This guide highlights what to expect from the weather, must-see seasonal attractions, and the best foods to enjoy during your visit.
Weather in April
April is when spring is in full swing in Nagoya and the surrounding region. Most years, the cherry blossoms are in bloom still during the first week of the month in the low lying areas, while in the mountains the blossoms typically bloom mid-April.
Daytime highs in Nagoya in April increase steadily, typically ranging from around 16°C to 22°C (61°F - 71°F), while nighttime temperatures rise from about 7°C to 13°C (45°F - 55°F). As the month progresses, the likelihood of rain increases slightly, with occasional wet days and gradually higher total rainfall.
Conditions vary in the mountainous areas surrounding Nagoya, including Takayama, Shirakawa-go, and the Kiso Valley, where temperatures remain cooler than in the city. In these regions, daytime highs are generally a few degrees lower, and early April may still see lingering traces of snow at higher elevations.
We recommend visitors to Nagoya in April pack light layers to adjust to changing temperatures throughout the day, along with a light jacket for cooler mornings and evenings. An umbrella or rain jacket is also useful as spring showers become more frequent. Comfortable walking shoes are ideal, as the longer daylight hours—stretching to over 13 hours by the end of the month—make it a great time to spend extended periods outdoors exploring both the city and nearby natural areas.
Seasonal Highlights in April
April is one of the best months to visit the Tokai region (Aichi, Gifu, Mie), with spring in full bloom and a mix of flowers, festivals, and outdoor experiences. Here are the key seasonal highlights:
Spring Blooms
Cherry blossom season is the main highlight in early April, when parks, rivers, and castle grounds are covered in soft pink blooms. Popular viewing spots such as Tokugawa Garden, Hikone Castle, and Omi-Hachiman Canal attract visitors for hanami picnics and evening illuminations.
Later in April, visitors can enjoy a variety of seasonal flowers beyond cherry blossoms, including late-blooming yaezakura and colorful displays at gardens and parks. Locations like Nabana-no-Sato offer an extended flower-viewing season with diverse plant varieties.
Spring Seasonal Foods
April is one of the best months to experience seasonal Japanese cuisine around Nagoya. Menus shift toward lighter flavors, with tempura, sashimi, and simple preparations that highlight freshness.
Mountain Vegetables
April is the peak season for sansai (wild mountain vegetables), a highlight of spring cuisine across Japan.
- Takenoko (Bamboo Shoots): One of the most iconic spring ingredients. In the Nagoya area, they’re often simmered or served in rice dishes (takenoko gohan).
- Tara no Me: Considered the “king of sansai,” commonly served as tempura with a slightly bitter, nutty flavor.
- Fuki:Used in simmered dishes or pickled, with a distinctive earthy bitterness.
- Warabi: Often blanched and served simply with soy sauce or in salads.
- Kogomi: Mild and tender, great in tempura or sesame-dressed dishes.
These vegetables are especially associated with the mountain areas of Gifu Prefecture.
Fresh Seafood
Nagoya’s proximity to Ise Bay means fresh seafood is always a highlight, and April brings several seasonal specialties.
- Sakura-dai (Spring Sea Bream): Called “cherry blossom sea bream” for its timing, it’s delicate and slightly sweet, often served as sashimi.
- Sayori: Light, clean flavor; commonly enjoyed raw.
- Asari: In peak season, often used in miso soup or steamed dishes.
- Katsuo (First of the Season): Early-season katsuo (hatsugatsuo) is leaner and prized for its fresh taste.
- Hotaru Ika: A spring delicacy, often served boiled with miso or vinegar.
In addition to the seafood listed above, spring is the best time for harvesting clams around Nagoya. Along the coast of Ise Bay are many flat beaches popular with locals for clamming. From March through early June, you will often see people hunting for the clams and grilling them right then and there on the beach.
Recommended Tour: Snow Monkey Resort's 1-Day Tour: Nagoya's Highlights and Small Bites will not only give you a taste of the wonderful flavors of the region and introduce you to some of the most notable landmarks in the city (including Nagoya Castle, Sakae, and Osu shopping district), but will also provide you with the confidence to go out and try more "Nagoya Meshi" on your own.
Festivals and Events in April
Spring festivals take place throughout the region, combining seasonal flowers with traditional culture and local food. Events such as the Nagoya Castle Spring Festival feature performances, food stalls, and illuminated blossoms, creating a lively atmosphere.
Inuyama Festival
- April 4 (Saturday) and April 5 (Sunday)
- 8:00 to 21:45
- Haritsuna Shrine: 〒484-0082 Inuyama City Inuyama Kitako Ticket 65-1
Thirteen giant festival carts, 3 stories tall and covered in lanterns, parade through the streets of Inuyama. At night, the lanterns are lit and illuminate the cherry blossom trees lining the streets below Inuyama Castle.
Recommended Tour: Embark on a captivating tour from Nagoya to explore the oldest castle in Japan, a National Treasure teahouse, a "city of swords," and the charms of Central Japan on Snow Monkey Resort's Private Tour from Nagoya: Samurai Swords and Japan's Oldest Castle.
