If you're visiting Japan this spring, you might find yourself experiencing Easter in this beautiful country — but how exactly do Japanese people mark the holiday? The answer is more interesting than you might expect. While Easter doesn't have the deep religious roots in Japan that it does elsewhere, the country has embraced the celebration in its own gently distinctive way — and the result is one of the loveliest, most photogenic ways to spend a spring holiday.
In this guide, we'll show you how to combine Western Easter traditions with uniquely Japanese spring experiences — from a real-life "Easter bunny island" to themed cafés to traditional sweets reimagined in pastel pinks and greens.
Does Japan Celebrate Easter?
The short answer is yes — but in its own way. With less than 1% of Japan's population identifying as Christian, Easter has none of the religious significance here that it has in many Western countries. Instead, much like Halloween and Valentine's Day, Easter in Japan is a secular, commercial, fundamentally fun celebration — about family, friends, spring weather, chocolate, and the gentle joy of pastel-coloured everything.
Easter has steadily grown in popularity over the past decade, with Easter-themed sweets, character collaborations, and seasonal events appearing year after year. For the full primer on the history and broader context of Easter in Japan, see our companion article: Does Japan Celebrate Easter?
This guide focuses on something different: how to experience Easter in a uniquely Japanese way, with traditions, locations, and seasonal touches you won't find anywhere else.
Okunoshima: Japan's Real Easter Bunny Island
If there's one place in the world that perfectly embodies Easter, it's Okunoshima — a small island in the Seto Inland Sea, off the coast of Hiroshima Prefecture, that's home to more than a thousand wild rabbits. Locally and internationally known as "Usagi Shima" or Rabbit Island, Okunoshima draws around 195,000 visitors each year and is one of the most uniquely Japanese travel experiences you can have over Easter weekend.
The rabbits are gentle, curious, and remarkably friendly. They'll come right up to you for food (rabbit-safe pellets and vegetables are recommended — fruit and bread should be avoided as they're harmful to the animals), and the island is small enough to explore entirely on foot in a few hours. There's a hotel for overnight stays (Kyukamura Ohkunoshima), a small swimming beach, walking trails, and quiet lookouts over the Seto Inland Sea.
A note on history
Okunoshima has a layered history. During the Second World War, it was the site of a Japanese poison gas manufacturing plant — and one of the most popular theories about how the rabbits arrived is that a small group of laboratory rabbits were released or escaped at the end of the war and bred. The Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum on the island is a sobering, important counterbalance to the rabbit cuddles and is well worth visiting.
How to get there
From Hiroshima, take the JR Sanyo Main Line or the JR Kure Line to Mihara Station, then change to the JR Kure Line to Tadanoumi Station (a small coastal town). From Tadanoumi Port, a short 15-minute ferry crosses to Okunoshima. The whole journey is around two hours from Hiroshima, and your Japan Rail Pass fully covers the entire JR section.
A few practical notes
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Bring rabbit food (pellet-based, available at Tadanoumi Port shops) rather than feeding the rabbits human food
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Pick up after yourself — the rabbits' health depends on a clean environment
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Be gentle — these are wild animals, not pets, and shouldn't be chased or picked up
- Go off-peak if you can — weekday mornings are quieter than spring weekends
For the full guide to this and other surprising Hiroshima destinations, see our Off the Beaten Path in Hiroshima article.
