✨ Plan KyotoThe best time to visit Kyoto
Typically most comfortable: October and November. Here is every month honestly — the weather we plan on, and the festivals and crowds worth timing rather than dodging.
January
☀️ ~9°
Cold and quiet — temples without the queues
New Year
February
☀️ ~10°
Cold, plum blossoms late in the month
March
☀️ ~14°
Mild; cherry blossoms open very late March
Cherry blossom
April
☀️ ~20°
Peak blossom — beautiful, and the busiest month of the year
Cherry blossomGolden Week
May
☀️ ~25°
Fresh green maples, warm and clear
Golden Week
June
🌧 ~28°
Rainy season — temple gardens at their greenest
Rainy season (tsuyu)
July
☀️ ~33°
Hot and close; the basin traps the heat
Rainy season (tsuyu)Gion MatsuriSummer school holidays
August
☀️ ~34°
Hottest month — early starts, indoor afternoons
Summer school holidaysObon
September
🌧 ~30°
Still hot, typhoon risk into early October
October
☀️ ~23°
Crisp and lovely
Jidai Matsuri & Kurama Fire Festival
November
☀️ ~17°
Autumn colour peaks late November — spectacular and packed
Autumn colourWinter illuminations
December
☀️ ~11°
Cold and clear, very few visitors
Autumn colourWinter illuminationsNew Year
Know your dates?
We'll build Kyoto around your month — weather, crowds and all — in about a minute.