The best time to visit Kyoto is November: the highest sunny-day share of the year (52%), rain on only 21% of days, highs of 17°C (63°F), and the autumn leaves at their peak from about 15 to 30 November. The other classic window is the first two weeks of April, with cherry blossoms peaking around 4 April and highs of 20°C, at the cost of more rain (33% of days) and the highest hotel prices of the year.
The months to avoid are July and August. Kyoto sits in a basin with no sea breeze and is the hottest of Japan’s big cities: 35°C on 21% of July days and 32% of August days, with nights above 25°C on up to 42% of nights. Winter is cold (sub-zero mornings on a third of January days) but quiet and occasionally dusted with snow, which is when Kinkaku-ji looks its best. All figures below come from 58 years of Japan Meteorological Agency records at the Kyoto station.
- Best months for weather: October, November and May (our comfort score); avoid: July and August for the heat
- Hottest: August (high 33.7°C (93°F)); coldest: January (low 1.5°C (35°F))
- Wettest: June (rain on 39% of days); sunniest: November (52% of days)
- Data: Kyoto station, 1991 to 2020 normals and 58 years of daily records
Check the odds for your dates in Kyoto (58 years of records)
Pick the dates of your trip and the tool counts what happened on those days every year since 1968: sunny, rainy, hot, snowy, and the actual weather of the last dozen years.
Kyoto weather month by month
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunny days | 30°C+ days | Snow days | Sunshine | What is happening |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9 / 2°C 48°F / 35°F | 20% | 43% | 0% | 23% | 124h | Coldest; snow on 23% of days; quiet temples |
| February | 10 / 2°C 50°F / 35°F | 26% | 39% | 0% | 26% | 122h | Cold; plum blossoms at Kitano Tenmangu; snow on 26% of days |
| March | 14 / 4°C 57°F / 40°F | 31% | 44% | 0% | 9% | 155h | Warms; blossoms open around 26 March |
| April | 20 / 9°C 68°F / 49°F | 33% | 49% | 0% | 0% | 177h | Blossoms peak 4 April; highest prices |
| May | 25 / 14°C 77°F / 58°F | 32% | 45% | 7% | 0% | 182h | Warm and green; Aoi Matsuri 15 May |
| June | 28 / 19°C 83°F / 67°F | 39% | 29% | 29% | 0% | 133h | Rainy season from 6 June; moss and hydrangeas |
| July | 32 / 24°C 90°F / 74°F | 38% | 35% | 71% | 0% | 143h | Gion Matsuri; hottest with Osaka; 35°C on 21% of days |
| August | 34 / 25°C 93°F / 76°F | 29% | 48% | 87% | 0% | 183h | Hottest month; Gozan no Okuribi 16 August |
| September | 29 / 21°C 85°F / 69°F | 34% | 39% | 40% | 0% | 143h | Hot early, pleasant late; typhoon risk |
| October | 23 / 14°C 74°F / 58°F | 26% | 51% | 2% | 0% | 156h | Comfortable; Jidai Matsuri 22 October |
| November | 17 / 8°C 63°F / 47°F | 21% | 52% | 0% | 0% | 141h | Best month; leaves peak 15 to 30 November |
| December | 12 / 4°C 53°F / 38°F | 20% | 51% | 0% | 7% | 134h | Last leaves early month; cold, fairly sunny |
Our comfort score (highs near 22 to 26°C, few rainy days, many sunny days, no extreme heat) ranks the months in this order for Kyoto: October, November, May, April, December, March (then January, September, June, February, July, August). It ignores prices, crowds and events, which the sections below add back in.
Best time to visit Kyoto by what you want to do
For autumn leaves: 15 to 30 November
Kyoto’s maples turn when morning lows drop below 8°C and peak around 5°C; that happens in the second half of November. Sunny days are at 52% and rain at 21%, the best combination of the year. Mountain temples (Takao, Ohara, Kurama) peak a week earlier; Tofuku-ji, Eikan-do and Arashiyama in the third and fourth weeks. Book by summer.
For cherry blossoms: 28 March to 10 April
Average opening 26 March, full bloom 4 April, with Philosopher’s Path, Maruyama Park and Arashiyama the classic spots. Highs are 15 to 20°C but mornings are cold (4°C). Rain days are 31 to 33%, so allow three days in the city. Prices are the year’s highest; Osaka makes a cheaper base 30 minutes away.
