The most comfortable time to visit Kyōto is from mid April to mid June, and again from late September to early November. For sun, aim for late June; for walking, go from mid March to mid May.
When to go five ratings · thirty-six ten-day sections · click a cell to read it
For sun, go in late June. It peaks in late June, at 63. That is a short window, about three weeks a year. Avoid late October to April for this: it falls to 0, mostly because it is too cool. The clearest skies come in November, when the sky is typically 58% covered at midday (partly cloudy).
The being outside season here runs from mid April to mid June, with a second spell from late September to early November. It peaks in mid May, at 85. The weakest stretch is from mid December to February, when it drops to 0, mostly because it is too cold.
For walking, go from mid March to mid May, with a second spell from mid October to early December. It peaks in early November, at 86. Avoid late June to early September for this: it falls to 0, mostly because it is too warm.
The year, measured
The average temperature in Kyōto over the whole year is 17°C. August is the hottest month, with highs of about 32°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about 3°C. Kyōto has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 10% in December, the driest month, to 20% in September, the wettest. Winds in Kyōto are highest in April, averaging 2.8 m/s (10 km/h), and lightest in November, at 2.2 m/s (8 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the W. The clearest skies in Kyōto come in November, when the sky is typically 56% covered; June is the cloudiest month, at 74%.
Month by month Kyōto climate by month: average temperatures year round · click a month to read it
| Month | High | Low | Feels like | Chance of rain | Cloud | Wind | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8°C | 3°C | 4°C | 12% | 62% | 2.6 m/s | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| February | 8°C | 3°C | 4°C | 12% | 62% | 2.7 m/s | 2 | 0 | 29 |
| March | 13°C | 6°C | 9°C | 17% | 61% | 2.7 m/s | 17 | 0 | 63 |
| April | 18°C | 11°C | 16°C | 18% | 63% | 2.8 m/s | 57 | 3 | 79 |
| May | 23°C | 16°C | 21°C | 17% | 65% | 2.6 m/s | 81 | 21 | 59 |
| June | 26°C | 21°C | 27°C | 20% | 74% | 2.5 m/s | 54 | 54 | 20 |
| July | 30°C | 25°C | 33°C | 20% | 73% | 2.4 m/s | 6 | 38 | 1 |
| August | 32°C | 26°C | 35°C | 14% | 64% | 2.7 m/s | 4 | 27 | 0 |
| September | 28°C | 23°C | 29°C | 20% | 73% | 2.5 m/s | 33 | 55 | 9 |
| October | 22°C | 16°C | 21°C | 16% | 67% | 2.4 m/s | 74 | 23 | 59 |
| November | 16°C | 10°C | 14°C | 10% | 56% | 2.2 m/s | 46 | 1 | 83 |
| December | 10°C | 5°C | 6°C | 10% | 60% | 2.6 m/s | 4 | 0 | 48 |
High and low are the warmest and coolest of four readings a day — midnight, 6am, noon and 6pm — so a true overnight low can sit a degree or two under them. Chance of rain, cloud and wind are the day’s average; feels-like and the three ratings (each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80) are read at midday.
Seasons, and the year in short Kyōto weather by season
Year round, Kyōto has days of about 8°C at their warmest in January, its coolest month, and 32°C in August, its warmest; the coolest hours of the day run from 3°C to 26°C through the year, and the average temperature over the year is 17°C around the clock. Rain is most likely around September and least likely around December. Every figure here is a decade of observations blended into one representative year, so it reads as what this date is usually like, not a forecast for one particular day.
Kyōto weather in winterDecember to February
Winter in Kyōto has typical daily highs of about 9°C and lows of about 4°C, with a 11% chance of rain on a given day.
Kyōto weather in springMarch to May
Spring in Kyōto has typical daily highs of about 18°C and lows of about 11°C, with a 17% chance of rain on a given day.
Kyōto weather in summerJune to August
Summer in Kyōto has typical daily highs of about 29°C and lows of about 24°C, with a 18% chance of rain on a given day.
Kyōto weather in autumnSeptember to November
Autumn in Kyōto has typical daily highs of about 22°C and lows of about 16°C, with a 16% chance of rain on a given day.
When is the rainy season in Kyōto?
Kyōto has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 10% in December, the driest month, to 20% in September, the wettest.
What time of year is Kyōto windiest?
Winds in Kyōto are highest in April, averaging 2.8 m/s (10 km/h), and lightest in November, at 2.2 m/s (8 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the W.
What is the average temperature in Kyōto year round?
The average temperature in Kyōto over the whole year is 17°C. August is the hottest month, with highs of about 32°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about 3°C.
Where to go instead in early January, the weakest time here for being outside
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, in ten-day sections. The ratings, the chart and the feels-like column are read at midday local solar time. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors, each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80. They describe what a time of year is usually like here, not a forecast. The dotted links open the map at that time of year; set its time of day to midday to see these numbers.