Learn about the craftsmanship involved in creating a samurai sword, meet a bladesmith and learn how to properly sharpen a kitchen knife, and stroll along the streets of Inuyama where you can indulge a wide array of street food under the shadow of Japan's oldest original castle.
Wakaba Festival
- April 4 (Saturday) and April 5 (Sunday)
- Ushikubo Hachimansha: 〒442-0826 164 Tokiwa, Ushikubo-cho, Toyokawa City
One of the strangest festivals of Aichi Prefecture is the Wakaba Festival. During this 2-day festival, participants will parade festival carts through town, dancing and singing along the way (which is fairly typical for Japanese festivals). But after certain parts of a song are sung, 4 or 5 people from each float will lie down on the street and sleep until their friends wake them up.
Mino Festival
- April 11 (Saturday) and April 12 (Sunday)
- 9:90 to 14:15
- Yawata Shrine area
During the Mino Festival, Hanamikoshi (festival carts) topped with gigantic paper flowers made from Mino washi paper parade around the city.
Tejikara Fire Festival
- April 12 (Second Saturday of April)
- 14:30 to 21:00
- Tejikao Shrine (6-8-22, Kuramae, Gifu City)
This festival has been running for over 300 years and has been designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Gifu Prefecture.
The Tejikara Fire Festival is one of the most dangerous festivals in Japan as the festival participants (all shirtless men) carry a portable shrine filled with gunpowder as sparks rain down upon them.
Nagoya Castle Spring Festival
- March 20 (Friday) - May 6 (Wednesday)
- 9:00 to 19:30
- Nagoya Castle: 〒460-0031 愛知県名古屋市中区本丸１−１
Nagoya Castle is home to about 900 cherry blossom trees with over 10 varieties of blossoms (mainly Somei Yoshino and Shidare cherry blossoms).
During the Nagoya Castle Spring Festival, the opening hours are extended, and you can enjoy the cherry blossoms lit up at night. In addition, there are special food vendors, stage events, and matchlock gun demonstrations during daytime hours.
Recommended Tour: Snow Monkey Resort's 1-Day Guided Garden Walk through Nagoya's Castle, Gardens, and Historic Estates will take you into several historical estates and private gardens of Nagoya's titans of industry. Marvel at the gilded artwork and golden screens in Honmaru Palace and sip tea while gazing at a garden designed for a daimyo as you are led by an experienced, English-speaking guide through Nagoya on this full-day tour.
Recurring Monthly Events in Nagoya
Higashibetsuin Morning Market
- The 8th, 18th, and 28th of every month (canceled if rain)
- 10:00 - 14:00
- Nagoya Betsuin: 〒460-0016 Aichi, Nagoya, Naka Ward, Tachibana, 2 Chome−8
- Okaya Nagoya Hall (1-1-3 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi)
A morning market featuring vendors selling all kinds of vegetables, breads, sweets, and miscellaneous goods.
Nagoya Tsurumai International Shogi Class
- Every Second and fourth Sun of the month
- 9:30 - 11:30
- Okaya Nagoya Hall (1-1-3 Tsurumai, Showa-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi)
Learn how to play shogi from a basic level. The instructors will teach you how to move the pieces and some strategy tips. The class is appropriate for all ages and nationalities. (Reservation required)
Featured Tours in April
The comfortable spring weather makes April ideal for outdoor nature trips, including scenic walks along the Nakasendo Trail, countryside visits in Gifu, and nature excursions throughout the region.
Float Through a Historic Town with Cherry Blossoms
Recommended Tour: Snow Monkey Resort's 1-Day Tour from Nagoya: Castles and Canals in Hikone and Omi Hachiman will take you to two castle towns, Hikone, with one of the oldest castles in Japan, and Omi Hachiman, known for its charming canals. Taste Matcha, relax in peaceful gardens, and soak in the scenery as you are led by your experienced, English-speaking guide through this picturesque region of Japan.
Walk the Samurai Road through Rural Japan
Recommended Tour: Step into the past and experience life in rural Japan as you hike the Nakasendo trail from Tsumago-juku to Magome-juku on Snow Monkey Resort's highly rated 1-Day Tour from Nagoya: Hiking the Historic Nakasendo Trail.
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1-Day Tour from Nagoya: Hiking the Historic Nakasendo Trail
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See Japan's Largest Peach Blossom Festival
Hirugami Onsen is a charming hot spring resort located in the southern mountains of Nagano Prefecture, with easy access to Gifu Prefecture and the Nakasendo Trail. The town is known for its relaxing and therapeutic hot spring waters, its stunning night views, and the largest peach blossom festival in Japan.
The blooms typically appear from mid-April to early May, slightly later than cherry blossoms, making this a good option for travelers who miss the sakura season. The surrounding area, including riverbanks, village streets, and nearby mountain roads, offers multiple viewing points, while the onsen town itself provides a convenient and relaxing base for exploring the region.
Plan Your April Visit
Ready to discover Nagoya in April? Explore our seasonal tours and charters to experience the best the region has to offer.
