Nikko in March: weather, what to wear and what's on

Nikko weather in March

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Imaichi station (414 m above sea level).

High

10.5°C (51°F)

Low

−0.5°C (31°F)

Precipitation

99.3 mm

Wet days

9.1 days

Sunshine

190 hours

Highs rise 3.7°C from February and climb another 5.6°C into April.

That is 6.4°C below Nikko's yearly average high of 16.9°C.

Of our 14 places with temperature records, Nikko is the 4th coldest in March: level with Kawaguchiko and 0.7°C warmer than Takayama.

March is Nikko's 5th driest month (99.3 mm).

Of our 15 places, Nikko has the 2nd lowest precipitation in March: 3.8 mm less than Osaka and 21.7 mm more than Sapporo.

Rain or snow of 1 mm or more falls on 9.1 days, and 10 mm or more on 3.5 days.

Rain or snow of 30 mm or more in one day falls on 0.7 days.

The temperature drops below 0°C on 18.8 nights.

The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 19.6 days, and 4.6 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.

Up at Okunikko (1,292 m), the JMA's second station in Nikko, the average high is 4.2°C (40°F) and the low −4.6°C (24°F).

Average temperature

4.7°C (40°F)

Early, mid and late March

By the last ten days of March the average high in Nikko is 3.0°C higher than in the first ten.

By ten-day totals, 21–31 March is the wettest (42.9 mm) and 11–20 March the driest (19.6 mm).

What to wear in Nikko in March

Chilly: highs around 10.5°C

• A warm jacket or light coat over a sweater.
• Gloves and a hat for mornings and nights: the temperature drops below 0°C on 18.8 nights.
• Layers you can take off: afternoons are 11.0°C warmer than early mornings on average.
• A folding umbrella: rain or snow falls on 9.1 days.

Okunikko and Lake Chuzenji are colder: the average high there is 4.2°C, which is our Freezing level.

Pack

• Folding umbrella
• Gloves and a warm hat

• Our clothing rules

March records in Nikko

The extremes the JMA has measured in March at its Imaichi station.

Hottest March day

23.2°C (74°F) on 19 March 2013 (records since 1979)

Coldest March night

−11.0°C (12°F) on 1 March 1984 (records since 1979)

Wettest March day

71.0 mm on 30 March 1995 (records since 1979)

Holidays and crowds in March

National holidays in March 2027:

• Sun 21 March — Vernal Equinox Day
• Mon 22 March — Substitute holiday

• Sat 20 March to Mon 22 March: 3 days off in a row

In March 2025, hotels and inns across Tochigi Prefecture were 54.9% full on average (7th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 39,380 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 48.0% in February and 54.7% in April.

• Japan in March: visitor numbers and busy travel days
• Holidays in March

What's on in Nikko in March

Nikko before and after March

• Nikko in February
• Nikko in April
• All 12 months in Nikko

Other places in March

• All 15 places in March

Related items

• Nikko by month
• Japan in March
• Nikko in February
• Nikko in April