Weather in Kyoto in May
May in Kyoto is mild enough that walking is the default. This is a city-break month more than a sea-holiday month.
In Japan, this is how Kyoto actually wears May, not how a country centroid would. Compared with August and January, May sits in the middle of Kyoto's year.
- Average temp
- 21°C
16–26°C
- Rainfall
- 133 mm
Showers likely
- Sunshine
- 6.4 h
hours per day
What to expect
Daytime
Mild afternoons in Kyoto are the prize in May. You can eat outside on the good days. You still want something for the breeze.
This is walking weather. Shade is useful, not essential the way it is in the hot months. A long outdoor day is a reasonable plan.
Rain
Mixed skies in Kyoto in May. Dry days and wet days share the month. Outdoor plans need a backup, not a cancellation policy.
Pack a shell you will actually carry. The monthly table is the place for totals. This is the feel: usable, interrupted.
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 May.
Travel guides for Kyoto
What to read before you book.
Average weather in Kyoto
TemperatureRainfall
Similar weather in May
Other destinations whose May averages sit close to this one.
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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.
