Kyoto in January
Highs around 9°C, lows 1°C, 53mm of rain; rooms at the year's low. One of the three driest months. On this month: New Year holiday.
Cheap and not one of the wettest months: a good time to go.
Best time to visit / Kyoto
When is it cheapest to visit Kyoto?
See how room prices move month by month, and know the cheapest window and the peak season to avoid before you book.
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Cheapest Jan, Feb, JunPeak Mar, Apr, Nov
Read from this city's own twelve months. The table below adds the temperature and rainfall for each one.
Kyoto is cheapest to visit in January, February, June.
Peak season is March, April, November, when rooms cost the most.
The month to pick is June. Rooms sit at this city's yearly low, and at an average high of 28°C and low of 19°C with 215mm of rain it asks the least of you of any of its cheap months.
The wettest month in Kyoto is July, at 221mm. It is not one of the cheap months, so dodging the rain and saving money are two separate decisions here.
Kyoto month by month: weather and room prices
One row per month. The price column is relative to this city's own year, and the temperature and rainfall are thirty-year normals.
| Month | Rooms | Temp | Rain | What is on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Cheap | 9°C / 1°C | 53mm | New Year holiday, Quiet shoulder |
| February | Cheap | 10°C / 1°C | 65mm | Nothing in particular |
| March | Peak | 14°C / 4°C | 107mm | Cherry blossom |
| April | Peak | 20°C / 9°C | 115mm | Cherry blossom, Golden Week |
| May | Mid | 25°C / 14°C | 161mm | Golden Week |
| June | Cheap | 28°C / 19°C | 215mm | Rainy season |
| July | Mid | 32°C / 23°C | 221mm | Local festival |
| August | Mid | 33°C / 24°C | 132mm | Obon holiday |
| September | Mid | 29°C / 20°C | 177mm | Nothing in particular |
| Octobernow | Mid | 23°C / 14°C | 144mm | Nothing in particular |
| November | Peak | 17°C / 8°C | 72mm | Autumn foliage |
| December | Mid | 12°C / 3°C | 58mm | New Year holiday |
Temperature and rainfall are published 1991-2020 monthly normals from national meteorological agencies. The price level is Tripdify's own per-city read of peak seasons and holidays; what you actually pay varies by property and day of the week.
Kyoto month by month
Kyoto in February
Highs around 10°C, lows 1°C, 65mm of rain; rooms at the year's low. One of the three driest months.
Cheap and not one of the wettest months: a good time to go.
Kyoto in March
Highs around 14°C, lows 4°C, 107mm of rain; rooms at the year's high. On this month: Cherry blossom.
Peak prices: book early if your dates are fixed.
Kyoto in April
Highs around 20°C, lows 9°C, 115mm of rain; rooms at the year's high. On this month: Cherry blossom, Golden Week.
Peak prices: book early if your dates are fixed.
Kyoto in May
Highs around 25°C, lows 14°C, 161mm of rain; rooms mid-priced. On this month: Golden Week.
Kyoto in June
Highs around 28°C, lows 19°C, 215mm of rain; rooms at the year's low. One of the three wettest months. On this month: Rainy season.
Cheap, but wet: keep plans flexible and pack for rain.
Kyoto in July
Highs around 32°C, lows 23°C, 221mm of rain; rooms mid-priced. One of the three wettest months. On this month: Local festival.
Kyoto in August
Highs around 33°C, lows 24°C, 132mm of rain; rooms mid-priced. On this month: Obon holiday.
Kyoto in September
Highs around 29°C, lows 20°C, 177mm of rain; rooms mid-priced. One of the three wettest months.
Kyoto in October
Highs around 23°C, lows 14°C, 144mm of rain; rooms mid-priced.
Kyoto in November
Highs around 17°C, lows 8°C, 72mm of rain; rooms at the year's high. On this month: Autumn foliage.
Peak prices: book early if your dates are fixed.
Kyoto in December
Highs around 12°C, lows 3°C, 58mm of rain; rooms mid-priced. One of the three driest months. On this month: New Year holiday.
Kyoto seasons and room prices
Kyoto has the sharpest seasonal swing in Japan. Cherry blossom in late March and early April and autumn foliage from mid to late November push the same room far above its usual rate, and popular places sell out months ahead. Golden Week, the Gion Matsuri in July, Obon in mid August and the New Year holiday are also expensive. Mid January through February, the June rainy season and the humid late July to early August stretch are the reliable low points. Because Osaka is about half an hour away by train, sleeping in Osaka and visiting Kyoto by day is a common way around peak prices.
Kyoto local costs and payment
The currency is the yen. Hotels and department stores take cards, but temple admission counters, Nishiki market stalls, old tea houses and many small restaurants in Kyoto are still cash only, so you will need more notes here than in Tokyo or Osaka. Pay in yen at checkout rather than letting the site convert to your home currency. Kyoto City levies an accommodation tax on every stay, charged per person per night in bands that rise with the room rate, and it is normally collected at the property rather than included in the online total.
Take Kyoto further into a stay plan
Once you have picked a cheap time to go, work out which base gives you the shortest travel.
When to visit Kyoto: common questions
When is it cheapest?
Kyoto is cheapest in the low season, January, February, June.
When is peak season?
March, April, November is peak season, when room prices are highest.
Which months should I avoid?
To spend the least, avoid the peak months of March, April, November, when prices climb.
Which month in Kyoto is both cheap and pleasant?
The month to pick is June. Rooms sit at this city's yearly low, and at an average high of 28°C and low of 19°C with 215mm of rain it asks the least of you of any of its cheap months.
Which month is wettest in Kyoto?
The wettest month in Kyoto is July, at 221mm. It is not one of the cheap months, so dodging the rain and saving money are two separate decisions here.