Graduation Season in Japan: Hakama and Cherry Blossoms

Discover how Japanese graduation ceremonies blend hakama, songs, keepsakes and spring blossoms into one of the most photogenic seasons of the year.

Published October 17, 2026 at 10:24 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Japanese graduation ceremonies are usually held in February or March, with many in late March. Many university women wear rented hakama over kimono, and cherry blossoms often appear around the same season, earlier in the south and later in the north.

A Season of Color on Japanese Campuses

Every spring, university campuses across Japan fill with a sight that delights visitors and locals alike: young women in elegant hakama, the long pleated skirts traditionally worn over kimono, gathering for photographs with friends and family. Graduation season is a moment when old and new Japan meet, with centuries-old clothing appearing beside smartphones, bouquets and proud parents in business suits. It is also a season that quietly connects to the arrival of cherry blossoms, since the end of one school year and the start of the next both fall around the same stretch of the calendar. This guide explains how the ceremonies work, why hakama became the signature outfit, which songs and keepsakes belong to the day, and how respectful visitors can enjoy the atmosphere.

Understanding the season starts with the Japanese school year, which runs from April to March. Because of that rhythm, graduations happen at the end of the school year, while entrance ceremonies follow in early April. Many people in Japan associate the cherry blossom with these milestones, so petals and diplomas often feel like parts of the same story. Even for a traveler who simply walks past a campus gate, the mix of flowers, formal clothes and happy tears makes the season memorable.

How the School Calendar Shapes the Ceremonies

Graduation ceremonies in Japan are usually held in February or March, and many take place in late March. Schools from elementary level through university hold them, usually in a gymnasium or auditorium where students and teachers gather together. The mood is typically formal and heartfelt rather than loud. A common program includes an opening address, the singing of the national anthem, the presentation of diplomas, speeches by the principal and guests, messages from current students, a reply from the graduates, and a closing address.

Cherry trees line the grounds of many schools, and their blooming time shifts with geography. Blossoms tend to appear earlier in southern Japan and later in the north, so the match between graduation day and full bloom varies from place to place and from year to year. In some regions the trees are in flower around the time of the ceremonies, while in others the petals arrive a little later, in time for the entrance ceremonies in early April. Either way, the blossoms give the transition from one stage of life to the next a natural symbol, which is a big part of why the season feels so poetic.

Clothing follows the level of the school. Students at most junior high and high schools wear their school uniforms, while university students usually choose their own outfits. Guests and parents commonly wear subdued, formal clothing in colors such as black, navy or gray. Today many mothers wear Western-style formal outfits rather than kimono, and it has become more common for couples to attend the ceremony together.

Why Hakama Became the Graduation Outfit

A hakama is a traditional garment for the lower body, tied at the waist and reaching down toward the ankles. For many centuries it was part of everyday formal menswear, and today men still wear it for tea ceremonies, weddings and martial arts. The story of women in hakama is a particularly interesting one. During the Meiji and Taisho eras, teachers at women's schools began wearing hakama, and the style later spread to students. One well-known figure, Utako Shimoda, who had served Empress Shoken, adapted court clothing into a hakama uniform for her Jissen Women's School, arguing that kimono alone restricted a woman's movement. Other women's schools followed, and hakama became standard school wear for a time.

Today women rarely wear hakama in daily life, with the main exceptions being graduation ceremonies and certain sports such as kyudo, the art of Japanese archery. That rarity is part of what makes graduation day so special: the outfit connects young women to the history of women's education in Japan. Many female teachers also wear kimono with hakama at graduation ceremonies, so the tradition can be seen on both sides of the stage.

Women's hakama are worn higher on the body than men's, just below the bust rather than at the waist, and they are tied with a simpler knot or bow. Formal versions are often a single color or a soft gradient, while younger wearers may choose designs with embroidered flowers. They go over a kimono, and a long-sleeved furisode (the formal kimono for young unmarried women) is a popular partner. Most university students rent their outfits rather than buying them, which keeps the tradition accessible.

Songs, Speeches and Second Buttons

Music is a strong thread through Japanese graduations. One of the most traditional songs is Hotaru no Hikari, whose melody is the same one that Western audiences know as Auld Lang Syne. Another long-standing favorite, Aogeba Totoshi, expresses gratitude to teachers. Among newer pieces, Tabidachi no Hi ni, written for a junior high school in Saitama, has become a nationwide standard, and some schools also choose popular songs about friendship and parting. When a whole hall sings together, the effect is moving even for someone who is hearing the tune for the first time.

There are small keepsake customs too. At mixed-gender schools, a well-known tradition has a boy give a girl the second button from his school jacket as a memento, a gesture often seen as giving away one's heart. The second button sits closest to the heart, which is why it carries such meaning. Today the custom is as much a nostalgic story as an everyday habit, but it still appears in songs, films and school memories.

Graduates sometimes recite a pledge or parting words during the ceremony to express their determination to move forward. Afterward, groups gather outside for photographs with teachers, club friends and families. Flowers, rolled diplomas and bright hakama make the campus entrance a lively photo stage in the hours that follow.

Tips for Visitors Who Want to Enjoy the Season

Because the ceremonies are held inside school buildings for students and their families, travelers are not generally invited to attend. The best way to enjoy the season is to be a considerate observer in public spaces. If you happen to pass a campus or a neighborhood where graduates are taking photographs, keep a polite distance and be careful not to block paths or entrances. If you would like to photograph someone, a smile and a quick question beforehand is the courteous approach, and many graduates are happy to say yes on such a proud day.

Visitors who would like to experience the clothing themselves can look into kimono and hakama rental experiences offered in tourist areas such as Kyoto and Tokyo. These are separate from graduation ceremonies, but they give a feel for how the garments are worn. Since spring weather can still be cool in March, a light coat is a good idea if you plan to walk around parks and campuses. Cherry blossom viewing is a favorite seasonal activity, so it helps to check local bloom forecasts on official tourism pages and keep your plans flexible as the trees can bloom earlier or later than expected.

The season also offers a fine opportunity to appreciate everyday Japanese culture: the care taken with formal clothes, the importance of group milestones, and the quiet pride of families. Try to approach the day with warmth and curiosity, and remember that for the graduates it is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Quick Takeaways

Graduation season in Japan is a celebration of endings and beginnings, tied to a school year that runs from April to March. Ceremonies are usually held in February or March, with many in late March, and cherry blossoms often arrive around that time, earlier in the south and later in the north. Women at universities commonly wear rented hakama over kimono, a custom that grew out of the Meiji and Taisho eras when women's schools adopted the garment for teachers and students. Songs such as Hotaru no Hikari, the traditions around the second button, and the photographs outside the gates all add to the feeling of the day.

If you are traveling in Japan during late winter or spring, keep an eye out for graduates in their colorful outfits, enjoy the sight from a respectful distance, and let the blossoms and the music make the season feel complete. A little knowledge makes the scene even more meaningful, and it is a wonderful reminder of how traditional clothing remains alive in modern Japan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Japanese women wear hakama to graduation?

The hakama was adopted by teachers and students at women's schools during the Meiji and Taisho eras, partly because it allowed easier movement than kimono alone. Today it is worn mainly at graduations, and most university students rent their outfits.

When is graduation season in Japan?

Ceremonies are usually held in February or March, and many take place in late March at the end of the April to March school year. Entrance ceremonies follow in early April, when cherry trees are often in bloom.

Can tourists attend a Japanese graduation ceremony?

Ceremonies are held for students and their families inside school buildings, so travelers are not generally invited. Visitors can enjoy the season respectfully from public spaces, keeping a polite distance and asking before photographing anyone.

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