Japan in May

What to expect in Japan in May

May brings warm weather to Japan, with daytime highs around 23°C (73°F) and overnight lows near 15°C (59°F). Skies are typically moderately wet, with about 138 mm of rainfall on average. Avoid Golden Week (Apr 29-May 5) when domestic tourism peaks and transport books out..

May is one of Japan's busiest months, so book accommodation early and expect queues at the headline sights. Flights and hotels are at peak rates, so use our tracker below to spot any drops. Peak season runs Late March–April (cherry blossom), October–November, for context.

What’s happening in May

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  Sanja Matsuri · MayAsakusa's largest festival brings nearly two million people to watch about 100 portable mikoshi shrines carried through the streets by teams of chanting bearers, with taiko drums, geisha processions, and yakuza sightings adding to the atmosphere.
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  Aoi Matsuri · MayOne of Kyoto's three great festivals features a 500-person procession in Heian-period court dress walking eight kilometers from the Imperial Palace to Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines, with ox-drawn carts decorated in hollyhock leaves.

Japan in other months

Where else is good to go in May