Weather in Kyoto in December
December in Kyoto is a coat month. Treat it as cities, food and short walks, not as a terrace holiday.
In Japan, this is how Kyoto actually wears December, not how a country centroid would. Compared with August and January, December sits in the middle of Kyoto's year.
Pack for Kyoto in December, not for a brochure that was photographed in another season.
- Average temp
- 8°C
5–11°C
- Rainfall
- 68 mm
Showers likely
- Sunshine
- 4.9 h
hours per day
What to expect
Daytime
You want a proper coat in Kyoto in December, not a festival jacket. Wind makes the same afternoon feel sharper than the map suggests.
Outdoor time is the middle of the day. Finish plans before the light goes. Evenings are for indoors.
Rain
December is on the drier side of the year in Kyoto. Showers are possible. They do not define the month.
A shell that lives in the bag is enough. This is not July, and it should not be packed as if it were.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What to pack
Rain jacket
A layer for cooler evenings
Where to stay in Kyoto
Dates are a starting point for December.
Travel guides for Kyoto
What to read before you book.
Average weather in Kyoto
TemperatureRainfall
Similar weather in December
Other destinations whose December averages sit close to this one.
Check another month
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FAQs about Kyoto
Climate averages for Kyoto, 1991–2020.
The best time to visit Kyoto is between April and July, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
August is the hottest month, with an average around 30°C.
July is the wettest month, with about 250 mm of rain.
No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.