Rabbits in Japanese Culture
Beyond Okunoshima, rabbits have a quietly important place in Japanese folklore and tradition — which makes Easter's bunny imagery feel surprisingly at home here. A few examples you might encounter:
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Tsuki no Usagi (the Moon Rabbit) — Japanese folklore holds that the dark patches on the moon are the silhouette of a rabbit pounding mochi (sticky rice cakes). During Tsukimi (the autumn moon-viewing festival), you'll see rabbit imagery everywhere, but the symbol is recognised year-round
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Year of the Rabbit (卯年, U-doshi) — the rabbit is one of the twelve animals of the Japanese zodiac, associated with peace, prosperity and gentleness. The most recent Year of the Rabbit was 2023 (the next will be 2035)
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Inari shrines and rabbit guardians — a small number of Shinto shrines in Japan use the rabbit as their messenger animal rather than the more common fox. Okazaki Shrine in Kyoto is the most famous of these, with rabbit statues, charms, and even rabbit-shaped omikuji (fortune slips)
- Rabbit motifs in art and design — from kimono patterns to traditional sweets to anime characters, rabbits appear frequently in Japanese visual culture as symbols of gentleness, fertility, and good fortune
All of this means that Easter's bunny iconography slots beautifully into existing Japanese aesthetic traditions, which is part of why the holiday has been embraced with such warmth.
Sweet Treats to Enjoy This Easter in Japan
Meika Hiyoko
Possibly the most Easter-perfect Japanese sweet of all: a soft yellow bun shaped like a baby chick, with sweet white bean filling. Created in 1912 in Fukuoka and an absolute classic.
Mochi
Traditional sweet sticky rice balls, often dipped in sauce, toasted, or topped with kinako (roasted soybean flour). Naturally pastel-coloured varieties (pink, green, white) are wonderfully Easter-appropriate.
Dango
Dango are very popular at festivals and you will often find them on skewers. They are similar to mochi balls, but can be made from a variety of flour and they are often three different colours.
Taiyaki
Cute fish-shaped pancakes filled with a variety of fillings, often red bean paste, Taiyaki are available from street vendors across Japanese and are a hugely popular sweet street treat.
Ichigo Daifuku
This famous strawberry sweet is originally from Osaka. It is made from mochi, sweet red bean paste and a whole strawberry.
Wari Gori
Similar in appearance to hard candy, Wari Gori are beautifully coloured fragments of agar jelly dried over six days.
Anmitsu
A combination of anko and cubes of clear agar jelly, with extra ingredients such as fruit, nuts, mochi and ice cream, Anmitsu is popular in the summer and is usually served with a cup of black syrup.
Tokyo Bananas
These soft, custard-filled, banana-shaped cakes are a Tokyo delicacy.
Mizu Manju
Like colourful water droplets, these beautiful and unique looking sweets come from Gifu Prefecture.
Ki Ni Naru Ringo Pie
You’ve never had an apple pie like this before! A whole apple is dipped in syrup and baked in a crust of flaky pastry. This is apple pie Japanese style. Aomori Prefecture is famous for its apples so this is the place to go to try this delicacy.
Momiji Manju
A maple leaf shaped sweet treat made from castella cake, these are commonly found and traditionally from Hiroshima.
Sakuranbo Kirara
This is a cherry flavoured jelly with a whole cherry inside. Around 70% of Japan’s cherries come from Yamagata so if you love cherries you need to visit here if you’d like to try Sakuranbo Kirara.
As far as sweet treats go, also look out for Japanese variations of world favourites such as shaved ice, French crepes (which are very popular in Japan), honey toast (like sweet waffles with ice cream), and many more. You’ll also see special Easter related chocolate such as limited edition Easter KitKats, Disney-themed sweets, and more. Japanese pastry shops have also been known to produce one-off Easter products over the holiday period to appeal to international visitors.
Konbini Easter and Character Cafés
Japan does seasonal merchandising better than almost anywhere on earth, and Easter is no exception. A few uniquely Japanese ways to experience the holiday:
The konbini transformation
Walk into any 7-Eleven, Lawson, or FamilyMart during Easter season and you'll find pastel-coloured everything — special editions of Pocky, Hi-Chew, and KitKat with strawberry or matcha flavours; bunny-shaped pastries; chick-themed onigiri (rice balls); pastel-coloured konpeito sugar candy; and limited-edition spring matcha lattes. It's small in scale but unmistakably present, and gathering an Easter picnic basket from a single konbini visit is genuinely fun.
