cold as Nara gets. Source ↗
February in Nara
Nara weather in February →Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month
Nothing new starts in February.
March in Nara
Nara weather in March →Peak crowds — Omizutori, Cherry blossom
- Festival
Omizutori
1–14 MarMajor festivalCrowdedBurning cedar torches are run along the balcony of Todai-ji's Nigatsu-do every night for a fortnight, the 12th being the big one. Nara says spring does not start until it finishes. Source ↗
- Nature
Cherry blossom
28 Mar – 12 Apr · usuallyCrowdedThe deer park first, then Mount Yoshino an hour south, which flowers in bands up the hillside about a week later and is worth the early train.
April in Nara
Nara weather in April →Peak crowds — Cherry blossom, Spring break (haruyasumi) in Japan
Nothing new starts in April.
Still on: Cherry blossom (28 Mar – 12 Apr (usually))
May in Nara
Nara weather in May →Busy — Golden Week in Japan
Nothing new starts in May.
June in Nara
Nara weather in June →Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month
Nothing new starts in June.
July in Nara
Nara weather in July →Busy — Summer break (natsuyasumi) in Japan, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it
Nothing new starts in July.
August in Nara
Nara weather in August →Peak crowds — Kasuga Mantoro, Summer break (natsuyasumi) in Japan
- Festival
Kasuga Mantoro
14–15 AugMajor festivalCrowdedThree thousand lanterns lit along the stone approach and through the shrine on the two nights of Obon. The same thing happens again at Setsubun in February. Source ↗
September in Nara
Nara weather in September →Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month
Nothing new starts in September.
October in Nara
Nara weather in October →Busy — Shosoin treasures exhibition, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it
- Festival
Shosoin treasures exhibition
25 Oct – 15 Nov · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook earlyA few dozen objects from the eighth-century imperial storehouse go on show at the Nara National Museum for about a fortnight each autumn, and never the same ones twice. Timed tickets. Source ↗
November in Nara
Nara weather in November →Busy — Shosoin treasures exhibition
- Nature
Autumn colour
5 Nov – 5 Dec · usuallyNara Park turns later than Kyoto and takes a fraction of the crowd. Kasugayama's primeval forest behind the shrine is the walk to do while it happens.
Still on: Shosoin treasures exhibition (25 Oct – 15 Nov (usually))
December in Nara
Nara weather in December →Busy — Winter break (fuyuyasumi) in Japan, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it
Nothing new starts in December.
Still on: Autumn colour (5 Nov – 5 Dec (usually))