For quiet temples and low prices: January to early March, and June
January and February are cold (highs 9 to 10°C, sub-zero mornings on 30% of days) and rain or snow falls on 20 to 26% of days, but the temples are empty and snow dusts the city on a quarter of days. June is the rainy season (rain on 39% of days) yet the moss gardens and hydrangeas are at their best and hotels are cheap.
For summer festivals: July, with a heat plan
Gion Matsuri (parades 17 and 24 July) and Gozan no Okuribi (16 August) are unmissable if you can handle 33°C with 70% humidity. Sightsee from 6 to 10am and after 5pm, use the subway rather than buses, and choose a hotel with strong air conditioning. See our summer heat guide.
What to pack for Kyoto, month by month
| Month | Feels like | What to wear | Rain gear | Sun protection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Cold | a winter coat or down jacket, scarf and gloves; indoor heating is strong so layer up | rain gear optional | low |
| February | Chilly | a coat and sweater, scarf on windy days | folding umbrella | low |
| March | Chilly | a coat and sweater, scarf on windy days | folding umbrella | low |
| April | Mild | long sleeves or a T-shirt with a light jacket; evenings need the jacket | folding umbrella | high |
| May | Early summer | short sleeves by day, a light long sleeve for evenings | folding umbrella | high |
| June | Early summer | short sleeves by day, a light long sleeve for evenings | umbrella essential | moderate |
| July | Full summer | light, breathable clothes, a hat, sunscreen and a thin layer for over-chilled trains and shops | umbrella essential | moderate |
| August | Full summer | light, breathable clothes, a hat, sunscreen and a thin layer for over-chilled trains and shops | folding umbrella | high |
| September | Early summer | short sleeves by day, a light long sleeve for evenings | folding umbrella | moderate |
| October | Mild | long sleeves or a T-shirt with a light jacket; evenings need the jacket | folding umbrella | moderate |
| November | Cool | a jacket or light coat, a sweater for mornings and evenings | rain gear optional | moderate |
| December | Chilly | a coat and sweater, scarf on windy days | rain gear optional | low |
Compare Kyoto with other Japanese cities
Use the tool to put Kyoto next to any other city for all twelve months.
Months to avoid in Kyoto, and why
July and August for the heat; the last week of March, first week of April and the second half of November for crowds and prices (go anyway, but book early).
Kyoto rewards early mornings in every season, but in November it is essential: the light on the maples is best before 9am and the crowds arrive at 10. In summer the same rule keeps you out of the 33°C afternoons.
Frequently asked questions about Kyoto weather
Why is Kyoto hotter than Tokyo in summer?
Kyoto lies in a basin surrounded by hills on three sides, so the sea breeze that cools Tokyo and Osaka in the afternoon never arrives and the heat stored in the city does not escape at night. Highs average 33.7°C in August against Tokyo’s 31.3°C.
When are the autumn leaves in Kyoto?
From about 15 to 30 November in most years, with mountain temples earlier and gardens in the city a few days later. Night illuminations run through the period at Eikan-do, Kiyomizu-dera and Kodai-ji.
Does it snow in Kyoto?
Snow is recorded on 23% of January and 26% of February days, but it usually melts by noon. A snow-covered Kinkaku-ji happens a few times each winter; go at opening time on a morning after overnight snow.
Is Kyoto crowded all year?
The peaks are the blossom fortnight, the leaf fortnight and Golden Week. January to February and June are the quietest; early morning (before 9am) is the quiet time in any month.
- November for leaves, April for blossoms, and why July and August hurt
- Avoid: July and August for the heat
- Hottest August (33.7°C (93°F)), coldest January (1.5°C (35°F)), wettest June (39% of days)
- Check your own dates with the 58-year tool above
Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency climatological normals (1991 to 2020) for temperatures, precipitation and sunshine; JMA daily observations 1968 to 2025 (58 years) compiled by this site for the share of sunny, rainy, snowy, hot and cold days. Written by a certified Japanese weather forecaster (気象予報士). Percentages are the share of days in the month; a 30 percent rain-day figure means roughly 9 days a month.