Themed character cafés
Japan's character café culture goes into overdrive during seasonal events. Look out for:
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Sanrio Cafés (Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinnamoroll) — these often run special spring/Easter menus with pastel-decorated desserts and themed merchandise
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Pokémon Café in Tokyo and Osaka — frequently runs themed events around the holidays
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Pop-up cafés in Harajuku and Shibuya — character collaborations with anime, manga, and even film franchises temporarily take over cafés in trendy neighbourhoods. Check Tokyo Otaku Mode or Tokyo Cheapo near your travel dates for what's open
- Animal cafés — Japan's famous rabbit cafés (yes, those exist too) become especially popular around Easter; Tokyo's Mimi and Ms. Bunny are both well-regarded options for a non-Okunoshima rabbit fix
These are all reservation-recommended, especially during peak spring weekends.
Hanami: The Japanese Outdoor Easter
In the West, Easter Sunday often means a brunch, an egg hunt in the garden, or a picnic. In Japan, the spring outdoor tradition is hanami (花見) — flower viewing — and during the cherry blossom season, families and friends gather under sakura trees with food, drink, and good company. If your visit to Japan coincides with sakura season (typically late March to mid-April, depending on the region), you can experience Easter as a hanami picnic and have what might be the most beautiful outdoor Easter of your life.
How to do a hanami Easter picnic
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Get there early — popular hanami spots get busy. Mid-morning works well
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Buy your picnic at the konbini — bento boxes, onigiri, drinks, snacks and seasonal sweets all in one stop
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Bring a tarp or picnic mat — most Japanese people sit on a small blue tarp under their chosen tree
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Pack out everything — leaving rubbish under a sakura tree is the social equivalent of leaving rubbish at a holy site. Pack rubbish out with you and dispose of it properly
- Look up the forecast — the JMA cherry blossom forecast (sakura zensen) updates daily and tells you exactly when peak bloom will hit each city
Go for an Easter Egg Hunt in Japan’s parks
Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo
A beautiful park with three distinct styles of garden - Japanese, English, and French - you’ll find this park just ten minutes walk from Shinjuku station.
Yoyogi Park, Tokyo
A favourite location for festivals, concerts, and other events, Yoyogi is popular for walking and cycling. The nearest station is five minutes away at Harajuku.
Ryoan-ji Temple, Kyoto
A unique UNESCO World Heritage site, this park is famous for its special rock garden. Try here for a different kind of egg hunt or perhaps just a soothing stroll past the rocks. Kyoto has many other beautiful gardens and is easily accessible with the JR Pass from across Japan.
Nagai Park, Osaka
An urban park just outside the city centre with lots to see and do in the vicinity, including Osaka Museum of Natural History and Nagai Botanical Garden. Perfect for an Easter day out. Like Kyoto, Osaka has lots to offer and is easily accessible from other cities with the Japan Rail Pass.
Nikko National Park
Easily accessible from Tokyo, Nikko would make a great day trip at Easter. Nikko is the place to go for history lovers. The shrines and temples of Nikko, including the famous and iconic Toshogu shrine and mausoleum have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will also find Kinugawa Onsen, a hot spring town along the banks of the Kinu River, and the Nasu Volcanic Belt, which gives the area its stunning mountainous landscape. Starting at Tokyo Station or Ueno Station, use the JR Tohoku Shinkansen to get to Utsunomiya Station before transferring to the JR Nikko Line to Nikko Station. For more on Nikko, read our comprehensive guide to Nikko: The Perfect Balance of Nature and Spirituality.
Akan National Park
One of Hokkaido’s beautiful national parks, Akan is especially notable for its volcanoes and the lakes in the craters. These include the beautiful Lake Mashu, which would make a lovely place to visit over Easter.
