Best time to visit Kyoto
The best time to visit Kyoto is April and November, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.4 °C / 45 °F | -0.1 °C / 32 °F | 57 mm / 2.2 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 8.6 °C / 47 °F | 0.7 °C / 33 °F | 76 mm / 3 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 12.8 °C / 55 °F | 3.5 °C / 38 °F | 126 mm / 4.9 in | good month, for Cherry blossoms. The weather alone makes it neither best nor good. |
| April | 18 °C / 64 °F | 8.3 °C / 47 °F | 150 mm / 5.9 in | best month, for Cherry blossoms. The weather alone makes it good. |
| May | 22.8 °C / 73 °F | 13.5 °C / 56 °F | 160 mm / 6.3 in | good month |
| June | 26.2 °C / 79 °F | 18.3 °C / 65 °F | 201 mm / 7.9 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 30.1 °C / 86 °F | 23 °C / 73 °F | 257 mm / 10.1 in | good month, for Gion Matsuri. The weather alone makes it neither best nor good. |
| August | 31.7 °C / 89 °F | 24 °C / 75 °F | 171 mm / 6.7 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 27.7 °C / 82 °F | 20.3 °C / 69 °F | 185 mm / 7.3 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 21.8 °C / 71 °F | 13.9 °C / 57 °F | 160 mm / 6.3 in | good month |
| November | 15.9 °C / 61 °F | 7.5 °C / 46 °F | 80 mm / 3.1 in | best month, for Autumn colours. The weather alone makes it good. |
| December | 10 °C / 50 °F | 2.2 °C / 36 °F | 67 mm / 2.6 in | good month, for Autumn colours. The weather alone makes it neither best nor good. |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: good
- AApril: best
- MMay: good
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: good
- Best
- April, November
- Good
- March, May, July, October, December
April, around cherry blossom season, and November, for the autumn colours, are Kyoto's best months for exploring on foot -- mild and comparatively dry. May, June and October stay pleasant but wetter, while the hot, humid rains of July through September (eased only by Gion Matsuri in July) and the cold from December through February make for tougher sightseeing weather.
Why these months
March · good
Made good by Cherry blossoms.
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 73%, relative humidity 68%.
Against: feels like (high) 9.9 °C / 50 °F, average daily high 12.8 °C / 55 °F, precipitation 126 mm / 4.9 in, wet days 12.4 days, days with heavy rain 4.7 days, average daily low 3.5 °C / 38 °F.
Also on: Plum blossoms.
Watch out for: Cherry blossom season crowds.
April · best
Good weather, made best by Cherry blossoms.
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.4 °C / 62 °F, average daily high 18 °C / 64 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 68%, relative humidity 67%, average daily low 8.3 °C / 47 °F.
Against: precipitation 150 mm / 5.9 in, days with heavy rain 4.8 days, wet days 11.7 days.
Watch out for: Cherry blossom season crowds, Golden Week crowds.
May · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 22.8 °C / 73 °F, average daily high 22.8 °C / 73 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 68%, average daily low 13.5 °C / 56 °F, relative humidity 69%.
Against: precipitation 160 mm / 6.3 in, days with heavy rain 5 days, wet days 11.3 days.
Also on: Aoi Matsuri, Children's Day free admission, Greenery Day free admission.
Watch out for: Golden Week crowds.
July · good
Made good by Gion Matsuri.
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 66%.
Against: feels like (high) 34.4 °C / 94 °F, precipitation 257 mm / 10.1 in, wet days 18.4 days, days with heavy rain 8.3 days, average daily high 30.1 °C / 86 °F, relative humidity 79%, share of rain falling in the daytime 55%, average daily low 23 °C / 73 °F.
October · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.6 °C / 71 °F, average daily high 21.8 °C / 71 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 73%, average daily low 13.9 °C / 57 °F, relative humidity 75%.
