Japan weather in May
Japan in May averages 17°C (63°F), 92 mm of rain and 6.6 hours of sun a day.
Of the twelve months in Japan, May is the fifth warmest and the sixth wettest.
- Average temp
- 17°C (63°F)
11–24°C · 51–75°F
- Rainfall
- 92 mm
Showers likely
- Sunshine
- 6.6 h
hours per day
What is Japan like in May?
Daytime
Days are mild.
Rain
Some rain is likely; pack for showers.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What should I pack for Japan in May?
A light rain jacket
About 92 mm falls this month — showers rather than washouts.
A warm mid-layer
Nights drop to around 11°C (51°F).
May compared with April and June
May in Japan is 6.1°C warmer than April and 14 mm wetter than it, which averages 11°C (52°F).
May in Japan is 3.8°C cooler than June and 22 mm drier than it, which averages 21°C (70°F).
Daylight in Japan in May
On 15 May the sun is up for 14 hours 6 minutes in Japan, rising about 04:40 and setting about 18:46 local time.
May ends 47 minutes longer than it begins, so the last week of the month is a different length of day from the first.
That is 31 minutes short of June, the longest-lit month here.
Japan weather by month
TemperatureRainfall
How May compares with the rest of the year
May is highlighted. Every other month links to its own page.
| Month | Average | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|
| January | 0°C / 32°F | 45 mm |
| February | 1°C / 34°F | 35 mm |
| March | 5°C / 41°F | 83 mm |
| April | 11°C / 52°F | 78 mm |
| May | 17°C / 63°F | 92 mm |
| June | 21°C / 70°F | 114 mm |
| July | 25°C / 76°F | 130 mm |
| August | 26°C / 79°F | 98 mm |
| September | 21°C / 71°F | 156 mm |
| October | 14°C / 58°F | 128 mm |
| November | 8°C / 47°F | 56 mm |
| December | 3°C / 37°F | 32 mm |
Similar weather in May
Other destinations whose May averages sit close to this one.
Check another month
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FAQs about Japan in May
May climate averages for Japan, 1991–2020.
Japan averages 17°C (63°F) in May, ranging from about 11°C (51°F) at night to 24°C (75°F) in the afternoon. That is a 1991–2020 average, so an individual week can run either side of it.
Some. About 92 mm falls across May, enough to need a light jacket but not enough to reshape a trip.
No. May averages 17°C (63°F) against 21°C (70°F) in June — 3.8°C cooler.
May is 6.1°C warmer than April, and 14 mm wetter.
Yes. May falls inside the most comfortable stretch of the year here, May to October, on temperature and rainfall together.
About 6.6 hours of sun a day on the 1991–2020 average.
This page does not show today's weather. It is a 1991–2020 climate normal from Meteostat — a long-run average of what May is usually like, which is what you want when booking months ahead. For today or the coming week, check a live forecast.
About 14 hours 6 minutes of daylight in mid-May, against 14 hours 37 minutes in June and 9 hours 43 minutes in December.
On 15 May, sunrise is about 04:40 and sunset about 18:46 local time. Both shift across the month — the month ends 47 minutes longer than it starts.