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Spring and Easter Festivals
Easter festivals are not common in Japan although they are starting to take place, such as the Easter celebration, featuring egg painting and more, in Tokyo’s Daikanyama neighbourhood. Generally speaking however, there are a huge amount of festivals (known as matsuri) in Japan all year round, with many over the Spring and Easter period. Throughout the year, there are an estimated 300,000 Matsuri across Japan. One of the reasons there are so many is that almost every shrine, town and village has its own festival. The focal-point of these can vary, from honouring a shrine’s kami (a Shinto deity), to remembering an important historical event, or celebrating a particular season. Traditional Matsuri feature processions and decorated floats known as dashi, yatai, danjiri, and other regional variations. There are several major festivals in April around Easter time. Here are a couple of recommendations:
Takayama Festival
Generally considered to be one of the three most beautiful matsuri in all of Japan, this festival takes place in Gifu Prefecture. You can reach the shrine by a 15-minute walk from JR Takayama station in Takayama City in the Japanese Alps.
Kanamara Matsuri
The infamous and lighthearted ‘Festival of the Steel Phallus’ or ‘Penis Festival’ (as it is sometimes known) takes place every year during April in Kawasaki. Although the unusually shaped floats may generate a few smiles, the meaning behind this festival is actually about the wish to have children, as well as for equality and fair treatment across genders. As such, this matsuri is very popular with the LGBTQ+ community.
Bunkyo Azalea Festival
An annual flower festival held at Nezu Shrine in Tokyo, Bunkyo Azalea Festival is famous for its 6,600 square metre Azalea garden. Nezu Shrine is also one of the oldest shrines in the city – its current buildings date back to 1706, but the shrine itself is much older. Inside the garden, there are 100 varieties of 3,000 azalea plants, creating a colourful blanket of flowers – pink, purple, and green. There is also a beautiful pond and a famous Senbon Torii (a tunnel of Torii gates). As well as the flowers themselves, the festival features stalls and a market. The best time to enjoy the festival and the Azalea garden is mid to late April. The Nezu Shrine is located in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, five minutes from Nezu Station, Sendagi Station and Todaimae station. Remember, if you’re travelling around inner Tokyo, or other major cities in Japan such as Kyoto or Osaka, you’ll need a prepaid travel card, such as ICOCA, PASMO or Suica, as well as your Japan Rail Pass. For more on Japan’s love of festivals and our recommendations for the best ones to visit across the country throughout the year, read our Top 12 Festivals in Japan.
Bonus Recommendations
It’s not all about chocolate eggs and sweet treats of course; Easter is also a wonderful time to get outdoors as the weather changes. Here are a few bonus recommendations for doing just that this Easter:
- Japan’s varied and beautiful landscape is perfect for outdoor activities like climbing, hiking, or cycling thanks to the generally mild and pleasant weather. As a starter, read our Comprehensive Guide to Climbing and Hiking. We have also put together a list of the Best Cycling Routes in Japan.
- Easter is a great time to head off the beaten track and go exploring. Read our guide to the Most Remote Locations in Japan for something a bit different this Easter.
- And remember if you are going somewhere remote, it would be sensible to stay connected to the internet (just in case you take a wrong turn and need directions) so you may want to consider investing in PocketWifi.
- There’s lots more to do this month than Easter alone. Read our guide to Why April is Amazing in Japan for more ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Is Easter a public holiday in Japan?
No. Easter is not a public holiday, so shops, banks, transport and offices all operate normally over Easter weekend. This is actually convenient for visitors — you can travel and sightsee easily, with no holiday closures.
2. Does Tokyo DisneySea have Easter events every year?
Yes — Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland both run annual Easter celebrations from approximately early April through early June, with themed parades, decorations, food, and merchandise. Check the official Tokyo Disney Resort website for the current year's dates and details before booking.
3. Are rabbit cafés a thing in Japan?
Yes! Tokyo has several well-known rabbit cafés (Mimi and Ms. Bunny among them), where you can spend time with friendly rabbits in a relaxed setting. These are an excellent option if you can't make it to Okunoshima but want to experience time with bunnies during your Easter visit.
4. What's the best month to visit Japan for an Easter trip?
Easter falls in late March or April depending on the calendar — both are spectacular times to visit Japan. April typically brings peak cherry blossom in central Honshu and is one of the most beautiful months of the year. March is slightly less crowded but the blossoms may still be on the way. Both work brilliantly.
