Best time to visit Kyoto, Japan

Our verdict

The best time to visit Kyoto is March-May

Are you looking for the best time to visit Kyoto? Well, you’re in the right place! Although Kyoto is a great destination to visit almost all year round, March-May is the best time to go due to its perfect climate conditions. Around this time of year, flights and accommodation can also be cheaper as it is outside of key peak holiday seasons if you book well enough in advance.

During the warmer months, temperatures in Kyoto can rise to a maximum of 34℃ (93℉). The weather at night in the winter can get down to temperatures as low as -3℃ (27℉).

The longest days between sunrise and sunset in Kyoto are usually in August, so if you want to get the most out of your daytime activities, be sure to plan your visit around this time. July sees the most amount of rain in a month if you’re ok with chancing getting drenched, so if you’re looking to stay dry, visit in November instead.

Learn everything you need to know to help you decide when to go to Kyoto below, and don’t forget to use the awesome travel tools we know and love to help you find the best deals and make booking your vacation a breeze!

Warmest month

August

Least rainfall

November

Most daylight

August

Planning a trip to
Kyoto? →

*Support us by clicking the links above and making a booking with our partners. It's completely free for you, and it helps us make this site even more awesome! We'll <3 you for it.

Kyoto seasons

Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in Kyoto as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. Kyoto is in the Northern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:

Season Months
Summer June to August
Autumn/fall September to November
Winter December to February
Spring March to May

Average temperatures in Kyoto

If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Kyoto for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.

Kyoto climate by month

If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in Kyoto for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.

Jump to:

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC

Kyoto in January

  • Average temperature: 3℃ (37℉)
  • Average high temperature: 6℃ (43℉)
  • Average low temperature: -0℃ (32℉)
  • Average humidity: 82%
  • Average sunny days: 8 days
  • Average rainfall: 39mm (2") over 15 days
  • Average snow days: 10 days
8 days
of pure sunshine
15 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in January, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Kyoto in February

  • Average temperature: 4℃ (38℉)
  • Average high temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
  • Average low temperature: 0℃ (32℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 10 days
  • Average rainfall: 36mm (1") over 14 days
  • Average snow days: 8 days
10 days
of pure sunshine
14 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in February, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Kyoto in March

  • Average temperature: 7℃ (44℉)
  • Average high temperature: 11℃ (52℉)
  • Average low temperature: 2℃ (36℉)
  • Average humidity: 77%
  • Average sunny days: 12 days
  • Average rainfall: 60mm (2") over 16 days
  • Average snow days: 3 days
12 days
of pure sunshine
16 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in March, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Kyoto in April

  • Average temperature: 12℃ (53℉)
  • Average high temperature: 16℃ (62℉)
  • Average low temperature: 7℃ (44℉)
  • Average humidity: 75%
  • Average sunny days: 14 days
  • Average rainfall: 73mm (3") over 14 days
14 days
of pure sunshine
14 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in April, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Kyoto in May

  • Average temperature: 17℃ (63℉)
  • Average high temperature: 23℃ (73℉)
  • Average low temperature: 12℃ (54℉)
  • Average humidity: 73%
  • Average sunny days: 17 days
  • Average rainfall: 68mm (3") over 13 days
17 days
of pure sunshine
13 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in May, make sure you pack a coat or jumper for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.


Kyoto in June

  • Average temperature: 21℃ (69℉)
  • Average high temperature: 25℃ (77℉)
  • Average low temperature: 16℃ (61℉)
  • Average humidity: 80%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 65mm (3") over 16 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
16 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in June, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.


Kyoto in July

  • Average temperature: 25℃ (77℉)
  • Average high temperature: 29℃ (85℉)
  • Average low temperature: 21℃ (70℉)
  • Average humidity: 83%
  • Average sunny days: 10 days
  • Average rainfall: 115mm (5") over 19 days
10 days
of pure sunshine
19 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in July, make sure you pack t-shirts and light clothing.


Kyoto in August

  • Average temperature: 26℃ (79℉)
  • Average high temperature: 31℃ (87℉)
  • Average low temperature: 22℃ (72℉)
  • Average humidity: 79%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 93mm (4") over 17 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
17 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in August, make sure you pack t-shirts and shorts.. It stays pretty warm most of the time.


Kyoto in September

  • Average temperature: 22℃ (71℉)
  • Average high temperature: 26℃ (79℉)
  • Average low temperature: 18℃ (65℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 86mm (3") over 16 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
16 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in September, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.

Kyoto in October

  • Average temperature: 16℃ (61℉)
  • Average high temperature: 20℃ (69℉)
  • Average low temperature: 13℃ (55℉)
  • Average humidity: 82%
  • Average sunny days: 15 days
  • Average rainfall: 88mm (3") over 14 days
15 days
of pure sunshine
14 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in October, make sure you pack a light jumper or hoodie for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.


Kyoto in November

  • Average temperature: 11℃ (51℉)
  • Average high temperature: 14℃ (58℉)
  • Average low temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 15 days
  • Average rainfall: 32mm (1") over 12 days
15 days
of pure sunshine
12 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in November, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.


Kyoto in December

  • Average temperature: 5℃ (41℉)
  • Average high temperature: 8℃ (47℉)
  • Average low temperature: 2℃ (36℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 10 days
  • Average rainfall: 42mm (2") over 16 days
  • Average snow days: 4 days
10 days
of pure sunshine
16 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to Kyoto in December, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Top FAQs

The hottest month of the year in Kyoto is usually August, where temperatures tend to rise to around 31℃ (87℉) in the middle of the day or early afternoon.
The month with the least amount of rain in Kyoto is generally around November. The dry season often coincides with cooler weather, so you should check the temperatures in November first to make sure it’s still a good time to go.
The rainiest time of year in Kyoto is generally around July, although the wetter season can sometimes extend a few months either side of July too.
If you want to get the most out of your time visiting Kyoto, or if you're just afraid of the dark, the days in August are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset.

Kyoto map