Against: precipitation 160 mm / 6.3 in, days with heavy rain 4.5 days, wet days 10.2 days.
Also on: Jidai Matsuri.
November · best
Good weather, made best by Autumn colours.
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 75%, feels like (high) 13.9 °C / 57 °F, average daily high 15.9 °C / 61 °F, days with heavy rain 2.7 days, average daily low 7.5 °C / 46 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Against: precipitation 80 mm / 3.1 in, wet days 7.3 days.
Also on: Culture Day free admission, Labor Thanksgiving Day free admission.
Watch out for: Autumn colour season crowds.
December · good
Made good by Autumn colours.
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 79%, precipitation 67 mm / 2.6 in, days with heavy rain 2 days, wet days 7.8 days, relative humidity 73%.
Against: feels like (high) 6.6 °C / 44 °F, average daily high 10 °C / 50 °F, average daily low 2.2 °C / 36 °F.
Also on: Hatsumode New Year temple visits.
Watch out for: Autumn colour season crowds, Christmas Eve restaurant bookings, New Year holiday closures.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is グランスノー奥伊吹, Gransnow Okuibuki, 80 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 3.5 °C | 4.8 °C | 9.9 °C | 16.4 °C | 22.8 °C | 28.1 °C | 34.4 °C | 36.2 °C | 30.2 °C | 21.6 °C | 13.9 °C | 6.6 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.8 days | 2.5 days | 4.7 days | 4.8 days | 5 days | 6.1 days | 8.3 days | 4.5 days | 5.6 days | 4.5 days | 2.7 days | 2 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 12 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 1 am | 3 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 2 pm | 2 pm | 9 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 8 h | 7.9 h | 8.7 h | 8.9 h | 9.5 h | 8.8 h | 9.3 h | 10.5 h | 8.8 h | 8.2 h | 7.8 h | 7.8 h |
| Relative humidity | 73% | 70% | 68% | 67% | 69% | 75% | 79% | 76% | 76% | 75% | 74% | 73% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 11.2 µg/m³ | 11.4 µg/m³ | 15.5 µg/m³ | 16.4 µg/m³ | 13.2 µg/m³ | 16.8 µg/m³ | 16.4 µg/m³ | 11.8 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ | 10.2 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 18.6 µg/m³ | 18.4 µg/m³ | 24.6 µg/m³ | 26.3 µg/m³ | 20.8 µg/m³ | 28.6 µg/m³ | 28 µg/m³ | 20.3 µg/m³ | 17.5 µg/m³ | 13.4 µg/m³ | 16.9 µg/m³ | 17.1 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Cherry blossoms Major
20 March–15 April, dates vary from year to year
- Gion Matsuri Major
14–24 July
- Autumn colours Major
15 November–5 December, dates vary from year to year
- Hatsumode New Year temple visits
31 December–1 January
- Plum blossoms
15 February–15 March, dates vary from year to year
- Setsubun
3–4 February, dates vary from year to year
- Aoi Matsuri
15 May
- Greenery Day free admission
4 May
- Children's Day free admission
5 May
- Green maples at Jingo-ji and Tofuku-ji
1–10 June, dates vary from year to year
- Hydrangeas at Sanzen-in
June, dates vary from year to year
- Daimonji Gozan Okuribi
16 August
- International Manga Anime Fair
September
- Respect-for-the-Aged Day free admission
15–21 September, dates vary from year to year
- Jidai Matsuri
22 October
- Culture Day free admission
3 November
- Labor Thanksgiving Day free admission
23 November
Worth knowing before you go
- New Year holiday closures
30 December–3 January
- Cherry blossom season crowds
20 March–15 April, dates vary from year to year
- Golden Week crowds
29 April–5 May
- Obon travel crowding
13–16 August, dates vary from year to year
- Autumn colour season crowds
15 November–5 December, dates vary from year to year
- Christmas Eve restaurant bookings
24 December
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto
4 km away