Discover spring food traditions from around the world—from cherry blossom picnics in Japan to sweet capirotada in Mexico and the symbolic dishes of Nowruz in Iran.

Spring is a season of renewal, and in cultures around the world, food plays a central role in marking the transition. As trees bloom and markets fill with fresh produce, communities celebrate with symbolic dishes, ancient rituals, and recipes passed down for generations.

From delicate mochi eaten beneath cherry blossoms in Japan to the vibrant Haft-Seen table of Nowruz in Iran, spring food traditions offer a lens into the values, flavors, and stories that shape a culture. Some mark religious holidays, others welcome seasonal change—but all of them remind us how deeply food connects to place, memory, and meaning.

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In this guide, we explore springtime dishes and rituals from five different regions—each with its own texture, scent, and spirit.

Japan: Hanami & Sakura-Themed Treats

In Japan, spring isn’t just a season—it’s an event. As cherry trees bloom across the country, families, friends, and co-workers gather beneath the petals for hanami, a centuries-old tradition of flower viewing.

But hanami isn’t only about beauty. It’s about impermanence—a fleeting moment savored through stillness, conversation, and, of course, food. Bento boxes become miniature works of art, filled with seasonal delicacies that match the occasion: rice balls wrapped in pickled cherry leaves, pastel-pink mochi, and delicate tempura-fried vegetables. Street stalls nearby might offer sakura-flavored soft serve, skewered dango, or grilled yakitori, perfect for sharing under the trees. Even convenience stores roll out seasonal menus. You’ll find sakura lattes, cherry blossom pastries, and even limited-edition KitKats that celebrate spring in sweet, unexpected ways.

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Depending on the region, the best time to experience hanami is late March to early April. Tokyo and Kyoto usually peak between March 25 and April 5.

Iran: Nowruz and the Haft-Seen Table

Spring in Iran begins not just with a date on the calendar but with Nowruz—the Persian New Year, celebrated for over 3,000 years across Iran and much of Central and Western Asia. Rooted in Zoroastrian tradition and aligned with the spring equinox, Nowruz is a cultural celebration of rebirth, balance, and light.

The Haft-Seen table is at the heart of the festivities—a beautifully arranged spread featuring seven symbolic items, each beginning with the letter “S” in Persian. From sprouted greens (sabzeh) symbolizing growth to apples (seeb) representing health, the table is both ritual and art.

But Nowruz isn’t just about symbolism—it’s also about flavor. Spring food traditions in Iran include:

• Sabzi polo ba mahi – herbed rice with white fish, often served on New Year’s Eve
• Kookoo sabzi – a fragrant herb frittata bursting with greens and dried fruit
• Ajil-e Moshkel-Gosha – a special trail mix of nuts and dried fruit said to solve your problems if eaten with intention

Sweets like baklava, noghl (sugar-coated almonds), and nan-e nokhodchi (chickpea cookies) fill the table and are shared with neighbors and guests. Nowruz celebrations last 13 days, with visits, gift exchanges, spring cleaning rituals, and a final day spent outdoors in nature (Sizdah Bedar). It’s a season-long reminder that joy, generosity, and fresh beginnings go hand in hand.

What is Nowruz?

Nowruz (pronounced noh-rooz) means “new day” in Persian. It marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year on the Iranian calendar. Celebrated by over 300 million people worldwide—including in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and parts of Turkey, Iraq, and India—it’s recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. At its core, Nowruz celebrates light overcoming darkness and the power of renewal, nature, and hope.

Greece: Red Eggs, Lamb, and Sweet Tsoureki

In Greece, Orthodox Easter is the most important holiday of the year—and it almost always falls in spring. The celebration is as much spiritual as it is sensory, with food playing a central role in the fasting period and the following joyful feast. After weeks of Lenten restraint, Easter Sunday bursts with flavor.

These are some traditional Greek Easter dishes:

• Roast lamb, often spit-roasted outdoors with herbs and lemon
• Tsoureki, a sweet braided bread infused with mahlepi (wild cherry seed) and mastiha, sometimes topped with a symbolic red egg
• Magiritsa, a traditional soup made from lamb offal and herbs, typically eaten after the midnight resurrection service
• Red eggs: On Holy Thursday, the eggs are dyed red, symbolizing Christ’s blood and life’s rebirth. At the Easter table, each person grabs a red egg and tries to crack the other’s egg, which is said to bring good luck.

Mexico: Capirotada – A Lenten Dessert Full of Meaning

In Mexico, spring food traditions blend Catholic and Indigenous roots; one particular dish captures that spirit: capirotada. Capirotada is a sweet and savory bread pudding traditionally eaten during Lent and especially on Good Friday. At first glance, it looks simple—layers of day-old bread, cheese, raisins, cinnamon, and a syrup made from piloncillo (raw cane sugar).  Recipes vary from region to region—some include peanuts, bananas, or coconut—but the intention remains the same: to nourish the soul as well as the body. Capirotada is often made in big batches, shared with neighbors, or brought to church gatherings. It’s humble, hearty, and deeply meaningful.

Italy: Spring Simplicity and Easter Sweets

Italian spring food traditions celebrate the season’s bounty with a mix of sacred holiday fare and everyday ingredients that shine. In central and southern Italy, spring food traditions include:

• Artichokes, fried or sautéed with garlic and mint
• Roasted lamb or kid, often with potatoes and rosemary
• A slice of Colomba di Pasqua, a dove-shaped sweet bread similar to panettone, topped with pearl sugar and almonds

But it’s not just Easter Sunday. Throughout spring, local markets bloom with peas, fava beans, wild asparagus, and citrus. Italian cooking honors the season not with complexity but with reverence for freshness. A slice of ricotta pie or pastiera napoletana—a fragrant grain and ricotta cake traditionally made at Easter—ends the meal with sweetness and tradition in equal measure.

Spring Food Traditions in Other Corners of the World

• Romania – Red eggs, cozonac (sweet walnut bread), and spring lamb dishes mark Orthodox Easter. 
• India – During Holi, the Festival of Colors, families share sweets like gujiya (fried dumplings with khoya and nuts) and cool drinks like thandai.
• Thailand – The Songkran festival, which marks the Thai New Year in April, involves lots of water and refreshing dishes like green papaya salad and sweet mango sticky rice.

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