If you travel to Nagano Prefecture in March from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, etc., you will realize that it is much colder there. Although the temperature gradually rises and snowfall decreases compared to February in Nagano Prefecture, it is still closer to winter than in other areas of Japan. In the Japanese archipelago, March is the transition month from winter to spring, and the weather is unstable. This means more rainfall compared to February, but also more snowfall in Nagano Prefecture due to the cooler temperatures.
Table of Contents
- Overview of Nagano Prefecture’s climate (year-round)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Weather in Nagano Pref. in early March
- Weather in Nagano Pref. in mid-March
- Weather in Nagano Pref. in late March
- Reference: Current weather and temperature in Nagano, forecast for the next 7 days
- Monthly weather in Nagano Pref.
- Weather in tourist destinations around Japan
Overview of Nagano Prefecture’s climate (year-round)
March 8, 2014: Tourist in Komagatake Rope-way going to Senjojiki Cirque,Komagatake Mount,Nagano,Japan = Shutterstock
In Nagano prefecture, there is a big difference in climate depending on the location such as mountainous areas and basins. So, first, let’s get an overview of the climate of Nagano prefecture throughout the year.
Mountainous areas are cold and snowy
In Nagano prefecture in the central region of Honshu, mountainous areas (Japanese Alps) with an altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 m are connected from north to south, and major cities such as Nagano City and Matsumoto City are located in the basin. Mountainous areas such as Hakuba, Kamikochi, and Shiga Kogen are cold and ideal as summer resorts, but in winter it is very cold and it snows a lot.
Basins have relatively little snow
On the other hand, in Nagano City, Matsumoto City, Suwa City, Iida City, etc., which are located in the basin, the maximum temperature is as high as in Tokyo during the daytime in summer, but it is cool in the morning and evening. It doesn’t snow as much as in the mountains in winter, but it’s colder than in Tokyo and Osaka.
Karuizawa does not get much snow in winter
Karuizawa, an hour away from Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, is a popular highland resort area as a summer resort. However, Karuizawa has much less snow than Hakuba and Shiga Kogen. The entire area of Nagano has less rainfall than other areas such as Tokyo. The cherry blossoms bloom a little later than in Tokyo and after early April.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear in Nagano Prefecture in March?
What kind of clothing to wear in Nagano Prefecture in March is a difficult question even for the Japanese.
The weather is unstable in March, with warmer weather followed by cold weather again.
If you are going to a mountainous area such as Hakuba, you may want to base yourself on winter clothing. A coat is a necessity. You should also bring a scarf, knit hat, and gloves. For more information on winter and spring clothing, please refer to the articles below.
Can I see cherry blossoms in Nagano in March?
Recently, due to global warming, cherry blossoms are blooming earlier, but it will still be quite difficult to see cherry blossoms in Nagano Prefecture in March. In some basins and other areas, cherry blossoms start blooming at the end of March. However, in most areas, including Nagano City and Matsumoto City, the cherry blossoms start blooming in early April and are at their best in mid-April. In colder regions such as Hakuba and Karuizawa, the cherry blossoms are at their best from late April to early May.
Weather in Nagano Pref. in early March
Nagano, Japan – March 8,2014 : Group of tourists prepare to climbing to the mount Kiso Komagatake = Shutterstock
Karuizawa, Japan – March 7 2019 : shiraito fall with the snow mountain background in the winter season = Shutterstock
Matsumoto, Japan – March 06, 2015: View over the station at Matsumoto towards the Japanese Alp = Shutterstock
The snowfall figures for Hakuba are for Hakuba Village, and the ski resorts in Hakuba have much more snowfall.
| Average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Nagano City | 2.9 ℃ (37.2°F) 8.4℃ (47.1°F) -1.4 ℃ (29.5°F) |
19.0 mm (66.2 inch) 6 cm (2.36 inch) |
| Matsumoto | 3.1 ℃ (37.6°F) 9.4℃ (48.9°F) -1.9 ℃ (28.6°F) |
28.0 mm (1.10 inch) 6 cm (2.36 inch) |
| Hakuba | 0.0 ℃ (32.0°F) 5.2℃ (41.4°F) -4.6 ℃ (23.7°F) |
42.0 mm (1.65 inch) 49 cm (19.29 inch) |
| Karuizawa | -0.3 ℃ (31.5°F) 5.9℃ (42.6°F) -5.6 ℃ (21.9°F) |
21.5 mm (0.85 inch) 13 cm (5.12 inch) |
※ Source: All figures are the average for 30 years of 1991-2020 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
>> Click here for a [quick reference] converted from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
Weather in Nagano Pref. in mid-March
Matsumoto,Nagano, Japan – March 20,2012 ; Matsumoto Castle = Shutterstock
| Average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Nagano City | 4.3 ℃ (39.7°F) 10.5℃ (50.9°F) -0.7 ℃ (30.7°F) |
16.0 mm (0.63 inch) 5 cm (1.97 inch) |
| Matsumoto | 4.6 ℃ (40.3°F) 11.5 ℃ (52.7°F) -1.3 ℃ (29.7°F) |
18.3 mm (0.72 inch) 3 cm (1.18 inch) |
| Hakuba | 1.1 ℃ (34.0°F) 7.0℃ (44.6°F) -4.0 ℃ (24.8°F) |
42.1 mm (1.66 inch) 33 cm (13.00 inch) |
| Karuizawa | 1.1 ℃ (34.0°F) 8.0℃ (46.4°F) -4.8 ℃ (23.4°F) |
16.5 mm (0.65 inch) 8 cm (3.15 inch) |
※Source: All figures are the average for 30 years of 1991-2020 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Weather in Nagano Pref. in late March
Nagano/Japan – March 26 2016: Jigokudani Yaen Koen Snow Monkeys with many tourists = Shutterstock
MARCH 26, 2019: Sakura blooming trees in front of Matsumoto Castle (Matsumoto-jo) in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan = Shutterstock
Nawate Dori Street in Matsumoto city, Nagano Prefecture on March 29, 2017 = Shutterstock
| Average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Nagano City | 5.6 ℃ (42.1°F) 11.8℃ (53.2°F) 0.5 ℃ (32.9°F) |
25.1 mm (0.99 inch) 6 cm (2.36 inch) |
| Matsumoto | 5.9 ℃ (42.6°F) 12.7℃ (54.9°F) 0.1 ℃ (32.2°F) |
31.8 mm (1.25 inch) 4 cm (1.58 inch) |
| Hakuba | 2.5 ℃ (36.5°F) 8.6℃ (47.5°F) -2.4 ℃ (27.7°F) |
52.1 mm (2.05 inch) 27 cm (10.63 inch) |
| Karuizawa | 2.4 ℃ (36.3°F) 9.4℃ (48.9°F) -3.4 ℃ (25.9°F) |
30.3 mm (1.19 inch) 12 cm (4.72 inch) |
※ Source: All figures are the average for 30 years of 1991-2020 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Reference: Current weather and temperature in Nagano, forecast for the next 7 days
Monthly weather in Nagano Pref.
Below are articles about the weather in Nagano Prefecture. Click on the month of interest to see articles about that month.
| January | February | March |
| April | May | June |
| July | August | September |
| October | November | December |
Weather in tourist destinations around Japan
Below are pages showing the climates of various regions in Japan at the same time of the year.
| Tokyo | Osaka | Kyoto |
| Hokkaido | Sendai | Nagano |
| Nagoya | Hiroshima | Fukuoka |
| Okinawa |
Now, let’s plan to make your vacation in Japan the best experience ever!
